How to get an EIN online for free

You can get an EIN online for free directly from the IRS. The IRS never charges a fee for an EIN, and if your application is approved, you receive the number immediately. If a website asks you to pay for an EIN, you are on the wrong site. This page walks through the official application, the timing rules that trip people up, and the mistakes that cause problems later with your bank and your business credit file.

What an EIN is, and what it is not

An EIN, or employer identification number, is a nine-digit federal tax ID for your business, written XX-XXXXXXX. It is how the IRS identifies your company, and it is what banks, vendors, and payroll providers ask for when you open accounts in the business's name.

An EIN is not a credit score, and getting one does not create a business credit file. Credit files are built by the business credit bureaus (Dun & Bradstreet, Experian, and Equifax) when vendors and lenders report how you pay. The EIN still matters for credit, because it is one of the identifiers bureaus and lenders use to match your business. The name and address you enter on the application should be the same ones you use everywhere else.

Before you start

Have five things ready.

1. Your entity must exist. If you are forming an LLC or corporation, file with your state first. The IRS says that if you do not form the entity with the state before applying, your EIN application may be delayed.
2. Your exact legal name, as it appears on your state filing, including "LLC" or "Inc." at the end.
3. The responsible party's Social Security number or ITIN. The responsible party is the person who ultimately owns or controls the business. For most small businesses, that is you.
4. Your business address. Use the same address you will use with your bank, your D-U-N-S profile, and your Google Business Profile. For most new owners that should be a real physical address. Virtual office addresses can trip identity-verification checks later.
5. Basic details: your start date, what the business does, and whether you expect to hire employees in the next 12 months.

Timing rules

The online tool is not open around the clock. As of September 2026, the IRS page lists these hours, all Eastern Time: Monday to Friday, 6:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. the next day; Saturday, 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.; Sunday, 6:00 p.m. to midnight. Check the IRS page for current hours, because many third-party sites still list older ones.

• You must finish in one session. You cannot save your progress and return.
• If you are inactive for 15 minutes, the session times out and you start over.
• The IRS issues only one EIN per responsible party per day.

The application, screen by screen

Search for "IRS get an EIN" and make sure the page you land on ends in .gov. Read the eligibility list: the business must be formed in the U.S. or a U.S. territory, and the principal place of business must be here too. Screens can change, so adjust to what you see.

• Entity type. Choose what you actually formed. For an LLC, you will be asked how many members it has and in which state it was formed. Answer exactly as your state filing shows.
• Taxes. A single-member LLC is treated by default as a disregarded entity for federal tax purposes. Being taxed as an S corporation is a separate election with its own form, so talk to a tax professional before changing anything.
• Reason for applying. For a new business, this is "started a new business."
• Responsible party. Your name and your SSN or ITIN, entered exactly as the Social Security Administration has them.
• Address. Enter your physical business address. If your mail goes elsewhere, there is a separate mailing address option.
• Business name. Type your legal name exactly, including "LLC." The IRS restricts which characters you can use and links its formatting rules on the application page. If it rejects a character, check the rules rather than improvising. Leave the trade name blank unless you have registered a DBA.
• Start date and activity. Enter the date the business started and choose the category that best describes what you do.
• Employees. Answer honestly. If you do not expect employees in the next 12 months, say no.
• Confirmation letter. Choose to receive it online so you can download a PDF immediately instead of waiting for mail.

Review every screen, then submit. If approved, your EIN appears right away.

Save the confirmation letter

Download the letter the moment it appears, save it in two places, and give the file a name you will find in five years. Banks commonly ask for it when you open a business account. If you lose it, the IRS can send a verification letter, but you must call the IRS Business and Specialty Tax Line to request it, which is slower than keeping the PDF.

What to do next

1. Open a business bank account in the company's legal name, using the EIN. Keep business money out of personal accounts from day one.
2. Get your free D-U-N-S number from Dun & Bradstreet using the same name, address, and phone.
3. Match your details everywhere: Google Business Profile, website, and directory listings.
4. Check state tax registration. Whether your state requires state tax accounts depends on the state and on what you sell.

Some companies may also need to report beneficial ownership information to FinCEN. Those rules changed in 2025, so check FinCEN.gov to see whether they apply to you.

Five mistakes to avoid

Sources

• IRS: Get an employer identification number
• IRS: Employer identification number
• FinCEN: Beneficial ownership information