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Kateryna Dzhevaga·IRS CAA · Authorized IRS e-file Provider·Federal practice (all 50 states)·EN · RU · UK
Federal Tax ID

Get an EIN for your US business

EIN (Employer Identification Number) — the tax ID for your LLC or Corporation. Required for a bank account, tax filings, hiring employees, payroll, opening Stripe/PayPal.

Help me with EIN

What an EIN is and why you need it

EIN (Employer Identification Number) is a 9-digit federal tax identifier for a business in the US. Format: XX-XXXXXXX. Issued by the IRS for free. Required for: • Bank accounts — all business banking (Mercury, Wise Business, Chase, BoA, etc.) requires EIN • Tax filings — Form 1120, 1120-S, 1065, 1040 Schedule C, payroll forms • Hiring employees / contractors (W-2, 1099) • State business registrations • Stripe, PayPal Business, Amazon Seller, Shopify • Foreign vendor relationships (used as a US business identifier in contracts) Available to all legally formed US business entities: LLC, C-Corp, S-Corp, Partnership, Sole Proprietorship (sole proprietors can use SSN instead but EIN is preferred for liability separation). For non-residents — fully available even without an SSN. The IRS publishes a special process for international applicants via Form SS-4 by fax. Takes 10–14 business days.

How to get an EIN without an SSN — for non-residents

This is the most common question from my non-resident clients. The answer: yes, you can get an EIN without an SSN. The process is just different — not online (the 5-minute path is SSN-holder only). The non-resident path: file Form SS-4 by fax with the IRS International EIN Operations group in Cincinnati. Key field is "Responsible Party SSN/ITIN" — you write "Foreign" instead of a number. The IRS processes the application in 10–14 business days and faxes/mails back your EIN confirmation (CP 575). No SSN, no ITIN required — the Responsible Party can be the foreign owner. Many non-residents do not have ITINs at the time of EIN application (since ITIN itself is obtained later for tax-filing purposes). EIN comes first; ITIN comes when you actually file a return. The IRS fax line: +1 (855) 641-6935 (International EIN Operations). They accept incoming fax 24/7 but process during business hours. I handle the entire submission for clients — including follow-up if the IRS doesn't respond within 14 days (this happens occasionally).

How to get an EIN — 4 steps

From SS-4 form completion to receiving the number.

1

Register the LLC or Corporation

EINs are only issued to registered entities (LLC, Corp, Partnership). If you don't have one yet — first file Articles of Organization (for LLC) or Articles of Incorporation (for Corp) with the Secretary of State. EIN application follows entity formation.

2

Fill out Form SS-4

1 page, 18 fields. We enter: legal name, trade name (DBA), address, county, state, mailing address, Responsible Party (for US persons — SSN; for non-residents — write "Foreign"), entity type, reason for applying. I prepare this for you.

3

Submit to IRS

For US persons: online at irs.gov/EIN — instant, 5 minutes. For non-residents: fax to +1 (855) 641-6935 (IRS International EIN Operations, Cincinnati). Mail also accepted but slower.

4

Receive the EIN

Online — instant with CP 575 confirmation. Fax/mail — 10–14 business days, CP 575 mailed back. Save CP 575 — it's the official IRS document banks may request. Lost CP 575 can be replaced via Form 147c.

Opening an LLC?
EIN is one step in the full LLC formation cycle. I handle everything turnkey →

Frequently asked questions — getting an EIN

What an EIN is, how to get it without an SSN, timelines, what it's for, what to do if you lose it

EIN (Employer Identification Number) is a 9-digit federal tax identifier for a US business. Format XX-XXXXXXX. Issued by the IRS for free. Required for bank accounts, tax filings, hiring employees, opening Stripe/PayPal. Available to LLC, Corp, Partnership, Sole Prop. For non-residents — obtained via Form SS-4 by fax.

Need an EIN for your business?

Book a consultation — I'll help with Form SS-4 submission and EIN delivery in parallel with LLC formation.

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