A tax ID for a business, not a person
An Employer Identification Number is a nine-digit number the IRS gives to a business. It does for a company what an SSN or ITIN does for a person: it identifies the company on U.S. tax filings and to the banks and platforms that ask for it.
A foreign-owned U.S. company
The IRS says partnerships, LLCs and corporations need an EIN to operate. That includes an LLC owned by someone who lives abroad.
A bank account or payouts
U.S. banks and payment platforms commonly ask for the company's EIN before they open an account or pay into it.
Hiring, or paying a non-resident
You need an EIN if you have employees, or if you withhold tax on income other than wages that you pay to a non-resident alien.
Do you need an EIN, an ITIN, or both?
Pick the line that sounds most like you. The answer on the right is a starting point, and an agent can confirm it.
You tell us once. We do the form.
Three steps, and only the first one is yours.
- 1Tell us about the companyIts name, type and owners, and who the "responsible party" is. That is the person who owns or controls the company. A short conversation with an agent.
- 2We fill in Form SS-4We complete it for your situation, including a foreign address or foreign owner, and you check it.
- 3We file it and you get the numberWe send it to the IRS by the route that fits. The IRS issues the EIN and we pass it to you as soon as it arrives.
How long depends on the route
These are the IRS's own timeframes. Which route is open to you depends on the responsible party and where the business is based.
International applicants can also apply by phone, Monday to Friday, 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern. The IRS issues one EIN per day per applicant. The bars are only a rough guide. We choose the route with you, and we cannot promise a date.
Two numbers, two different jobs
People mix these up all the time. One is for you. The other is for your company.
You can need both: an EIN for the company and an ITIN for yourself if you have to file a U.S. return and have no SSN. Neither one gives you immigration status or work authorization.
Flat fees, agreed up front
- Form SS-4 prepared for your situation
- Filed with the IRS
- Follow-up until the EIN arrives
- U.S. incorporation ($75 on its own)
- EIN registration included
- One person handling both
The IRS itself charges nothing for an EIN. Our fee is for preparing and filing it.
EIN questions
Yes. The IRS says you can get an EIN for free directly from the IRS. Our fee covers preparing Form SS-4 correctly for a foreign address or foreign owner, choosing the filing route and sending it in, so you are not guessing at the form.
Not always. The IRS online application asks for the responsible party's SSN or ITIN, and it is for businesses with a U.S. principal place of business. If the responsible party has neither and is not eligible for one, the Form SS-4 instructions say to enter "foreign" on line 7b, and the form can go in by fax or mail. International applicants can also apply by phone.
The IRS gives these timeframes: online is immediate, fax is about 4 business days and mail is about 4 weeks. Which route is open to you depends on the responsible party and where the business is based. We cannot speed up the IRS.
No. An EIN identifies a business. An ITIN identifies a person for federal tax filing. You can need both: an EIN for your company and an ITIN for yourself if you have to file a U.S. return and have no SSN.
The IRS says LLCs, partnerships and corporations need an EIN to operate, whether or not they have employees. Banks and payment platforms also commonly ask for one.
Yes. Incorporation is $75 on its own, or $125 with the EIN included. Talk to an agent first so we can match the company type to your situation.