What an EIN is and why you need one
An Employer Identification Number is a nine-digit number the IRS assigns to a business, written like 12-3456789. Think of it as your company's tax ID. Despite the name, you need one even if you never hire an employee.
Almost everything after formation depends on it. US banks and fintech providers ask for it before they open a business account. Stripe, PayPal and Amazon ask for it during verification. Your company uses it on every IRS filing, including Form 5472 for a foreign-owned LLC. Clients use it when they issue tax forms to you.
Who this is for
- Non-resident founders with a new US LLC or C-Corp and no SSN or ITIN.
- Owners who formed a company but never got an EIN, and now need one for a bank or processor.
- Founders whose own SS-4 fax went unanswered or was rejected, and who want it filed correctly.
- Companies that lost their EIN letter and need to understand how to get a replacement verification.
Getting an EIN without an SSN
The IRS online EIN application only works when the responsible party has a valid SSN or ITIN and the business has its principal place of business in the US. Most non-resident founders have neither, so the online route is closed to them.
The IRS offers three other routes for international applicants:
- Fax. Form SS-4 faxed to the IRS. If the form is complete, the IRS generally faxes back the EIN within about 4 business days.
- Mail. Form SS-4 posted to the IRS. The EIN usually arrives by mail in about 4 weeks.
- Phone. International applicants with no US residence or principal place of business can call the IRS on 267-941-1099, a number that is not toll-free, from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern time, Monday to Friday. Expect waits.
We use the fax route, which is the most predictable for most founders. Times above are IRS estimates, and a form with errors or missing information is sent back rather than processed, which restarts the clock.
What BookMyLLC handles
- Preparing Form SS-4 from your formation documents, with the correct entity type and responsible party.
- Checking the name matches the state filing exactly, including punctuation and "LLC" or "Inc."
- Filing by fax to the IRS unit that handles applicants with no US residence or principal place of business.
- Acting as third-party designee, which lets the IRS release the EIN to us.
- Following up if the IRS does not respond in the expected window.
- Sending you the EIN and the IRS confirmation letter for your records.
Step-by-step process
- Form the company first. The IRS expects the entity to exist. See our LLC formation service if you have not formed yet.
- Answer a short questionnaire. Business activity, number of members, responsible party, mailing address and start date.
- Review and sign. We send the completed SS-4 for your review and signature, including the third-party designee authorisation.
- We fax it to the IRS. The designee's authority ends as soon as the EIN is assigned and released.
- Receive your EIN. We send it to you with the IRS confirmation, and the formal CP 575 notice follows by post to your mailing address.
Information you need
- The company's exact legal name and state of formation, and the date it was formed.
- The responsible party: an individual who controls the entity, usually the owner or a principal officer.
- A mailing address where the IRS can send letters. This can be outside the US.
- A short description of what the company does.
- For LLCs, the number of members, which decides the default tax classification.
Timeline
For fax applications, the IRS generally returns the EIN within about 4 business days once the form is accepted. Mailed applications take about 4 weeks. IRS backlogs, especially in the February to April filing season, can make both longer.
The responsible party
The IRS requires the responsible party to be an individual who owns or controls the company, not a nominee or an agent who only acted for you. If the responsible party changes later, for example because a co-founder takes over, the IRS expects Form 8822-B within 60 days. Getting this right at the start saves correspondence later, and it is also what banks check when they compare your EIN letter with your ownership documents.
After you get your EIN
Keep the CP 575 notice with your company records. If you lose it, the IRS can issue a 147C verification letter, which banks and processors accept. Your EIN also starts your IRS filing obligations: a foreign-owned single-member LLC must file Form 5472 with a pro forma Form 1120 each year it has reportable transactions. Our federal tax filing service handles that.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Using the online application with a fake or borrowed SSN. It is not allowed, and it ties your company to someone else's tax record.
- Applying twice. A second application creates a second EIN, which causes mismatched filings. The IRS also limits applicants to one EIN per responsible party per day.
- A name that does not match the state record. Banks compare the two, character by character.
- Wrong entity type. A single-member LLC should not be filed as a partnership, and vice versa.
- Using a US address you do not control. IRS letters, including penalty notices, go to the mailing address you provide.
Need an ITIN for your personal filings too? That is a separate number, covered by our ITIN service. Our EIN without SSN guide explains the process in more detail.
EIN at a glance
| Question | Short answer |
|---|---|
| What it is | A nine-digit federal tax ID the IRS issues to a business entity. |
| Do I need an SSN? | No. International applicants can use the fax, mail or phone routes described above. |
| Who the IRS calls the responsible party | The individual who controls the entity and its funds; the application names them. |
| Typical wait by fax | About 4 business days once the form is accepted. |
| Typical wait by mail | About 4 weeks. |
| Cost to the IRS | The IRS does not charge a fee for an EIN. |
Which EIN route fits your situation
| Route | Works without an SSN? | Speed | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online | No: needs an SSN or ITIN and a US principal place of business | Immediate when eligible | Most non-resident founders cannot use it |
| Fax | Yes | About 4 business days | Errors send the form back and restart the clock |
| Yes | About 4 weeks | No way to check progress quickly | |
| Phone | Yes, for international applicants | Same call, if you get through | Long waits and limited hours |
Where your EIN gets used
Once issued, the EIN follows the company everywhere. Banks and fintech providers ask for it before opening an account, payment processors use it to verify the business, and the IRS uses it on every return and information form. A client in the US may also ask for it when they issue you a Form 1099.
Keep the IRS confirmation letter (CP 575) somewhere safe. A bank will often ask to see it, and replacing it means requesting a verification letter from the IRS. If you are still choosing a bank, read our US business banking page before you apply.
Why the details on an EIN application matter
The IRS matches the legal name, entity type and responsible party on your application against what you filed with the state. A small mismatch, such as a missing "LLC" or a different spelling of a member's name, can cause the form to be rejected or the EIN to be issued under the wrong details. Correcting a wrong EIN record later takes letters to the IRS and weeks of waiting, which is why we compare the application with your formation documents before it goes out.
Your EIN is also the identifier banks and payment processors use to confirm your company is real. They will compare the name on the EIN letter with the name on your bank application and your website. Keeping all three identical avoids the most common reason applications are declined or held for review.
What to do after the number arrives
- Save the IRS confirmation letter in your company records and in cloud storage.
- Use the exact company name from the letter on every bank, tax and marketplace form.
- Calendar your first IRS filing: a foreign-owned single-member LLC files Form 5472 even with no income.
- Keep your registered agent and annual report on schedule so the company stays in good standing.
If you need help with any of these, see our IRS filing service and registered agent service.
