Yes, a FIN and an EIN are the same number. The IRS calls it an Employer Identification Number, but banks, vendors, and state agencies often refer to the same nine-digit identifier as a Federal Identification Number, a federal tax ID, or a Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN). Whichever label a form uses, it is asking for the same IRS-issued number, formatted as XX-XXXXXXX, that identifies your business or other entity for federal tax purposes.1Internal Revenue Service. Taxpayer Identification Numbers
Why One Number Goes by Several Names
The IRS uses a single official term: Employer Identification Number. Everyone else is less consistent. A bank might ask for your “federal tax ID.” A vendor contract might reference your “FIN.” A state licensing application might request a “FEIN.” All of them point back to the one number the IRS assigned to your entity.1Internal Revenue Service. Taxpayer Identification Numbers
The confusion is usually about the word “Employer.” It sounds like the number only applies to businesses with payroll, so people running a partnership, a trust, or a nonprofit sometimes assume they need a different “federal” number. They don’t. The EIN covers those entities too.
What Is Not Your EIN
One terminology trap worth flagging: some people use “EIN” loosely to mean a state tax identification number. State tax IDs are separate numbers issued by state revenue agencies for state-level obligations. If a form asks for a “state EIN” or “state tax ID,” that is not your federal number.
What the Number Is Used For
An EIN functions like a Social Security Number for a business entity. The IRS uses it to track tax filings, employment tax deposits, and other reporting tied to your organization.2Internal Revenue Service. Understanding Your EIN Outside of tax filing, you’ll need it to open a business bank account, apply for business credit, and set up payroll.3Internal Revenue Service. Employer Identification Number
The IRS cautions against substituting your EIN for your Social Security Number on personal matters, or the other way around. Each number has its own role, and swapping them can create filing problems that take months to untangle.2Internal Revenue Service. Understanding Your EIN
Who Needs an EIN
You need an EIN if any of the following applies to you:4Internal Revenue Service. Employer Identification Number – Section: Who Needs an EIN
- You have employees.
- You operate as a corporation, partnership, or LLC.
- You file employment, excise, or alcohol, tobacco, and firearms tax returns.
- You withhold taxes on non-wage income paid to a non-resident alien.
- You run a trust, estate, tax-exempt organization, retirement plan, or IRA.
A sole proprietor with no employees who doesn’t file excise or pension tax returns can generally use a Social Security Number for federal tax purposes instead. Even when it isn’t required, the IRS notes you can still request an EIN for banking or state tax purposes.3Internal Revenue Service. Employer Identification Number Many sole proprietors get one anyway to keep their SSN off invoices and vendor paperwork.
How To Get One
Applying is free. You never have to pay a fee.5Internal Revenue Service. Get an Employer Identification Number There are three routes:
- Online through the IRS EIN Assistant, available Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Approved applications produce an EIN immediately.5Internal Revenue Service. Get an Employer Identification Number
- By fax or mail using Form SS-4. Fax applications are generally processed within a few business days; mailed applications can take several weeks.6Internal Revenue Service. Instructions for Form SS-4
- By phone, but only for international applicants without a U.S. SSN or ITIN.6Internal Revenue Service. Instructions for Form SS-4
If you’re forming a legal entity like an LLC or corporation, register it with your state first, then apply for the EIN.5Internal Revenue Service. Get an Employer Identification Number
Skip the Paid Application Sites
Plenty of websites are designed to look like official IRS pages, using similar logos, colors, and domain names that include “IRS.” They charge up to $300 for something the IRS provides free. In 2025, the Federal Trade Commission sent warning letters to operators of these sites, noting that violations of federal impersonation rules can carry civil penalties of up to $53,088 per violation.7Federal Trade Commission. FTC Warns Operators of Websites that Charge for an Employer Identification Number The only legitimate free application is at irs.gov.
EIN Compared With Other Taxpayer ID Numbers
The EIN is one of several taxpayer identification numbers the IRS issues, and none of them are interchangeable:1Internal Revenue Service. Taxpayer Identification Numbers
- Social Security Number (SSN), for individual U.S. citizens and authorized residents filing personal returns.
- Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN), a nine-digit number beginning with “9” for people who have a U.S. tax filing requirement but aren’t eligible for an SSN, including certain non-resident aliens and their dependents.
- Preparer Taxpayer Identification Number (PTIN), assigned to paid tax return preparers.
An ITIN cannot substitute for an EIN when opening a business bank account, and an EIN cannot go on your personal Form 1040. Whenever a business form asks for a “federal identification number,” “FIN,” “federal tax ID,” or “FEIN,” the answer is your EIN.