You can get an EIN without an LLC. The IRS issues Employer Identification Numbers to sole proprietors, partnerships, corporations, nonprofits, trusts, and estates directly, for free, and no LLC or other formal business entity is required. The online application takes about ten minutes and gives you the nine-digit number, formatted XX-XXXXXXX, at the end of the session.
Who Can Apply Without an LLC
An EIN is a tax ID the IRS assigns to entities, not a badge of incorporation. The IRS requires one for any business with employees, any partnership or corporation, any business that files excise taxes, and for tax-exempt organizations, estates, most trusts, and certain retirement plans.1Internal Revenue Service. Employer Identification Number None of that turns on whether you’ve formed an LLC.
Sole proprietors without employees are the group that most often asks the question. Technically you don’t need an EIN for federal tax purposes; the IRS is fine with you using your Social Security number on your returns. But the IRS itself notes that you can still request one for banking or state tax purposes even when it isn’t required.1Internal Revenue Service. Employer Identification Number
Why a Sole Proprietor Would Want One Anyway
Every W-9 you sign, every invoice you submit, every business credit application you fill out asks for a taxpayer identification number. Without an EIN, that number is your SSN. Once it circulates through clients, vendors, and their accounting departments, you’ve lost control of your most sensitive personal identifier. An EIN lets you put a business number on those forms instead.
Banking is the other common reason. Many banks will open a sole proprietor account on an SSN alone, but some want an EIN, and corporations, partnerships, and nonprofits need one to open any business account. An EIN also gives you a foundation for building a business credit profile separate from your personal credit, which matters if you plan to apply for business loans, lines of credit, or vendor accounts down the road.
What to Have Ready Before You Start
The online application doesn’t let you save your progress and expires after 15 minutes of inactivity, so gather everything first:
- The responsible party’s SSN or ITIN. The IRS ties every EIN to a real person who controls the entity, so you need a valid Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number. For a sole proprietorship, that’s you.2Internal Revenue Service. Get an Employer Identification Number
- Your entity type: sole proprietor, partnership, corporation, nonprofit, trust, or estate.
- Your reason for applying, such as starting a new business, hiring employees, or opening a bank account.
- Your business address and legal name, plus any “doing business as” name you operate under.
How to Apply
Online
The IRS online application at irs.gov is the fastest route. You answer questions about your entity and receive your EIN immediately at the end. The tool is available Monday through Friday from 6:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. Eastern, Saturday from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., and Sunday from 6:00 p.m. to midnight. The IRS limits you to one EIN per responsible party per day, so if you need numbers for multiple entities, plan on coming back.2Internal Revenue Service. Get an Employer Identification Number
Fax
Complete IRS Form SS-4 and fax it to 855-641-6935 if you’re in the 50 states or Washington, D.C. Include a return fax number on the form, and you’ll typically receive your EIN within four business days.3Internal Revenue Service. Where to File Your Taxes for Form SS-4
Mail Form SS-4 to Internal Revenue Service, Attn: EIN Operation, Cincinnati, OH 45999. Processing takes about four weeks.3Internal Revenue Service. Where to File Your Taxes for Form SS-4
Phone (International Applicants Only)
If your principal place of business is outside the United States, call 267-941-1099, Monday through Friday, 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Eastern. This is not a toll-free number. International applicants can also fax Form SS-4 to 855-215-1627 from within the U.S. or 304-707-9471 from outside.1Internal Revenue Service. Employer Identification Number3Internal Revenue Service. Where to File Your Taxes for Form SS-4
Use one method only. Submitting the same application by fax and mail, for example, can produce duplicate EINs for the same entity, which creates problems later.
After You Receive Your EIN
If you applied online, print or save the confirmation page immediately. The IRS also mails a formal confirmation called a CP-575 notice within four to six weeks. Banks, state agencies, and other institutions may ask for it, so keep it somewhere safe.
Your EIN is permanent. The IRS doesn’t expire or reissue EINs, and you won’t need a new one just because you change your business name or address.
When You’d Need a New EIN Later
If you’re operating as a sole proprietor now and later incorporate, form a partnership, or declare bankruptcy, you’ll need to apply for a new EIN at that point. The number is tied to the entity, not to you personally, so a change in entity type starts you fresh. The same is true if you eventually form an LLC that’s taxed as a corporation or has employees; that LLC needs its own EIN.4Internal Revenue Service. When to Get a New EIN
Skip the Paid Services
Many websites are designed to look like official government portals and charge anywhere from $50 to $300 to “file” your EIN application. They submit the same free IRS application on your behalf. The FTC has warned operators of these sites over deceptive practices, including implying affiliation with the IRS.5Federal Trade Commission. FTC Warns Operators of Websites that Charge for Employer Identification Number The only legitimate place to apply online is irs.gov. If a site asks for a credit card as part of the EIN application, close the tab. The IRS never charges a fee.