How to Request an EIN Number: Online, Fax, Mail, or Phone

Requesting an EIN from the IRS is free and, if you apply through the online tool at irs.gov, the number is issued the moment you finish the session. An Employer Identification Number is the nine-digit tax ID the IRS assigns to a business, trust, estate, or other entity, and you’ll need one to hire employees, file federal returns for the entity, and open a business bank account. Online is the fastest route; fax, mail, and phone exist for applicants who don’t qualify for the web application.

Get Your Information Together First

The online session times out after 15 minutes of inactivity and cannot be saved, so hunting for a document mid-application means starting over.¹ Have these ready before you open the form:

The entity’s exact legal name as it appears on your state formation documents, plus any trade name you use
The mailing address where the entity should receive IRS correspondence
Your entity type: sole proprietorship, corporation, personal service corporation, LLC, estate, trust, nonprofit, or another option from the IRS list²
Your reason for applying (starting a new business, buying an existing one, creating a trust, etc.)²
The month and year the business started or was acquired²

If you’re forming an LLC, corporation, partnership, or tax-exempt organization, register with your state before applying. The IRS warns that skipping state formation can delay the EIN application, and any mismatch between your state paperwork and your federal form, down to a spelling difference, can cause problems.¹

The Responsible Party

The single most important entry on the application is the responsible party. The IRS defines this as the individual who ultimately owns or controls the entity and can direct how its funds and assets are handled. It must be a real person, not another company; the only exception is government entities.³

Who fills that role depends on the entity. For a corporation, it’s typically the principal officer. For a trust, it’s usually the grantor.⁴ You’ll need that person’s full legal name and a valid taxpayer identification number: a Social Security Number for a U.S. citizen, or an ITIN for a non-U.S. individual. If the responsible party has neither and is ineligible for both, enter “foreign” or “N/A” on that line.³

Applying Online

The online application is the IRS’s preferred method and the only one that issues the number instantly. To use it, your principal place of business must be in the United States or a U.S. territory, and the responsible party must have a valid SSN or ITIN.¹

The tool isn’t available 24/7. Operating hours in Eastern Time are Monday through Friday 6:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. the next day, Saturday 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., and Sunday 6:00 p.m. to midnight. One responsible party can obtain only one EIN per day.¹

Start at irs.gov and look for “Apply for an Employer Identification Number (EIN) Online.” The system walks you through entity selection, responsible-party details, and the rest of the SS-4 questions. Before you submit, a summary screen appears; check every name, address, and date against your source documents. Once you submit, the EIN is assigned on the spot and the IRS generates a confirmation notice. Download and print it right away. Banks, state agencies, and licensing bodies will ask for it, and there is no way to regenerate that PDF later. Save copies in more than one place.

If You Can’t Apply Online

Applicants outside the U.S., or those whose responsible party has no SSN or ITIN, need to use Form SS-4 through one of the alternative channels. The form asks for the same information as the online tool.⁵

Fax

Fax is the fastest alternative, with the IRS generally faxing the EIN back within four business days.⁶ For applicants with a principal business or residence in the 50 states or D.C., fax to 855-641-6935. If the entity has no legal residence or business in any state, fax to 855-215-1627 from within the U.S. or 304-707-9471 from outside the country.⁷

Mail

Mailing SS-4 takes roughly four to five weeks.⁶ Domestic applicants send the form to Internal Revenue Service, Attn: EIN Operation, Cincinnati, OH 45999. International applicants use Internal Revenue Service, Attn: EIN International Operation, Cincinnati, OH 45999.⁷

Phone (International Applicants Only)

If you have no legal residence, business, or office in the United States or its territories, you can apply by phone at 267-941-1099, Monday through Friday, 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Eastern Time. An IRS representative walks through the SS-4 questions and assigns the EIN during the call.⁶ This line is not available to domestic applicants.

The IRS Charges Nothing. Third-Party Sites Do.

The IRS does not charge for an EIN, no matter which application method you use.¹ A number of third-party websites, some designed to look official, charge anywhere from $50 to several hundred dollars to submit what is a free application. If a site is asking for payment to get you an EIN, it’s not the IRS. The real application lives at irs.gov.

Using the EIN After You Receive It

You can use the EIN immediately for most purposes: opening a bank account, applying for licenses, and filing paper tax returns.⁸ But it can take up to two weeks for the number to propagate through all IRS systems. E-filing a return or making certain electronic payments before that happens can trigger a rejection. If you’re up against a filing deadline, factor that lag in.

If You Already Had an EIN and Lost It

Don’t apply again. An EIN is permanent, and requesting a second one creates account complications. The IRS recommends checking these sources first:

The original confirmation notice from when the EIN was issued
Your business bank, which keeps the number on file for your account
State or local agencies where you’ve applied for licenses
Previously filed business tax returns

If none of those turn it up, call the IRS Business and Specialty Tax Line at 800-829-4933, Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. local time (Pacific time for Alaska and Hawaii). After verifying your identity, the agent will give you the number over the phone. You can also request Letter 147C, an official confirmation of the previously assigned EIN.⁸

1
Internal Revenue Service. Get an Employer Identification Number
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Internal Revenue Service. Instructions for Form SS-4 (12/2025)
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Internal Revenue Service. Instructions for Form SS-4 (12/2025) – Specific Instructions
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Internal Revenue Service. Responsible Parties and Nominees
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Internal Revenue Service. About Form SS-4, Application for Employer Identification Number (EIN)
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Internal Revenue Service. Instructions for Form SS-4 (Rev. December 2025)
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Internal Revenue Service. Where to File Your Taxes for Form SS-4
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Internal Revenue Service. Employer Identification Number