Whether a tax ID is public information depends on which one you mean. Social Security numbers and Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers are confidential under federal law, and no government database will let anyone look them up. Employer Identification Numbers are different: the IRS doesn’t run a public lookup for most businesses, but EINs routinely appear in filings the public can read, especially for nonprofits and publicly traded companies.
SSNs and ITINs Are Confidential by Law
Your Social Security number is a nine-digit identifier issued by the Social Security Administration, originally created to track earnings and calculate retirement benefits.1Social Security Administration. Meaning of the Social Security Number It has since become the default identifier for credit, banking, employment, and tax reporting, which is precisely why the law shields it.
The Privacy Act of 1974 bars federal agencies from disclosing records retrieved by personal identifiers, including SSNs, without the individual’s consent, unless a specific statutory exception applies.2Social Security Administration. The Privacy Act of 1974 The Social Security Act separately prohibits SSA employees from disclosing any file, record, or report about a person obtained during their duties except where federal law specifically allows it.3Social Security Administration. Submit a Privacy Act Request for Your or Another Persons Records – Privacy Program At least a dozen states have added their own restrictions on how private companies can use or display SSNs, prohibiting practices like printing them on mailed documents, posting them publicly, or requiring them for website logins.
An Individual Taxpayer Identification Number is a nine-digit number the IRS issues to people who need to file a U.S. tax return but aren’t eligible for an SSN.4Internal Revenue Service. Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) ITINs get the same confidentiality treatment. Section 6103 of the Internal Revenue Code makes tax returns and “return information” confidential, and that term covers any data the IRS collects in connection with a return, including the ITIN itself. Federal and state employees with access are barred from disclosing it, with narrow exceptions for things like law enforcement investigations and specific intergovernmental data-sharing agreements.5Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 26 USC 6103 – Confidentiality and Disclosure of Returns and Return Information
Courts extend the same protection. Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 5.2 requires any filing containing an SSN or TIN to show only the last four digits, and the burden of redacting falls on whoever submits the document.6Legal Information Institute (LII). Rule 5.2 – Privacy Protection for Filings Made with the Court
EINs Are Semi-Public
Employer Identification Numbers sit in a different category. The IRS doesn’t operate a general public search where you type in a business name and get back its EIN. But EINs regularly appear in documents anyone can access, which makes them effectively semi-public for many types of organizations.
The biggest window is nonprofit filings. Tax-exempt organizations must make their Form 990 annual returns available for public inspection, and the EIN appears on those returns.7Internal Revenue Service. Public Disclosure and Availability of Exempt Organization Returns and Applications – Public Disclosure Overview The IRS runs an online Tax Exempt Organization Search where you can pull a nonprofit up by name or EIN and open its filings.8Internal Revenue Service. Search for Tax Exempt Organizations
Publicly traded companies expose their EINs through SEC filings. The number typically appears on the cover page of annual reports (Form 10-K) and quarterly reports (Form 10-Q), all searchable through the SEC’s EDGAR database.9SEC.gov. EDGAR Full Text Search State business registrations, articles of incorporation, and annual reports filed with a Secretary of State often include the EIN as well, though this varies by state.
For private, for-profit businesses, an EIN is harder to find. There’s no equivalent of the nonprofit search tool, and IRS confidentiality rules still apply to the agency’s own records. But because businesses use their EIN on so many documents shared with third parties, it doesn’t carry anything close to the secrecy that surrounds an SSN.
How to Look Up a Business EIN
If you need to find a specific organization’s EIN, the route depends on the type of entity.
- For nonprofits, use the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search at irs.gov. You can search by organization name or EIN and access Form 990 filings going back years. Third-party databases like Candid (formerly GuideStar) host the same filings and let you search by name, location, or EIN.10Candid. Where Can I Find an Organizations Form 990 or 990-PF
- For publicly traded companies, search EDGAR for the most recent 10-K or 10-Q. The EIN is usually printed on the cover page, labeled “IRS Employer Identification Number” or similar.
- For private businesses, no public federal database exists. State business registration records sometimes include it. The most reliable option is asking the business directly, since they’ll need to provide it on a W-9 anyway if you’re making payments that require tax reporting.
When You Have to Share Your Own Tax ID
Confidentiality doesn’t mean you can keep your tax ID to yourself. Federal regulations require every person filing a tax document to include their TIN, and anyone who needs your TIN for their own reporting obligations can demand it from you.11eCFR. 26 CFR 301.6109-1 – Identifying Numbers
The most common situation is Form W-9. When you work as an independent contractor, earn interest or dividends, or receive certain other reportable payments, the payer needs your TIN to file information returns like the 1099-NEC or 1099-INT.12Internal Revenue Service. About Form W-9, Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification Refuse or give an incorrect number and the payer must withhold 24% of what they pay you and send it to the IRS as backup withholding. It isn’t a penalty, since you get it back as a credit when you file, but the money is tied up until then.
Banks and other financial institutions collect your TIN when you open an account. Under Bank Secrecy Act rules, covered institutions must also identify and verify the natural persons who own 25% or more of any legal entity opening an account, which includes collecting their identifying information.13FinCEN.gov. Information on Complying with the Customer Due Diligence (CDD) Final Rule Employers collect your SSN for payroll tax reporting, and FTC guidance directs them to use it only for lawful purposes, limit access to employees with a genuine need, store records containing SSNs in locked or encrypted systems, and revoke access when employees leave.14Federal Trade Commission. Protecting Personal Information – A Guide for Business
Penalties for Unauthorized Disclosure
If someone discloses your tax information without authorization, the consequences come from several directions at once.
Under Section 7213 of the Internal Revenue Code, unauthorized disclosure of tax return information, including SSNs, ITINs, and the financial data tied to them, is a felony. A conviction can bring a fine of up to $5,000, imprisonment of up to five years, or both. Federal employees convicted under this provision face mandatory termination on top of the criminal sentence.15Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 26 USC 7213 – Unauthorized Disclosure of Information
You don’t need a prosecutor to act. Section 7431 lets you file a civil suit against the United States (if a federal employee disclosed it) or against any other person who violated the confidentiality rules. Damages start at $1,000 per unauthorized act even without proof of financial harm. If you can prove actual damages, you recover those instead, plus punitive damages if the disclosure was willful or grossly negligent, plus attorney’s fees.16Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 26 USC 7431 – Civil Damages for Unauthorized Inspection or Disclosure
For SSN disclosures specifically, the Privacy Act adds another layer. A federal employee who willfully discloses records containing SSNs to unauthorized recipients commits a misdemeanor punishable by up to $5,000. The same penalty applies to anyone who obtains records from a federal agency under false pretenses.17Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 5 USC 552a – Records Maintained on Individuals
What to Do If Your Tax ID Gets Misused
Legal protections don’t stop tax ID theft from happening. If someone files a fraudulent return using your SSN or ITIN, the IRS will reject your legitimate return and you’ll spend weeks or months sorting it out. Two IRS programs help.
If you suspect someone is using your tax ID to file returns or claim refunds, submit Form 14039 (Identity Theft Affidavit). Online submission at irs.gov is fastest. You can also fax it toll-free to 855-807-5720 with a cover sheet marked “Confidential,” or mail it. If you’re responding to an IRS notice about a suspicious return, send the form to the address on that notice. Otherwise, if you checked the box saying someone filed using your SSN or ITIN, attach Form 14039 to the back of your paper tax return and mail both together.18Internal Revenue Service. Identity Theft Affidavit
The IRS also issues an Identity Protection PIN, a six-digit number that blocks anyone else from filing a return using your SSN or ITIN. Anyone with an SSN or ITIN can enroll, including parents requesting an IP PIN for dependents, and the fastest route is through your IRS online account.19Internal Revenue Service. Get an Identity Protection PIN If you can’t verify your identity online and your adjusted gross income is below $84,000 ($168,000 for married filing jointly), you can submit Form 15227 and verify by phone instead. The IP PIN typically arrives by mail within four to six weeks. As a last resort, schedule an in-person appointment at a Taxpayer Assistance Center. The IP PIN changes every year, so you’ll need to retrieve the new one from your online account each January.