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EIN for an LLC: What It Is and How to Get One Free

An EIN is your LLC's federal tax ID number. The IRS gives them out free in minutes. This page explains who needs one, how the application works, and why you should never pay a service for it.

By the LLCForming research teamFees checked Nov 7, 2026

What an EIN is

EIN stands for Employer Identification Number. It is a nine-digit number the IRS assigns to a business for tax purposes, written like 12-3456789. Think of it as the business version of a Social Security number: banks, payroll providers, and tax forms use it to identify the entity. It is sometimes called a Federal Tax ID Number or FEIN. They are the same thing.

An LLC gets its own EIN even if it has no employees. The name misleads people. "Employer" is in the title because the system was built for employers, but the IRS issues EINs to entities of all kinds.

Does your LLC need one?

Your situation	EIN needed?
Your LLC has, or will hire, employees	Yes. Required for payroll taxes.
Multi-member LLC (taxed as a partnership by default)	Yes. The entity files its own return and needs its own number.
Your LLC elects S corporation or C corporation tax status	Yes. The election is filed under the entity's EIN.
You want a business bank account	Practically yes. Most banks require an EIN to open an account in the LLC's name, even for single-member LLCs.
Single-member LLC, no employees, no election, banking elsewhere sorted	Not required by the IRS. You may use your own Social Security number for tax purposes. Most owners get an EIN anyway so their SSN stays off forms handed to vendors and banks.

Note the sequence: form the LLC with your state first, then apply for the EIN. The IRS application asks for the entity's legal name and formation date, so the state filing comes first. Our formation guide puts the steps in order.

How to apply, step by step

1. Go to the IRS EIN application

   The application lives on IRS.gov and is called the EIN Assistant. It is available during posted IRS hours, generally weekday business hours with some evening availability. Start at irs.gov and search "apply for an EIN online" so you land on the real government page, not a lookalike.

2. Choose "Limited Liability Company" as the entity type

   The assistant asks what you are applying for and how the LLC is structured, including the number of members and the state where it was formed.

3. Enter the responsible party

   The IRS requires a responsible party: a real person who controls the entity, with that person's Social Security number or ITIN. This is an IRS anti-fraud rule. A company cannot be the responsible party.

4. Submit and save your confirmation letter

   Online applications get the EIN immediately at the end of the session. The IRS generates a confirmation notice (CP 575) as a PDF. Save it and print it. Banks ask for it, and replacing it later takes a phone call and a wait.

Applying by fax or mail with Form SS-4 also works and is the route for applicants without a US responsible party number. It takes days to weeks instead of minutes.

Why you should never pay for an EIN

This is the single easiest money leak in the whole formation process, and it is why our services comparison calls out EIN charges in every vendor's pricing.

After you get it

• Open the business bank account. Bring the EIN letter and your approved formation document.
• Give it out instead of your SSN. Vendors that ask for a tax ID on a Form W-9 get the EIN.
• Keep it stable. An LLC keeps the same EIN through name and address changes in most cases. A change in ownership structure or a conversion can require a new one; the IRS publishes the specific triggers.
• State accounts are separate. Sales tax, unemployment insurance, and state withholding accounts use state-issued numbers, not your EIN, though applications ask for the EIN as identification.