How to Get an EIN — Free, From the IRS, in About 15 Minutes

An EIN — Employer Identification Number — is a nine-digit federal tax ID for your business: a Social Security number for the company. Banks want it to open a business account, payment processors ask for it, and it lets you put something other than your personal SSN on W-9s, which alone is worth having. The name misleads — you don't need employees to need one.

Who needs an EIN

• Every LLC, practically speaking. Single-member LLCs without employees can technically use the owner's SSN for some purposes, but banks and platforms want the EIN — get it the day the LLC is approved.
• Sole proprietors, optionally but sensibly: no legal requirement without employees, but an EIN keeps your SSN off the W-9s you hand to every client. Cheap identity-theft insurance.
• Anyone hiring, or forming a partnership or corporation: required, no debate.

The free way (US founders): the IRS online assistant

1. Go to the IRS website and search "apply for EIN online" — the EIN Assistant is free and runs during IRS business hours (roughly 7am–10pm Eastern, weekdays).
2. Have your details ready: legal business name exactly as filed, formation state, responsible party's name and SSN/ITIN, business address.
3. Complete the interview-style form — 10–15 minutes for a single-member LLC.
4. Save the confirmation letter (CP 575) immediately. It's issued once, on screen, and your bank will ask for it. This is the step people regret skipping.

The number is issued instantly, at $0. One per responsible party per day, and apply after the state approves your LLC so the names match.

Non-US founders: slower, still free

No SSN or ITIN means no online assistant, but the door is open: complete Form SS-4 and phone the IRS international line (or fax the form; post is the slow lane). Phone applications can issue the number in one call; fax takes days to weeks. This is the one scenario where paying a service to handle it has a defensible case — you're buying navigation of a phone queue in a foreign tax system, not access. Just know what the fee is actually for.

Why you should never pay an "EIN filing service" (as a US founder)

The $50–300 EIN add-on in formation checkouts fills in the same free form you would — often slower, since batches queue behind your direct application. It survives because it's bundled at a moment of uncertainty, one click among many. As our formation services comparison puts it: know what the government gives you free, and buy the rest deliberately.

After the number arrives

Three moves, same week: open the business bank account (EIN + formation documents + CP 575), give the EIN — not your SSN — on client W-9s, and store the confirmation letter with your formation documents where future-you can find it. From here, the trail continues in our first-year tax guide.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to get an EIN?

Nothing — the IRS issues EINs free, online in about 15 minutes for US applicants. Any fee you've seen is a third-party service reselling the free form; formation-service checkouts commonly charge $50–300 for it.

Do I need an EIN for a single-member LLC with no employees?

Technically you can sometimes use your SSN, but practically yes: banks want an EIN to open a business account, platforms ask for it, and it keeps your SSN off client paperwork. There's no downside to having one and it's free — get it when the LLC is approved.

Can I get an EIN as a non-US resident without an SSN?

Yes. You can't use the online assistant, but Form SS-4 by phone to the IRS international line (or by fax) works without an SSN or ITIN — phone applications can be issued in a single call. It's free; paid services here are buying you convenience, not eligibility.

How long does it take to get an EIN?

Online: instant, at the end of the 15-minute application. Phone (international applicants): often same-call. Fax: days to a couple of weeks; mail: several weeks. Apply after your LLC is state-approved so the legal names match.