What Is an EIN and How Do You Get One?
An EIN — Employer Identification Number — is your business’s federal tax ID, the company equivalent of a Social Security Number. The IRS issues it for free, and despite the name you don’t need employees to get one. It’s the key that unlocks a business bank account, payment processors, and clean separation between your company and your personal identity. This guide covers what an EIN is for, how to get one in minutes as a U.S. founder, and how non-US founders can get one without an SSN.
What an EIN is for
Practically everything official your LLC does asks for an EIN: opening a business bank account, signing up for Stripe or PayPal, filing federal and state taxes, hiring employees, and applying for licenses or permits.
It also protects your privacy. Using an EIN instead of your personal SSN on W-9s, applications, and vendor forms keeps your Social Security Number out of circulation and reinforces that the business is a separate entity — which supports your liability shield.
How U.S. founders get one (free, in minutes)
If you have an SSN or ITIN, apply directly on the IRS website using the online EIN Assistant. It’s free, and you receive your number immediately at the end of the session — there’s no need to pay a third party.
A word of caution: the IRS never charges for an EIN. Sites that charge a fee are simply filling out the free form on your behalf, so go straight to IRS.gov unless you specifically want a service to handle it.
How non-US founders get one without an SSN
You do not need an SSN or ITIN to get an EIN. Instead, you complete IRS Form SS-4 and submit it by fax or mail — on the form, you write “Foreign” in the box that asks for the responsible party’s SSN/ITIN.
Fax is usually fastest, often returning your EIN in a few business days to a couple of weeks; mail is slower. Many formation and registered-agent services will obtain the EIN for non-US founders as an add-on if you’d rather not handle the paperwork. The Non-US LLC Assistant lays out the exact steps for your situation.
Key takeaways
- An EIN is a free federal tax ID — the business version of an SSN.
- You don’t need employees to get one; most LLCs need it for banking and taxes.
- U.S. founders with an SSN/ITIN can apply online at IRS.gov and get the number instantly.
- Non-US founders get an EIN without an SSN by filing Form SS-4 (write “Foreign” for the responsible party).
- The IRS never charges for an EIN — paid sites are just filling out the free form for you.
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Non-US LLC Assistant