Company Registration Number: What It Is and Where to Find It
Last updated November 5, 2026 · Written by the EIN Registration filing team
Formed your company but have no federal number yet? We prepare and file your SS-4 and email you the EIN.
Start Now →What states call it
The name varies. You may see file number, entity number, entity ID, document number, control number, SOS ID or business ID. All of these mean the number the state’s filing office gave the company.
Where to find yours
- Your approved formation document or the state’s approval email.
- A past annual report or state notice.
- The state’s business search. Our business search opens each state’s.
How it differs from other numbers
| Number | Comes from | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Registration number | State filing office | State filings and business searches |
| EIN | IRS | Federal taxes, banks, W-9s |
| State tax account | State revenue agency | Sales tax and withholding |
Forming a company does not give it an EIN. See how to apply for an EIN and LLC number vs EIN.
Quick answers
Is a company registration number the same as an EIN?
No. The state assigns the registration number. The IRS assigns the EIN, and you have to apply for it.
Does a sole proprietor have a registration number?
Usually not, since a sole proprietor does not form an entity with the state. A trade name registration may come with its own number.
Is a registration number public?
Generally yes. It usually appears in the state's business search.
What if a form asks for my business registration number?
Check who is asking. A state form or a lender usually wants the state number, but a tax form may want the EIN or a state tax account.
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Related guides
- LLC Number vs EIN: Your Secretary of State Number Is Not a Tax ID The state assigns your LLC number and the IRS assigns your EIN. What each is for, why forming an LLC does not get you an EIN, and what all 50 states call their number.
- How to Find Your LLC's EIN Number The six places an LLC's EIN is already written down, the state filing number that is not it, the case where the LLC never had one, and the 147C call that always works.
- State Tax ID vs Federal EIN: What Is the Difference? The EIN comes from the IRS and is one number per business. State tax IDs come from your state's revenue agency, there can be several, and you usually need the EIN first. Which is which on a W-2, a bank form and a sales tax permit.
- Tax ID for an LLC: Which Number to Use Which tax ID an LLC uses depends on its owners and how it is taxed. Each case, and how to get the number.
- FEIN vs EIN: Is There a Difference? FEIN and EIN are the same nine-digit federal number under two names. Why state forms say FEIN or FEI, and which number to put on them.
You can also apply for an EIN directly with the IRS at irs.gov at no cost.