Iowa EIN Number and the Iowa Withholding Permit Number

Last updated November 1, 2026 · Written by the EIN Registration filing team

There is no Iowa EIN. The IRS issues it on Form SS-4. What Iowa adds comes after it: a withholding permit number from the Iowa Department of Revenue once you pay wages, an unemployment insurance account with the Iowa Workforce Development, and a sales and use tax permit from the Iowa Department of Revenue if you sell taxable goods or services.

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After your EIN in Iowa

Account	Agency	Number you get	Register
State income tax withholding	Iowa Department of Revenue	Withholding permit number, 9 digits (permits issued before November 15, 2021 have 12)	GovConnectIowa
Unemployment insurance	Iowa Workforce Development	Account number issued at registration	myIowaUI
Sales tax	Iowa Department of Revenue	Sales and use tax permit	GovConnectIowa

Iowa withholding permits issued after November 15, 2021 carry a 9-digit permit number. Older permits used 12 digits, and the Department of Revenue still accepts either on withholding returns, W-2s and 1099s, but recommends the 9-digit number.

Iowa Workforce Development asks new businesses not to register for an unemployment insurance account until they have employed workers in Iowa and paid wages. The registration asks an LLC for each member's ownership percentage, and the legal name must match Secretary of State records exactly.

Also on the Iowa list

Register with the Iowa Department of Revenue through GovConnectIowa, which asks for the FEIN before the application starts and issues a separate permit number for each tax the business needs, such as sales and use tax or withholding. Once issued, a permit stays in effect until the owner cancels it or the department revokes it; there is no renewal.
File the biennial report with the Secretary of State through Fast Track Filing between January 1 and April 1 of each odd-numbered year, starting with the first odd-numbered year after the year the LLC was formed.

Agency sites checked November 1, 2026 · All 50 states

What is different about Iowa

Iowa splits its biennial reports by entity type: LLCs file in odd-numbered years and for-profit corporations in even-numbered years, in both cases between January 1 and April 1. An LLC formed in 2026 files its first report in 2027, while one formed in 2027 does not file until 2029.
The Iowa Department of Revenue gives every taxpayer an IDR ID, which the department describes as generated by the department, unlike an SSN or FEIN. Registration letters list the IDR ID alongside the account or permit number for each tax, so an Iowa LLC ends up with an EIN, an IDR ID and one or more permit numbers, each used in different places.
Iowa sales tax reaches services only when Iowa law lists them, but the list is long: lawn care and landscaping, pet grooming, non-residential janitorial work, vehicle repair, barber and beauty services and photography are all on it. Many Iowa service LLCs therefore need a sales tax permit even though they sell no goods.

Before you apply

The SS-4 must match the Iowa Secretary of State filing; its business number is a state index, not a tax ID.

Iowa EIN questions

How do I get an EIN number in Iowa?

File IRS Form SS-4 after the Iowa Secretary of State approves any formation filing; there is no Iowa EIN application. Then register with the Iowa Department of Revenue (GovConnectIowa) for withholding and the sales and use tax permit and the Iowa Workforce Development (myIowaUI) for unemployment insurance.

Is there an Iowa EIN or state tax ID number?

No; only the IRS issues EINs (also called the FEIN or federal tax ID). Iowa's own numbers are the business number from the Iowa Secretary of State, the withholding permit number from the Iowa Department of Revenue, and the sales and use tax permit from the Iowa Department of Revenue.

Is the Iowa withholding permit number the same as my EIN?

No. The Iowa Department of Revenue assigns it when you register as an employer in GovConnectIowa, and it is 9 digits (permits issued before November 15, 2021 have 12). It goes in W-2 box 15; the EIN goes in box b.

Where do I register for Iowa unemployment insurance?

With the Iowa Workforce Development, online through myIowaUI. Iowa Workforce Development asks new businesses not to register for an unemployment insurance account until they have employed workers in Iowa and paid wages. The registration asks an LLC for each member's ownership percentage, and the legal name must match Secretary of State records exactly.

Do I need an Iowa sales and use tax permit?

Only if you sell what Iowa taxes. The Iowa Department of Revenue issues it through GovConnectIowa, and your returns are filed under its number, not the EIN.

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Sources

You can also apply for an EIN directly with the IRS at irs.gov at no cost.