North Carolina EIN Number, Form NC-BR and NCSUITS
Last updated November 1, 2026 · Written by the EIN Registration filing team
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After your EIN in North Carolina
| Account | Agency | Number you get | Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| State income tax withholding | North Carolina Department of Revenue | Withholding identification number | Online Business Registration |
| Unemployment insurance | North Carolina Division of Employment Security | Employer ID number, 10 digits | NCSUITS |
| Sales tax | North Carolina Department of Revenue | Sales and use tax Certificate of Registration | Online Business Registration |
NCDOR's Online Business Registration, the electronic version of Form NC-BR, registers withholding, sales and use tax and motor vehicle lease and subscription tax in one application. Unemployment insurance is a separate registration with the Division of Employment Security in NCSUITS.
North Carolina does not let you use your federal EIN as your state withholding number. The Department of Revenue assigns a separate North Carolina withholding identification number when you register, and it cannot be obtained over the telephone.
North Carolina's unemployment tax system, NCSUITS, identifies each employer by a 10-digit Employer ID number. Accounts from the older system were converted by adding zeros to the front of the old number, and reports should always carry the full 10 digits.
Also on the North Carolina list
- Register with the North Carolina Department of Revenue using Form NC-BR. It asks for the EIN and opens the withholding account and, if you sell taxable goods or services, the sales and use tax account.
- File the annual report with the Secretary of State by April 15 each year, beginning the year after formation; missing it leads to administrative dissolution.
Agency sites checked November 1, 2026 · All 50 states
What is different about North Carolina
- North Carolina identifies every entity by a SOSID, a plain sequential number the Secretary of State assigns at filing and prints on the filed articles. The annual report, certificate requests, and the public search all key off it, and it is the number a bank's compliance team looks up to confirm the LLC exists.
- North Carolina LLC annual reports all fall due on the same calendar date, April 15, regardless of when the company was formed, with the first one due the year after formation. Owners used to anniversary-month deadlines in other states miss it, and the Secretary of State administratively dissolves companies that stay delinquent.
- North Carolina has no general state business license. Tax registration is a separate filing with the Department of Revenue, Form NC-BR, which cannot be completed without the federal EIN; that is the step most new North Carolina owners are actually blocked on when they search for the state license.
Before you apply
The SS-4 must match the North Carolina Secretary of State, Business Registration Division filing; its SOSID is a state index, not a tax ID.
North Carolina EIN questions
How do I get an EIN number in North Carolina?
File IRS Form SS-4 after the North Carolina Secretary of State, Business Registration Division approves any formation filing; there is no North Carolina EIN application. NCDOR's Online Business Registration, the electronic version of Form NC-BR, registers withholding, sales and use tax and motor vehicle lease and subscription tax in one application. Unemployment insurance is a separate registration with the Division of Employment Security in NCSUITS.
Is the North Carolina withholding identification number the same as my EIN?
No. The North Carolina Department of Revenue assigns it when you register as an employer in Online Business Registration. It goes in W-2 box 15; the EIN goes in box b.
Where do I register for North Carolina unemployment insurance?
With the North Carolina Division of Employment Security, online through NCSUITS. It assigns an Employer ID number, 10 digits, a separate number from the EIN.
Do I need a North Carolina sales and use tax Certificate of Registration?
Only if you sell what North Carolina taxes. The North Carolina Department of Revenue issues it through Online Business Registration, and your returns are filed under its number, not the EIN.
Is there a North Carolina EIN or state tax ID number?
No. The EIN is federal and comes from the IRS. North Carolina's own numbers are the SOSID the Secretary of State assigns at filing, the withholding and sales tax account numbers the Department of Revenue issues after Form NC-BR, and a separate unemployment insurance account with the Division of Employment Security. Form NC-BR asks for the federal EIN, so it comes first.
Do I need a North Carolina business license?
There is no general state business license in North Carolina. What new owners are usually looking for is tax registration with the Department of Revenue on Form NC-BR, which opens the withholding and sales tax accounts and requires the federal EIN. Some professions are licensed by their own state boards, and some cities and counties have local requirements.
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Sources
- North Carolina Secretary of State, Business Registration
- North Carolina Department of Revenue, business registration
- North Carolina Department of Revenue: Withholding tax
- North Carolina Department of Revenue: Withholding tax frequently asked questions
- North Carolina Department of Revenue: Registration
- North Carolina Division of Employment Security: Create or update employer account
- North Carolina Division of Employment Security: Ncsuits faqs
- North Carolina Division of Employment Security: Online account help employers
- North Carolina Department of Revenue: Sales and use tax registration
You can also apply for an EIN directly with the IRS at irs.gov at no cost.