How to Get an Employer ID Number
Last updated November 5, 2026 · Written by the EIN Registration filing team
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Any business with employees does, along with every corporation and partnership, and an LLC with two or more members. So do businesses filing certain excise or employment tax returns. Who needs a business EIN goes through each case.
How to get one
- Make sure the business exists. An LLC or corporation should wait for state approval.
- Choose the responsible party. This must be a person who controls the business, usually with an SSN or ITIN.
- Apply. How to apply for an EIN has the steps and every question it asks.
- Save the IRS letter. You will need it for the bank and for state registrations.
If you are looking for your employer’s number
Look in box b of your W-2 or ask your payroll department. How to find your employer’s EIN has other places to check.
After you hire
The federal number is only part of it. Most employers also need state employer numbers for withholding and unemployment tax.
Quick answers
Do I need employees to get an employer ID number?
No. Despite the name, many businesses with no employees need one, including every corporation and partnership, and banks usually ask for one.
Is an employer ID number the same as a tax ID number?
For a business, usually yes. EIN, FEIN, federal tax ID and employer ID number all mean the same nine-digit IRS number.
Do employees get their own employer ID number?
No. The number belongs to the business. An employee sees it in box b of their W-2.
Is a state employer ID number different?
Yes. States issue their own withholding and unemployment account numbers, and you register for those separately.
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Related guides
- How to Apply for an EIN What to check before you apply for an EIN, where to send it, and what happens after you submit.
- How to Get an EIN Number: 4 Ways, Step by Step Online, fax, mail, and the international phone line. Real timelines, what you need, and what can go wrong.
- How to Find Your Employer's EIN: W-2 Box b and Other Places It is in box b of your W-2. Without one, try last year's return, your payroll portal or Form 1095-C. Why the IRS has no public lookup and which records do show it.
- State Employer ID Numbers: All 50 States in One Table The withholding account each state issues after the federal EIN, what the agency calls it, where to register, and who runs unemployment insurance. Plus the states with no wage income tax, and the ones that file withholding under the EIN itself.
- Business EIN: Who Needs One and How to Get It Which businesses must have an EIN, which can skip it, and how to get one.
You can also apply for an EIN directly with the IRS at irs.gov at no cost.