How to Get a State Tax ID Number for Your Business
Last updated November 3, 2026 · Written by the EIN Registration filing team
Stuck because the state application wants an EIN? We prepare and file the federal application and email you the number, typically within 2 to 4 business days. We do not file state tax registrations; you register directly with the state.
Start Now →Which state tax ID you need
| If your business | You usually need | Usually issued by |
|---|---|---|
| Sells taxable goods or services in the state | Sales tax permit | State revenue or tax agency |
| Pays employees in a state that taxes wages | Withholding account | State revenue or tax agency |
| Pays employees in the state | Unemployment insurance account | State labor or workforce agency |
| Has no employees and makes no taxable sales | Possibly none | Check for other taxes that apply to your business |
Your LLC or corporation’s number from the Secretary of State is not one of these. The LLC number guide explains that one.
How to get one, step by step
- Form the business, if it is an LLC or corporation. The state application will ask for the exact legal name.
- Get your EIN. The guide to getting an EIN covers each way to apply.
- Work out which taxes apply, using the table above and the state agency’s own guidance.
- Register with the agency. Most states take registrations through an online portal. Have your EIN, legal name, address, owner details, start date and a description of what you sell. An employer also needs the date of the first payroll.
- Keep the confirmation. It carries the account number, and returns may be due under it whether or not you made any sales. Check the filing schedule when you register.
In 32 states, one application can open more than one of these accounts at once. Each state page below says so where it applies.
Sales tax permits, state by state
Each state uses its own name for the sales tax account. The agency link goes to the agency’s own registration page where we have one, and each state name links to our page on that state’s other accounts. For the employer side, use the 50-state employer ID table. Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon have no statewide sales tax, though a business there can still owe other state taxes.
Registering in more than one state
State tax accounts are state by state. A business with employees in a second state, or with enough connection there to owe its sales tax, registers with that state too. Your EIN stays the same in every state. When your sales cross state lines, ask a tax professional or the state agency where you have to collect, because the rules differ.
Quick answers
Is there one state tax ID number?
No. The phrase covers separate accounts for separate taxes, such as a sales tax permit, an employer withholding account and an unemployment insurance account. A business may need several of them, or none.
Do I need an EIN before I can get a state tax ID?
Usually yes. State registrations generally ask for the federal EIN, and a business with employees or more than one owner needs one anyway. Some states let a sole proprietor with no employees register with an SSN, so check the state's application.
Is my state tax ID the same as my EIN?
Usually not. The EIN is the federal number from the IRS, and a state tax account is issued by the state. A few state agencies key an employer account to the EIN, which is why the two can look alike.
How do I look up a state tax ID I already have?
Check the registration confirmation from the state, any return filed under the account, your state tax portal login, and your payroll provider's tax settings. If you still cannot find it, an authorized owner can ask the agency that issued it.
Can I look up another company's state tax ID?
There is no single public lookup. Some revenue agencies let you verify a sales tax permit, mainly so sellers can check resale certificates, but it varies by state. Ask the company for the number and verify it with that state's agency if a tool exists.
Is a seller's permit the same as a state tax ID?
It is one kind. Seller's permit, sales tax permit and vendor's license are state names for the sales tax account. It does not cover employer withholding or unemployment insurance.
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Related guides
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 Apply for an EIN for an LLC (LLC Tax ID Number) Nearly every LLC needs its own EIN for the bank, and multi-member LLCs and S corporation elections make it mandatory. The LLC lines on the SS-4, the timing after state approval, and the mistakes that get applications rejected.
- 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.
Sources
You can also apply for an EIN directly with the IRS at irs.gov at no cost.