TIN Matching: How to Verify a Name and Number
Last updated November 5, 2026 · Written by the EIN Registration filing team
Asked for a tax ID you do not have yet? We prepare and file your SS-4 and email you the EIN.
Start Now →How it works
| Option | How many at once | When you get results |
|---|---|---|
| Interactive | Up to 25 name and number pairs | Right away |
| Bulk file | Up to 100,000 pairs | Within 24 hours |
A response tells you whether the pair matches. It does not reveal the correct name or number.
How to get access
- Check that you are eligible. The program is for authorized payers of income reported on certain information returns.
- Register for IRS e-Services.
- Add TIN Matching to your e-Services account for your business.
If you cannot use it
- Get a signed Form W-9 and keep it. The payee certifies the number is correct.
- Check the format with our EIN checker. A valid format does not prove the number is real.
- Look for it in public records with our free EIN lookup. See how to verify an EIN.
On the other side of a W-9?
Use the legal name the IRS has with your number. Our fillable W-9 fills the official form, and the LLC guide covers which name to use.
Quick answers
Who can use IRS TIN Matching?
Authorized payers who file certain information returns, once they have registered for IRS e-Services and TIN Matching.
Is TIN Matching available to the public?
No. A business that does not file those returns, or a member of the public, cannot use it.
What does a TIN match prove?
That the name and number combination matches IRS records. It does not show that a business is active or trustworthy.
What should I do if a name and number do not match?
Ask the payee to check the name on their IRS records and give you a corrected W-9. Often the name is a trade name rather than the legal name.
Get Your EIN the Easy Way
Answer a few questions in about 5 minutes. Our specialists prepare your IRS Form SS-4, file it, personally handle any rejection or name conflict along the way, and get your EIN to you, typically within 2 to 4 business days, or about 11 when the IRS requires the application by fax. One flat $197 service fee. No upsells, no subscriptions.
- ✓ Prepared and filed by specialists
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Related guides
- How to Verify an EIN: Check That a Tax ID Is Real The IRS has no public lookup, but payers can use TIN Matching, anyone can ask for the CP 575 or 147C letter and a W-9, and nonprofits and public companies are on the public record. Which route fits, and what verification sites actually do.
- How to Find a Company's EIN The ways to find another company's EIN, what works for which kind of company, and what will not work.
- How to Fill Out a W-9 as an LLC or Sole Proprietor: EIN or SSN? Which name goes on line 1, which box to check and which number goes in Part I, for a sole proprietor, a single-member LLC and an LLC taxed as a partnership or corporation, from the form's own instructions.
- What Is a TIN Number? EIN vs TIN vs SSN vs ITIN A TIN is the family; EIN, SSN and ITIN are members of it. Which one a form is really asking for, and when a business uses the owner's SSN instead of its own EIN.
- EIN Number Format: What an EIN Looks Like Nine digits written XX-XXXXXXX, with a prefix that shows the IRS campus or the online application and no check digit. Every valid prefix from the IRS's list, EIN vs SSN vs ITIN at a glance, and the formatting mistakes that get forms rejected.
You can also apply for an EIN directly with the IRS at irs.gov at no cost.