Get an EIN
How to apply, what it asks, how long it takes, and whether you need one.
Last updated November 5, 2026
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 Apply for an EIN
What to check before you apply for an EIN, where to send it, and what happens after you submit.
EIN Application: Every Question It Asks
Every question on the EIN application, in order, and the answers that cause trouble.
IRS EIN Assistant: How the Online EIN Application Works
EIN Assistant is the IRS's name for its online EIN application. Every page of the rebuilt tool in order, the rules that end a session (hours, 15 minutes idle, one per day, SSN required), what to have ready, and what each reference number means when it returns one instead of an EIN.
How Long Does an EIN Take? Online, Fax and Mail Times
The honest timeline for every application method, and what actually causes delays.
Do I Need an EIN? (Every Situation, Answered)
Banks require one in almost every case and the IRS requires one in six. Single-member LLC, sole proprietor, DBA, no employees, contractor, rental property, and the bank account question, each answered plainly.
What Is an EIN Used For? (And Who Needs One)
The 7 things an EIN unlocks, who the IRS actually requires to have one, and when an SSN is enough.
How to Get an Employer ID Number
An employer ID number is an EIN. You can need one with no employees, and here is how to get it.
How to Get or Find Your FEIN Number
A FEIN is the same as an EIN. How to get one if you have none, and how to find one you lost.
How to Get My EIN Number
Lost your EIN, still waiting on one, or never had one? What to do for each.
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.
Business Tax ID Number: Which One You Need and How to Get It
Which business tax ID number a bank, client or state is asking for, and how to get it.
EIN for a New Business: How to Apply for a New EIN
A new LLC, corporation or partnership needs its own EIN before the bank account and the state registrations. The first week in order, what to have ready, how to apply online or by fax, and the three mistakes new businesses make.
How to Get an EIN Without an SSN
Foreign founders can get an EIN with no SSN and no ITIN, just not through the IRS online tool. The route that works.
Can You Get an EIN With an ITIN?
Yes. An ITIN works as the responsible party's number on Form SS-4. Which application methods accept it, which do not, and what to do when you have neither an SSN nor an ITIN.
Can You Get an EIN the Same Day?
Yes, if the IRS online application completes while it is open, which now includes Saturdays and Sunday evenings. What stops it, what the realistic timeline is when it does, and who takes over from there.
How to Apply for an EIN by Fax: SS-4 Fax Numbers and What Comes Back
855-641-6935 for the 50 states and DC, two other numbers for everyone else. What to send, how long the IRS takes, the cover sheet it faxes back, the designee signature rule, and what to do when nothing comes back.
EIN Application Status: How to Check Whether Your EIN Was Issued
There is no IRS status tracker. What each application method's wait really is, when to call the IRS and what to ask, why you must not apply again while waiting, and how a session that closed after submit usually still issued the number.
IRS EIN Phone Number: Which Line to Call and What It Can Do
800-829-4933 for an EIN you already have, 267-941-1099 for applicants with no US address, what each line will and will not do, what to have ready, and the IRS's own wait-time figures.
EIN Service: What It Does and What It Costs
What an EIN filing service does, what it cannot do, and what ours includes for $197.
Can You Get an EIN During a Government Shutdown?
In past shutdowns the IRS online EIN application kept running while phone, fax and mail processing stopped or slowed. What that means for each application method, and what to do if you cannot use the online tool.
Skip the paperwork. Our specialists prepare and file your EIN application and get your EIN to you, typically within 2 to 4 business days (about 11 if it has to go by fax).
Start Now →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.
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You can also apply for an EIN directly with the IRS at irs.gov at no cost.