How to Get an EIN for Your LLC — Free IRS SS-4 Application Guide (2026)

Fees

Federal LLC formation costs

$0 — EIN application is completely free through the IRS. Avoid third-party services charging $50–$300 for this free 10-minute process.

Fee	Amount	Notes
IRS Form SS-4 — online application	$0	The IRS charges nothing. The entire online process takes 10–15 minutes and delivers your EIN instantly. No registration or login required.
Third-party EIN services (avoid)	$50–$300	⚠️ These services charge for what is a free IRS process. They fill out Form SS-4 on your behalf and forward the result — providing zero benefit over doing it yourself at irs.gov/ein.

Affiliate slot

Form your LLC with a service

LLC formation services — Bizee primary placement.

Form your LLC with Northwest — includes free registered agent year 1

Requirements

What you need to know before filing

Every multi-member LLC is required to have an EIN — the IRS treats multi-member LLCs as partnerships for tax purposes, and partnerships must have an EIN.
Every LLC with employees (W-2 or otherwise) is required to have an EIN regardless of member count.
LLCs that elect S-corp or C-corp tax treatment must have an EIN before submitting the election form (Form 2553 or Form 8832).
LLCs that pay federal excise taxes must have an EIN.
Single-member LLCs with no employees are technically exempt — but virtually all banks require an EIN to open a business checking account, making it practically mandatory.
The responsible party on Form SS-4 must have a personal SSN or ITIN — an EIN cannot be listed as the responsible party identifier.
The IRS limits one EIN application per responsible party per day through the online portal.
International applicants without a U.S. SSN or ITIN must apply by phone, mail, or fax — the online application requires a valid U.S. SSN or ITIN.

Documents

What you'll need to file

LLC legal name — exactly as filed with your state Secretary of State
Principal business address — street address (no PO boxes for responsible party identification)
Responsible party legal name and SSN or ITIN
LLC formation date — as listed on your Articles of Organization
State and county of principal business location
Reason for applying: new business, banking purposes, hired employees, or changed type
Estimated number of employees expected in the next 12 months (can be 0)

Registered agent

Who receives legal mail for your LLC

Required in every state. Florida requires a physical FL street address.

Required?: No
Who can serve: N/A — EIN is a federal IRS process; no registered agent is involved
Can I serve myself?: Yes
Commercial RA cost: ~$0/yr

The responsible party's SSN or ITIN is submitted to the IRS and held in federal tax records — it is not part of any public record and is not shared with state agencies.

Affiliate slot

Need a registered agent?

Commercial RA service — Northwest Registered Agent placement.

Process

How to form a LLC in Federal

Sequential — each step gates the next.

Confirm you need an EIN (or why you should get one anyway) Required: multi-member LLC, LLC with employees, LLC filing as S-corp or C-corp, LLC paying excise taxes. Strongly recommended for everyone else: most banks require an EIN to open a business account, and using your EIN instead of your SSN shields your Social Security Number from vendors, 1099 contractors, and third parties. Getting an EIN is free and takes 10 minutes — there is no cost-benefit case for skipping it.
Go to irs.gov/ein — not a third-party site Navigate to irs.gov/ein — the IRS EIN Assistant. The online application is available Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Eastern time. The portal is completely free and requires no account. If you see a website asking for payment to 'get your EIN,' check the URL: it must begin with irs.gov. Third-party sites that charge for EIN applications provide no value over the direct IRS portal.
Select entity type: Limited Liability Company (LLC) Choose 'Limited Liability Company (LLC)' as your entity type. You'll be asked how many members your LLC has: select 1 for single-member, 2 or more for multi-member. This determines your default tax classification — single-member LLCs are disregarded entities (taxed like a sole proprietor); multi-member LLCs are partnerships. If you intend to elect S-corp or C-corp treatment, you'll still start with LLC and make the election separately after receiving your EIN.
Enter LLC and responsible party details Provide: LLC legal name (exactly as it appears on your Articles of Organization), principal business address, state of formation, date the LLC was formed or acquired, and the responsible party's full legal name and SSN or ITIN. The responsible party is the individual who owns, controls, or directs the LLC — typically the sole member for a single-member LLC. An entity EIN cannot be listed here; it must be a person's SSN or ITIN.
Select reason for applying Choose the option that best matches your situation: 'Started a new business' (most common), 'Banking purposes' (if opening a business bank account is the primary driver), 'Hired or will hire employees,' or 'Changed type of organization.' For most new LLCs, 'Started a new business' or 'Banking purposes' is correct.
Submit and receive your EIN immediately After reviewing your application, submit the form. The IRS issues your EIN immediately — you'll see a confirmation screen with your 9-digit EIN (format: XX-XXXXXXX). Save or print this page now. The IRS will also mail a CP575 confirmation letter within 4–5 weeks; some banks require this letter for account opening. Your EIN is permanent — it does not expire and does not change if you move, rename, or restructure your LLC (unless you convert to a different entity type).

Annual obligations

What your LLC owes every year

Year-2+ costs most formation guides omit.

Obligation	Due date	Fee	Consequence if missed

Provenance

Statute basis & official sources

Last verified 2026-05-06.

26 U.S.C. § 6109 (Identifying Numbers). IRS Revenue Procedure 98-1. Form SS-4 and instructions published by the Internal Revenue Service. The EIN is a federal identifier — no state law governs the SS-4 application process. State-level tax registration (if required) is separate from the federal EIN.

Direct filing portal: https://sa.www4.irs.gov/modiein/individual/index.jsp

If you skip the LLC

Cannot open a business bank account at most U.S. banks without an EIN
Must use your personal SSN on 1099 forms issued to contractors — creating identity theft exposure
Cannot hire W-2 employees without an EIN
Cannot elect S-corp or C-corp tax treatment without an EIN
Cannot establish a business credit profile (business credit bureaus require an EIN)

Official sources

Formation context

Who should form in Federal?

Recommended for: Every LLC opening a business bank account; Multi-member LLCs (EIN required by IRS); LLCs with employees (EIN required); LLCs electing S-corp or C-corp tax treatment (EIN required before filing Form 2553 or 8832); Single-member LLCs wanting to protect their SSN from vendor and contractor exposure
Tax treatment (default): Single-member LLCs default to disregarded entity (Schedule C); multi-member LLCs default to partnership (Form 1065). The EIN is required to elect S-corp status (Form 2553) or C-corp status (Form 8832). State tax registration is separate from the federal EIN.

EINs are federal and apply nationwide. A single EIN covers all states where your LLC operates or is foreign-qualified — you do not need a separate EIN per state.

No publication requirement in Federal — unlike New York or Nebraska, you do not need to publish notice in a newspaper after filing.

FAQ

Common Federal LLC formation questions

Does a single-member LLC need an EIN?

Technically no — a single-member LLC with no employees is a 'disregarded entity' by default and can use the owner's SSN for federal tax purposes. But practically, yes: virtually all U.S. banks require an EIN to open a business checking account, and using your EIN instead of your SSN protects your Social Security Number from being shared with vendors, contractors, and clients on 1099 forms. Getting an EIN is free and takes 10 minutes at irs.gov/ein. There is no rational case for skipping it.

How much does it cost to get an EIN for an LLC?

Exactly $0. The IRS charges no fee to apply for an EIN. The online application at irs.gov/ein is free, takes 10–15 minutes, and delivers your EIN instantly. Any website charging $50–$300 to 'get your EIN' is charging you for a service that adds no value over the direct IRS portal. Do not pay for EIN application services.

What is the difference between an EIN and an SSN for an LLC?

An SSN (Social Security Number) is your personal tax identifier, issued by the Social Security Administration for individuals. An EIN (Employer Identification Number) is your business's federal tax identifier, issued by the IRS. For a single-member LLC, the IRS allows either for income tax purposes — but your EIN will not appear on contractor 1099 forms or third-party bank paperwork, protecting your SSN from exposure. For multi-member LLCs and any LLC with employees, an EIN is required.

How long does it take to get an EIN online?

Instant. The IRS online EIN application at irs.gov/ein — available Monday–Friday, 7 a.m.–10 p.m. ET — issues your EIN the moment you submit the completed form, typically within 10–15 minutes of starting. You receive a confirmation page with your EIN immediately. The IRS then mails a CP575 confirmation letter (sometimes required by banks) within 4–5 weeks. Mail applications take approximately 4 weeks; international applicants using phone/fax may wait 4–6 weeks.

Can I apply for an EIN without a Social Security Number?

Yes, with limitations. The IRS online portal requires a U.S. SSN or ITIN. If you have an ITIN, you can use it online. If you have neither, you must apply by phone at +1-267-941-1099 (available 6 a.m.–11 p.m. ET, Mon–Fri) or by mailing Form SS-4. Processing time for international mail applications is 4–6 weeks. U.S. resident aliens with an ITIN issued by the IRS can use the online portal.

What is a 'responsible party' on Form SS-4?

The responsible party is the individual who owns, controls, or directs the LLC — typically the sole member for a single-member LLC, or a designated member for a multi-member LLC. The responsible party must be a person, not an entity, and must provide their SSN or ITIN (never an EIN). The IRS limits one EIN issuance per responsible party per day via the online portal. If your LLC is owned by another entity (e.g., a holding company), consult a CPA to identify the correct responsible party in the ownership chain.

Do I need a new EIN if I change my LLC's name or address?

No. A name change or address change does not require a new EIN. Notify the IRS of a name change by writing to the IRS service center where you file, or by checking the 'name change' box on your next tax return. Report an address change on Form 8822-B. A new EIN is only required when the LLC's fundamental structure changes: converting to a corporation, terminating the LLC and forming a new one, or certain partnership reorganizations. Contact the IRS Business & Specialty Tax Line at 800-829-4933 if you're unsure.

What are the most common mistakes on Form SS-4?

Three mistakes cause most EIN application problems: (1) Entering an EIN — not an SSN — as the responsible party identifier. The IRS requires a person's SSN or ITIN here; entering an entity EIN causes the application to be rejected or creates records conflicts. (2) Selecting the wrong entity type. For a standard LLC, choose 'LLC' and specify member count — do not choose 'Corporation' or 'Partnership' unless you have already elected that tax treatment. (3) Applying for a duplicate EIN. Each legal entity gets one EIN. If you've lost yours, call 800-829-4933 to retrieve it — do not submit a new application.

Not sure yet?

Should I form an LLC?

Still deciding between an LLC, sole proprietorship, S-Corp, or C-Corp? Our entity-type comparison breaks down formation cost, tax treatment, liability shield, and compliance complexity for all four structures side by side.

LLC vs S-Corp vs Sole Prop vs C-Corp — compare all four →

Is a DBA enough?

DBA vs LLC — do you actually need a full LLC?

Already operating as a sole proprietor, or wondering whether a cheap county DBA filing ($10–$100) is enough instead of forming an LLC? A DBA lets you operate under a trade name — but provides zero liability protection. Our DBA vs LLC comparison breaks down exactly when a DBA is sufficient and when you need a state LLC filing.

DBA vs LLC — cost, liability shield & when to upgrade →

After you file

Next steps after forming your LLC

Your Articles of Organization are filed — now make your LLC operational. Three actions every new LLC owner needs to take:

Get your EIN (free, 10 min) — required to open a business bank account and hire employees. Free IRS SS-4 application. → Draft your operating agreement — best practice in every state; required in CA, NY, ME, MO & DE. Free templates available. → Choose a registered agent — required in every state. Compare Northwest ($125/yr), ZenBusiness ($199/yr), LegalZoom ($249/yr), and Bizee ($119/yr). →

§ A Building permits in Federal

§ B Other states & comparisons

§ C Companion tools

Disclaimer: Informational only — not legal advice. LLC laws change; verify with a Federal business attorney or CPA before filing.