Three steps to a Tax ID (EIN)

Select your business type
Select your type of business in our easy-to-use online Tax ID tool.

Enter your business information
Using our simple Tax ID form, fill out your business's background and contact information.

Complete your order
Finish by completing your order form and submitting payment over our secure servers. We'll prepare your official government documents and send them for your physical signature if required. Then we'll promptly complete all filing requirements and send you your certificate upon government acceptance.

Also known as an Employer Identification Number (EIN), a Federal Tax ID is like a Social Security Number for your business. It is a unique 9 digit number (ex. 12-3456789) that the Internal Revenue Service and other federal agencies use to identify your business for tax filing and other purposes.

EIN stands for Employer Identification Number, which is another name for a Federal Tax ID.

Federal Tax IDs apply to many different groups, including:
• Individuals/Sole Proprietors
• Limited Liability Companies (LLC)
• Corporations
• S-Corporations
• Partnerships
• Trusts
• Estates
• Non-Profits
• Other employers and business entity types

Generally, if any of the following are true you still need to acquire a Federal Tax ID:
• You need to pay business taxes.
• You have one or more employees.
• You want to open a business bank account.
• You want to start a line of business credit.
• You form an LLC, Corporation, or Partnership.
• You change from one business entity type to another such as from an Individual/Sole Proprietor to an LLC.
• You are starting a Keogh Plan, also known as a Self-Employed Pension.
• You want to bid for a federal government contract.

We realize you don't have the time to wait on the phone or in long lines, or to wade through lengthy multi-page forms. So all you need to do is submit our convenient one-page online form. Typical completion time is no longer than 5 minutes, and the form is secured for your privacy. Then we prepare government form SS-4 and obtain your signature on it, authorizing us to work with the Internal Revenue Service on your behalf to acquire and deliver your Federal Tax ID. Our service fee for basic document preparation and filing depends on your business entity type. Click here to use our fee calculator. Optional upgrades include delivery within 24 hours and delivery within 60 minutes. Sometimes as a result of the filing process we find out that clarification and/or more information is required from you, and if that is the case we will contact you by e-mail from TaxID@SimpleFilings.com.

The online form is available for all business entity types including:
• Individuals/Sole Proprietors
• Limited Liability Companies (LLC)
• Corporations
• S-Corporations
• Partnerships
• Trusts
• Estates
• Non-Profits
• Other employers and business entity types

The only restrictions are:
• The primary address must be in the United States, and
• The owner, principal officer, trustor, grantor, etc. must have a valid Taxpayer ID Number (Social Security Number, Individual Taxpayer ID Number, or Federal Tax ID) to enter on the form.

We have two options for you to provide us with your required signature. The preferred method for fastest processing is a secure electronic signature right on our website. Or if you prefer, we also make the prepared form available for you to print, sign by hand, and then fax or mail back to us. Simple instructions are provided on the site immediately after you submit payment. Or you can sign later by going to the Existing Customers page, or by clicking the links in one of the signature reminder e-mails we will send you.

Your Federal Tax ID can be delivered by e-mail and fax within 60 minutes of providing your signature during business hours. Other delivery options are also available such as 1 business day service and 3 business day service.

The ID can be used immediately for most of your business needs including opening a bank account, applying for local business licenses, and filing a tax return by mail.

However it can take up to 15 days after receiving your ID to receive official documents in the mail which indicate that your ID has become part of the Internal Revenue Service’s permanent records. And you must wait until this occurs before you can file an electronic tax return, make an electronic tax payment, or pass an Internal Revenue Service Taxpayer Identification Number matching program.

Yes. The ID can be used immediately for most of your business needs including opening a bank account, applying for local business licenses, and filing a tax return by mail.

However it can take up to 15 days after receiving your ID to receive official documents in the mail which indicate that your ID has become part of the Internal Revenue Service's permanent records. And you must wait until this occurs before you can file an electronic tax return, make an electronic tax payment, or pass an Internal Revenue Service Taxpayer Identification Number matching program.

You can stay updated on the status of your order 24 hours a day. Simply enter your transaction ID on the Existing Customers page or contact us.

Below are some common issues that can delay the delivery of a Federal Tax ID, along with solutions to them. Please check to see if one of them applies to you and if not, please contact us:
• Have you provided your signature to us on the form SS-4 that we prepared after you submitted payment? This signature is necessary to comply with IRS regulations, and you can provide it in two ways. The recommended method is a fast and secure electronic signature that you can provide right on our site. Or you can also print the form to sign by hand and then fax or mail back to us. To access both options, go to the Existing Customers page.

• Have you been watching the inbox of the e-mail address you provided with your order? Sometimes clarification and/or additional information are required from you and if that is the case, we will attempt to contact you by e-mail from TaxID@SimpleFilings.com. One thing that might cause this is a name and social security number not matching due to marital name changes that was never properly filed with the Social Security Administration. Another is the use of LLC or Inc. in the business name without having properly filed the creation of that LLC or Corporation with the state first.

• Have you checked the Spam/Bulk/Blocked folder of your e-mail? Sometimes (especially with @excite.com e-mail addresses), our e-mails to you from TaxID@SimpleFilings.com are automatically routed to there by accident. Remember, we send all correspondence by e-mail, including the delivery of your Federal Tax ID.

LLCs are a relatively new type of business entity created by state law instead of federal law. So the Internal Revenue Service has not created a new tax classification for LLCs. Instead, other existing federal tax classifications are applied: Corporation, Partnership, or Sole Proprietor. An LLC is always classified by the as one of these types of entities for federal tax purposes.

Simply contact us. If your Federal Tax ID has not yet been assigned we will be happy to cancel your order and issue you a refund per the Limited Money Back Guarantee in the Terms of Service you agreed to when placing your order.

Once a Federal Tax ID has been assigned, it cannot be cancelled. However, you can request that the Internal Revenue Service close your business account if your new business never started for example. To do this, mail a written request to Internal Revenue Service, Cincinnati, Ohio 45999. Include the complete legal name of the business entity, the business address, Federal Tax ID, and reason you wish to close the account.

We're sorry that you are experiencing this issue.
• First, check for typos. It's a long number (9 digits, such as 12-3456789) and accidental typos when transcribing it are not uncommon.

• Second, remember that your ID can be used immediately for most of your business needs. However it can take up to 15 days before your ID becomes part of the Internal Revenue Service's permanent records. And you must wait until that occurs before you can file an electronic tax return, make an electronic tax payment, or pass a Taxpayer Identification Number matching program such as some banks and credit/loan offices use.

• Third, we have seen an issue before where some banks (especially smaller ones), are using antiquated software which gets Federal Tax IDs mixed up with Social Security Numbers. If you have waited past the 15 days from receiving the ID and seem to be having this issue, please contact us.

If you haven't provided your signature yet, simply contact us to update your application information. We will prepare another form and provide it to you for your review and signature.

If you have provided your signature, your Federal Tax ID is already on the way if you haven't received it already. Options for updating information now are:

• When you receive your official documents in the mail within 15 days of signing, you can hand write corrections and mail them back to the address provided.

• If you have had your ID for a while and wish to change your address, you must file form 8822, Change of Address, with the Internal Revenue Service.

• If you have had your ID for a while and wish to change your business name, you must mail a request to the Internal Revenue Service at the address where you file your tax return. The request must be signed by an authorized individual in the business and additionally, businesses that had to file their creation with a state like LLCs and Corporations must include a copy of the Articles of Amendment or equivalent which was filed with the state that authorized the name change.

SimpleFilings customers need only to visit the Existing Customers page of this site. You will need your transaction ID to retrieve it. If you have misplaced your transaction ID, please contact us.

Yes. The information you submit is secured using state-of-the-art SSL encryption technology. The "s" in the "https://" at that start of the application page address is what identifies this security.

To keep you from having to re-enter your information if you decide to come back to finish placing your order later, your information is saved for a period of 48 hours. To clear this information sooner, simply delete your cookies. Cookies are small temporary files stored on your computer, and deleting them can usually be done through the Tools or Options menu of your Internet browser.

A Sole Proprietor can have as many different businesses as they want for as long or as short as they want, but the Internal Revenue Service will only issue one Federal Tax ID for all of them. For example, if a Sole Proprietor started business A in 1980 and got a Federal Tax ID for it but never used it, and then started the completely unrelated business B today... business B will use the same Federal Tax ID as was issued for business A in 1980, since both businesses are Sole Proprietorships under the same Sole Proprietor.

You can e-mail us at TaxID@SimpleFilings.com or by using the Contact Us page of this site. Our fax number is 866-687-7779, and our phone number is 866-659-5246. Business hours are Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm Central. Our specialists look forward to assisting you.

SimpleFilings is a fast and secure solution for several of the most common new business filings, like LLC Formation or Incorporation, DBA Registration, and obtaining your Federal Tax ID. But there can be numerous other filings for you to perform both before and after starting business. As a courtesy, we've listed some below:

• Internal administration - LLCs require fewer administrative formalities than Corporations, but both require some. For example, LLCs must write and keep a document called an Operating Agreement which outlines basic ownership and management information. Many books have been written on the subject of LLC and Corporation administration, and they often include useful document templates. Find them at your library or bookstore.
• Federal government filings - The IRS needs to know how to tax your new business. Filing forms such as IRS 8832, IRS 2553, and IRS 1023 can accomplish this. Other IRS filings, and filings with other Federal government agencies may be required as well. Local tax professionals can be good sources of information on this.
• State government filings - Each state you do business in will have filing requirements such as state tax ID numbers, state tax returns, foreign business entity registration (if it is not the state you formed your LLC or Incorporated in), and annual business entity reports. Offices in each state such as the Secretary of State and Department of Revenue can help you determine which ones apply to your business.
• Local government filings - Each local jurisdiction you do business in may have filing requirements such as licenses, permits, etc. Offices in each jurisdiction such as the County Courthouse and City Hall can help you determine which ones apply to your business.
• Insurance and trade requirements - Depending on the nature of your business, other non-government filings such as obtaining insurance may be necessary to comply with all applicable laws. Consult your insurance agent and applicable trade association.

Starting and running a business is a richly rewarding but never-ending process, and the responsibility for research and compliance is solely yours. But remember that the profits are solely yours as well.