We show you how to do an EIN Lookup for your own business or other businesses. The IRS maintains strict privacy and security protocols to how to find your employer identification number protect sensitive taxpayer information. If you are self-employed and a sole proprietor or single-member LLC, then you don’t legally need an EIN. However, there are a number of benefits of receiving an EIN that make it a good idea to apply for one. Our partners cannot pay us to guarantee favorable reviews of their products or services.
- Challenges include privacy concerns, as sensitive information can be exposed, potentially leading to identity theft.
- They won’t just give up this information without knowing who you are and verifying that you’re the business owner.
- Assuming this wasn’t the first year you’ve filed taxes for your business, your ID number can be found on those forms or other official tax documents for your small business.
- Serving as a unique tax ID, it’s essential for a range of business activities including filing taxes, hiring employees and setting up bank accounts.
- John and Kelly’s auto shop has its federal and state tax ID numbers, and can pay taxes and handle other business functions.
- You may find that they’re unwilling to provide this information, but asking to be connected with the accounting or payroll department is a good starting point.
Taking the time to perform an EIN lookup is vital to protect your business’s reputation, financial health and legal standing. To get expert help performing a federal tax ID lookup, post your legal needs on UpCounsel’s marketplace. You need an EIN if you’re doing taxes as a business, but what if you decide to close your business? While you can’t cancel your EIN through the IRS, you can contact the IRS to close your business account. Call the business you’re inquiring about and try to get an executive or owner on the phone. As long as you clearly explain why you’re asking for their EIN, many business owners will be happy to help.
Can I search for an EIN on the IRS’s website?
Before that, he worked as a child and family therapist until he made the decision to move abroad for several years to work and travel. Again, this is public record, so the IRS will have no problems giving you this information. Most keep this information readily available because they’re asked for it pretty frequently. In most cases, when you call and ask a business for their FTIN, you’ll have it in seconds. This article will detail the steps to follow to find or verify your EIN and other important information.
How to look up your EIN
You may also need a tax ID number in order to pay taxes to your state. Even states that have no income tax may have other taxes you’ll need to pay. Check with your state’s department of revenue for more information. It’s a good idea to print out a copy of the application form (IRS SS-4) before you begin the application process.
Tax ID Number Glossary
You will likely need a good reason to request this information, such as making regular payments to the company for services provided. You may find that they’re unwilling to provide this information, but asking to be connected with the accounting or payroll department is a good starting point. The offers that appear on this site are from companies that compensate us. But this compensation does not influence the information we publish, or the reviews that you see on this site. We do not include the universe of companies or financial offers that may be available to you.
What if you need a new EIN?
Refer to the Security Exchange Commission’s website and search for the company’s most recently filed 10-K or 10-Q to identify the EIN. These reports are filed periodically with the SEC if the company is a publicly traded company. If you’re searching for a nonprofit’s EIN, use the IRS database instead.
By understanding these myths, businesses can ensure they remain compliant with tax regulations and avoid common misconceptions about the ein operation process. The IRS prefers online applications since they process faster within business days. Merchant Maverick’s ratings are editorial in nature, and are not aggregated from user reviews. Each staff reviewer at Merchant Maverick is a subject matter expert with experience researching, testing, and evaluating small business software and services. Merchant Maverick’s ratings are not influenced by affiliate partnerships. Sole proprietors and LLCs with no employees aren’t required to have an EIN and can instead use their Social Security Number as their identifier.
- Luckily, you don’t have to leave home to get one and it’s completely free.
- The specific time that the company will do this depends on the size of the organization.
- Keep in mind that some business documents may not include your EIN, and some may only show part of your EIN.
- This helps prevent fraud and ensures compliance with tax reporting requirements.
- Every commercial organization that does business in the US needs to have an EIN, so you may want to look up another business’s EIN to verify that it’s a legitimate business.
- This is the document the IRS sent you when you applied for your unique employer identification number.
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You could have also realized through this process that you need to apply for a new EIN. You can also try a paid EIN lookup service; some of these services will even offer you more information, such as company size and industry. Publicly traded companies’ EIN can be found on the SEC’s online database. If the business you are looking to identify is a nonprofit, you can search the free Melissa database.
You should store this information in a safe place with other important documents. MarketWatch Guides may receive compensation from companies that appear on this page. The compensation may impact how, where and in what order products appear, but it does not influence the recommendations the editorial team provides. Your EIN is a unique identifying number for your business, which means you have to use your EIN when you’re filing a tax return or opening a bank account for your business. If you had to provide your EIN on an application or business document, try looking for it there. Overall, keeping your business tax ID number accessible is key to several business functions.
So any paperwork from your business account might have your business tax ID on it. If it’s not on paperwork, then it might be best to call or visit the bank which you opened your account with. Protecting this sensitive information is equally important to prevent identity theft and unauthorized use. By implementing best practices for safeguarding the EIN, business owners can maintain the integrity of their operations. Websites such as Dun & Bradstreet allow users to search for an EIN by entering the company’s name. Various official state or business registration sites also maintain databases that can yield the necessary EIN information.
