Why this matters
An EIN is your business's federal tax ID, and it's the first thing a bank asks for when opening a business account — which is why it's step one of this checklist. It's free and takes minutes on the IRS site, yet look-alike sites charge for the same filing.
What "done" looks like
- You applied directly at irs.gov and received your EIN immediately
- The CP 575 confirmation letter is saved as a PDF and printed
- The business name on the EIN exactly matches your formation documents
- You paid nothing
How to do it
- Confirm you need one: corporations, partnerships, multi-member LLCs, and anyone with employees must have an EIN; even sole proprietors benefit — it keeps your SSN off W-9s and bank forms.
- Apply on irs.gov using the EIN Assistant — free, immediate, and open only during posted weekday hours.
- Prepare your details first: legal business name, address, entity type, and the responsible party's SSN or ITIN. The session expires after 15 minutes of inactivity and can't be saved.
- Note the limit — the IRS issues one EIN per responsible party per day.
- Save the CP 575 letter immediately; the IRS doesn't reissue it, only a 147C verification letter by phone.
- No SSN or ITIN? File Form SS-4 by fax or mail instead — days to weeks rather than minutes.
Common mistakes
- Paying a third-party "EIN filing service" for something the IRS does free
- Typos in the legal name that don't match your articles, causing bank rejections
- Losing the CP 575 letter and scrambling before a bank appointment
Real-world examples
- The IRS states the online application is free, issues the EIN immediately upon approval, and allows one EIN per responsible party per day.
- Look-alike filing sites charging fees for free IRS filings are a recurring, documented consumer-protection warning.
From a founder's point of view
This is the rare government task that is genuinely easy — the only ways to fail are paying someone else to do it or misspelling your own company.
Rule of thumb
If getting your EIN cost anything or took more than one sitting, you were on the wrong website.