Is There a Free EIN Number? (Yes - Avoid the Scams)
Yes. An EIN costs $0 directly from the IRS, which states you never have to pay a fee for one and issues it immediately when you apply online through Form SS-4. Third-party websites that charge to "file" or "register" an EIN are reselling a free government service; the number they obtain is identical to the one you can get yourself at no charge.
Quick Answer
- Is an EIN free?
- Yes - $0 directly from the IRS
- IRS statement
- "You never have to pay a fee for an EIN"
- Where to apply free
- IRS Form SS-4 - online, fax, mail, or phone
- Online speed
- Immediate once the application is approved
- Third-party sites
- Private resellers, not the IRS; the EIN is identical
- Daily limit
- 1 EIN per responsible party per day
The Short Answer
There is a free EIN number, and free is the only legitimate price. An Employer Identification Number is the 9-digit federal tax ID the IRS assigns to a business or other entity, and the IRS is the sole issuer. On its Get an Employer Identification Number page the agency states, "Beware of websites that charge for an EIN. You never have to pay a fee for an EIN." The application uses Form SS-4, the "Application for Employer Identification Number," and there is no government charge for filing it by any method.
Because the IRS is a government agency, obtaining an EIN is a public service rather than a product. The confusion comes from private websites that market EIN "filing," "registration," or "assistance" for a fee. Those companies are not the IRS; they simply complete the same free form on your behalf. For the number itself, see what is an EIN, and for the full application walkthrough, how to get an EIN.
The word "free" here means there is no government fee for the number itself, through any application method the IRS offers. It does not mean a business owes nothing anywhere else in the formation process - a state may charge to register an LLC or corporation, for example - but the EIN, the federal tax ID, is genuinely $0. Keeping those two costs separate is the single most useful thing to understand: state formation fees are real and vary by state, while the federal EIN is always free.
Why the IRS Issues EINs for Free
The IRS issues EINs for free because the number exists to serve tax administration, not to raise revenue. Under 26 U.S. Code § 6109, federal law requires an identifying number on tax returns and information reports, and the EIN is the identifier the IRS prescribes for entities. Charging for it would defeat the purpose of getting every taxpayer correctly numbered, so the agency provides it at no cost through every application channel.
The IRS reinforces the point in more than one place. Its Employer Identification Number hub and its online application both describe the EIN as a free service, and the online tool delivers the number immediately once the application is approved. The only genuine "cost" is the few minutes it takes to complete the form.
Free access also keeps the tax system accurate. Because the EIN under the IRS's taxpayer identification number rules is how the agency matches an entity's returns, deposits, and information reports to the right taxpayer, the government has every incentive to make the number easy and costless to obtain. A fee would deter compliance and undercut that purpose, which is why no application channel - online, fax, mail, or the international phone line - carries a government charge.
What Third-Party "EIN Filing" Services Charge For
Third-party EIN services charge a convenience fee to complete Form SS-4 for you - nothing more. They cannot obtain a different, better, or faster EIN than the IRS issues, because there is only one EIN system and one issuer. When one of these sites files on your behalf, it lists itself or you on the application and forwards the result; the EIN you receive is the identical 9-digit number, formatted 12-3456789, that the IRS would have given you directly for free.
Some paid services bundle the EIN into a larger business-formation package. Bundling is a business decision, but the EIN component within it is still something the IRS provides for $0. This page does not evaluate any provider or recommend for or against using one; it states the factual baseline - the government fee for an EIN is zero - so you can judge any charge against it.
The table sets the two paths side by side. Both end with the same 9-digit EIN; they differ only in who fills in the form and whether money changes hands.
| Feature | Direct from the IRS | Third-party "EIN filing" site |
|---|---|---|
| Issuer of the EIN | Internal Revenue Service | Internal Revenue Service (site only relays it) |
| Government fee | $0 | $0 (the site adds its own charge) |
| The EIN you receive | 9-digit, format 12-3456789 | Identical 9-digit number |
| Online issuance speed | Immediate on approval | Depends on the site's processing |
| Form used | IRS Form SS-4 | IRS Form SS-4 (completed for you) |
| Official? | Yes - irs.gov | No - a private company |
The takeaway is that a third-party charge buys form-filling convenience, not a superior or faster EIN. If you are comfortable entering your own details on Form SS-4, the direct route costs nothing and, online, is usually the quickest of all.
How to Apply for an EIN for Free
To get a free EIN, apply directly with the IRS on Form SS-4 through one of four channels. Each is free; they differ only in speed and eligibility.
- Online (fastest, U.S. applicants): use the free EIN online application. Your principal business must be in the U.S. or U.S. territories, and the tool issues the EIN immediately. The IRS limits issuance to one EIN per responsible party per day.
- Fax: per the Instructions for Form SS-4, applicants in the 50 states or D.C. fax the form to 855-641-6935 and generally receive the EIN by fax within 4 business days.
- Mail: mail Form SS-4 to Internal Revenue Service, Attn: EIN Operation, Cincinnati, OH 45999; processing takes about 4 to 5 weeks.
- Phone (international applicants): applicants without a U.S. residence or principal place of business call 267-941-1099, 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern time, Monday through Friday.
No channel carries a government fee. The online tool is the fastest because it validates your entries and returns the EIN on screen the moment the application is approved, and you can download the confirmation immediately. Fax is the usual fallback for entities that cannot use the online tool, with the EIN returned generally within 4 business days, while mail is the slowest at roughly 4 to 5 weeks. If you are forming a company, our how to get an EIN for an LLC guide covers the entity-specific fields, and how to form an LLC shows the EIN's place in the sequence.
How to Spot an EIN Scam Site
The clearest sign of an EIN reseller is a charge to obtain the number, because the IRS never charges one. The IRS's own warning - "Beware of websites that charge for an EIN. You never have to pay a fee for an EIN" - is the test to apply. Watch for these signals:
- The site is not on the
irs.govdomain but presents itself as an official or "authorized" EIN filing service; - It asks for a payment, subscription, or "processing fee" to get the EIN;
- It uses government-looking seals, or names like "EIN registration" or "tax ID filing department," to imply an affiliation it does not have;
- It requests your Social Security number or ITIN before you have confirmed the site is the genuine IRS application.
To apply safely, start only from irs.gov and use the IRS online tool or Form SS-4
directly. The IRS's Business &
Specialty Tax Line at 800-829-4933 can help if you have questions about the free process.
Type the address irs.gov into your browser yourself rather than clicking a search
ad or an email link, because paid resellers often buy advertising slots above the genuine IRS
result. A legitimate government EIN page never asks for a credit card to issue the number. If a
page requests payment before it will give you an EIN, close it - the same application is a few
clicks away on the official site at no charge.
What to Do If You Already Paid
If you already paid a third party for an EIN, your EIN is still valid - you simply paid a private company for a free service. The number itself is genuine and permanent, so you do not need to reapply. Per IRS Publication 1635, an EIN is a permanent number that, once assigned, is never reused or reassigned, so a single valid EIN is all you need. Any refund of the service fee is a matter between you and that company, not the IRS.
Going forward, keep your EIN assignment notice (the CP 575) with your permanent records so you never need to obtain the number again. This page is general information, not legal or tax advice; it explains that the government fee for an EIN is $0 and points to the primary IRS sources so you can confirm the process yourself.
Who Can Get a Free EIN
Any entity with a federal tax reason for an EIN can get one for free, and the responsible party need not have a Social Security number. The responsible party named on Form SS-4 may identify with an SSN, an ITIN, or an existing EIN. Applicants who have neither an SSN nor an ITIN cannot use the online tool but can still apply free by fax, mail, or phone. A single-member LLC, covered on the IRS Single Member Limited Liability Companies page, can obtain a free EIN even though it may otherwise use the owner's SSN. For non-SSN applicants, see can you get an EIN without an SSN? and what is an ITIN.
Related Guides
- How to get an EIN - the free application, step by step.
- What is an EIN? - definition and legal basis.
- How to get an EIN for an LLC.
- Can you get an EIN without an SSN?
- How to form an LLC - where the EIN fits.
- Single-member LLC - disregarded-entity basics.
- EIN (glossary) - the one-line definition.
- Business tax - filing obligations tied to your EIN.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is an EIN really free?
Yes. The IRS issues an EIN at no charge and states plainly, "You never have to pay a fee for an EIN." The online application delivers the number immediately once approved. Any site charging a fee is a third party reselling the free IRS service.
Why do some websites charge for an EIN?
Paid sites charge to complete Form SS-4 on your behalf. They are private companies, not the IRS, and the EIN they obtain is identical to the free one. You pay only for the convenience of them filling in a form you can complete yourself.
What is the official free way to get an EIN?
Apply directly with the IRS on Form SS-4. Domestic applicants can use the free online tool for an immediate EIN, or file by fax or mail. International applicants apply by phone at 267-941-1099. There is never a government fee.
How can I tell if an EIN website is a scam?
The IRS warns, "Beware of websites that charge for an EIN." Any site that is not on irs.gov and asks for payment to obtain an EIN is a third-party reseller. The genuine application is free at the IRS, so a charge is the clearest red flag.
Can I get a free EIN without an SSN?
Yes, and it is still free. The responsible party on Form SS-4 may use an SSN, ITIN, or existing EIN. Applicants without an SSN or ITIN cannot use the online tool but can apply free by fax, mail, or phone.
Sources
- IRS - Get an Employer Identification Number ("Beware of websites that charge for an EIN. You never have to pay a fee for an EIN"; issued immediately).
- IRS - Employer Identification Number (EIN overview and free application).
- IRS - About Form SS-4 (Application for Employer Identification Number).
- IRS - Apply for an EIN online (free online tool; immediate issuance; U.S. principal business; 1 per responsible party per day).
- IRS - Instructions for Form SS-4 (fax 855-641-6935 within 4 business days; mail to Cincinnati, OH 45999, 4–5 weeks; phone 267-941-1099).
- IRS - Responsible parties and nominees (responsible party may use an SSN, ITIN, or EIN).
- IRS - Single Member Limited Liability Companies (may otherwise use the owner's SSN or EIN).
- IRS - Publication 1635, Understanding Your EIN (an EIN is permanent; never reused or reassigned).
- IRS - Telephone assistance (Business & Specialty Tax Line 800-829-4933).
- IRS - Taxpayer Identification Numbers (TIN) (EIN as a federal tax ID; free to obtain).
- IRS - About Form W-7 (ITIN application for non-SSN individuals).
- Cornell Legal Information Institute - 26 U.S. Code § 6109, Identifying numbers (identifying number required on returns).
LegalGlass provides general information for educational purposes and is not a law firm or a substitute for advice from a licensed attorney or tax professional. This page is information, not advice. Laws, forms, and processing times change; verify current requirements with the IRS before acting.