{"id":20664,"date":"2017-06-14T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2017-06-14T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hrblock.com\/tax-center\/"},"modified":"2025-08-25T13:03:03","modified_gmt":"2025-08-25T18:03:03","slug":"apply-for-ein","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hrblock.com\/tax-center\/filing\/apply-for-ein\/","title":{"rendered":"Learn how to apply for an EIN"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The IRS uses employer identification numbers (EINs) to keep track of businesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your business must have an EIN if it:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Has employees<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Operates as a corporation or partnership<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Has a qualified retirement plan<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Is required to file a return for any of these:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Employment tax<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Excise tax<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Alcohol, tobacco, and firearms<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Is required to withhold taxes on income other than wages paid to a nonresident alien<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The IRS also requires an EIN for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Trusts, except for:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Certain grantor-owned revocable trusts<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Exempt organization business income returns<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>IRAs<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Estates<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Real estate mortgage investment conduits (REMICs)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Nonprofit organizations<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Farmers&#8217; cooperatives<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Plan administrators<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>You can get an EIN by filing Form SS-4. To get this form, visit www.irs.gov. File the form via:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Phone &#8212; Complete the form before calling <b>800-829-4933<\/b>. You&#8217;ll get a number for immediate use.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Online &#8212; Visit <a href=\"https:\/\/www.irs.gov\/businesses\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">www.irs.gov\/businesses<\/a>, and click <b>Employer ID Numbers (EINs)<\/b>. You&#8217;ll get a number for immediate use.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Fax &#8212; Complete the form and fax it to your area&#8217;s fax number, found on the form. The IRS should process your faxed request within four business days.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Mail &#8212; See Form SS-4 instructions for your area&#8217;s mailing address. The IRS should process your mailed request within approximately four to six weeks<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>To learn more, see Publication 1635: Understanding Your EIN at www.irs.gov.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The IRS uses employer identification numbers (EINs) to keep track of businesses. Your business must have an EIN if it: The IRS also requires an EIN for: You can get an EIN by filing Form SS-4. To get this form, visit www.irs.gov. File the form via: To learn more, see Publication 1635: Understanding Your EIN [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[125],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20664","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-filing"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<title>Learn How To Apply For An EIN | H&amp;R Block<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Do you need to get an EIN for your small business? 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