The Employer Identification Number (EIN) is a nine-digit identifier specific to your business issued by the International Revenue Service (IRS). You can think of an EIN as something similar to a Social Security Number, as it is used to differentiate you from other businesses for tax purposes.

But how do you look up a company’s EIN if the need comes up? Let’s find out.

What is an EIN of a company?

An EIN, also known as an Employer Identification Number, is a nine-digit number issued by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and used for US tax purposes. Sometimes, you may see it referred to as a Federal Tax Identification Number (TIN).

An EIN helps the IRS track businesses for the purposes of tax reporting and payments. If you have a business, whether a corporation or a non-profit organization, you most likely need an EIN. They are also sometimes used by banks to help verify a business’s identity when opening a bank account and by the government when you apply for special permits or licenses for your company.

Why is it important to know your company’s EIN?

There are many reasons why you need to know and may need to look up your company’s EIN. The main reason is for tax purposes and to help you file your business taxes, pay employment taxes, and report any tax-related information. Banks and financial institutions will also require an EIN to open a bank account. Without one, it can make it challenging to manage your finances.

If you ever want to apply for a business license or permit with the government, you will need your EIN, which will help ensure you operate your company legally.

Knowing your company’s EIN is essential to ensure you’re being compliant with federal tax laws and other legal requirements and make sure your business is up to scratch.

Where To Find Your Own Company’s EIN

If you forgot or misplaced your company’s EIN and needed to find it for business purposes or any other reason, there are a few ways that you can quickly look it up.

Look Up Your Old Business Tax Returns

The best place to start is to look through your company’s old IRS forms. Your business tax returns will contain the EIN.

Look Up Your Old Business Records

You can also look at your company’s other documents that contain the EIN information. These business records can include your business bank account number, business license, or credit report.

Contact Your Accounting Department

If your company has an accounting department, call them to get your company’s EIN. The accounting department keeps detailed records of the company’s finance, and for sure, they will have the IEN information you are looking for.

Call the IRS

If you are your company’s authorized representative, you can call the IRS to retrieve your company’s EIN. You can contact the Business & Specialty Tax phone number between 7 am and 7 pm at 800-829-4933. You will be asked to prove that you are your company’s authorized representative, and once you’ve provided that information, they will give you the EIN.

How To Find Another Company’s EIN

Depending on what industry your business is in, there might come a time when you need to get another business’ EIN. Whatever reason you want to know another company’s EIN, there are several ways to look it up – a quick and efficient way to do just that is through a paid service like EINsearch which boasts a database of over 20 million EINs.

Contact The Company Directly

The more time-consuming way to get another company’s business EIN is to contact them. Call or send an email explaining why you need to get their company’s EIN. This method does not guarantee success, and you may end up waiting days for an answer.

FAQs

What Are EINs Used For?

As a business owner, getting EIN is one of the essential business needs you should get when you decide to open a business. You generally need an EIN for the following reasons:

  • For tax filing
  • To open a business bank account
  • To get financing such as a business loan
  • For hiring employees

How To Apply For An EIN?

The good news is that there are several ways that you can apply for a new EIN. But before this, make sure that you are familiar with the form ss-4. It’s highly recommended you download the form and familiarize yourself with the information so your application will go smoothly.

You can go to the IRS website and use the EIN assistant. The service is available from 7 am to 10 pm EST. If you don’t want to make an EIN online application, you can opt to call the IRS at their Business & Specialty Tax Line at (800) 829-4933.

Which Companies Need An EIN?

The following are scenarios where companies need an EIN:

  • Any company, even small business pays these excise taxes for firearms, tobacco, or alcohol.
  • Any business with employees.
  • Companies that operate as a corporation, partnership, or LLC.

For more information, you can go to the IRS website for a more detailed discussion.

Who Doesn’t Need An EIN?

There are some cases where you don’t need an EIN. If you’re self-employed or a sole proprietor without any employees, you can use your Social Security Number instead of an EIN. For more information, you can head on to the IRS website.

What Are The Other Types Of Taxpayer Identification Numbers?

Besides the EIN, the IRS uses other types of Taxpayer Identification Numbers to identify taxpayers.

  • Social Security Number (SSN): a nine-digit number issued by the government to US Citizens, residents, and other qualified individuals for tax and other identification purposes.
  • Individual Tax Identification Number (ITIN): a number issued by the IRS to individuals who need to have a US taxpayer identification number but are not eligible for an SSN.
  • Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN): a tax processing number is given to the resident and non-resident aliens, their dependents, and spouses who are not eligible for an SSN. It’s a nine-digit number starting with 9.
  • Federal Tax Id Number (FEIN): another name for EIN

Do you want a more effective way to search for the FEIN and EIN? Try EINSearch and have access to hundreds of EINs now.