How to Get an EIN online (Without Losing Your Mind)

How to Get an EIN Online (Without Losing Your Mind)

Here’s how you can snag your EIN online without breaking a sweat—because who has time for that?

1. Gather Your Info

• Are you eligible? You’ll need a Social Security Number (SSN), Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN), or another EIN if you're super fancy.


• Know your business type—whether you’re going solo (sole proprietor), doing the LLC thing, or running a full-on corporation. Trust me, this will matter soon!

2. Head to the IRS Website

• Pop over to IRS.gov and click on “Apply for an EIN Online”.  It is literally right in the middle of the opening page!  Yes, the IRS does have some things that are easy and online!

3. Begin Your Quest

• Click “Begin Application”—they make this part sound way more epic than it is.


• Choose your business structure (no pressure) and confirm. It’s basically like picking a character in a video game, but with taxes.

4. Tell Them About Your Biz

• Enter your business name, address, and other details.


• Now pay attention—this part is super duper important! You’ll need to pick the right business structure (like LLC, sole proprietor, corporation, etc.). Get this wrong, and you’re setting yourself up for a world of tax filing headaches later—trust me, it gets ugly real quick. The IRS doesn’t mess around with this stuff, and neither should you. If you’re not sure, take a moment to figure it out or ask a pro before you continue!


• You’ll also need to give them the name and SSN/ITIN of the person in charge (yup, that’s probably you).

5. Why Are You Doing This?

• Tell the IRS why you need an EIN (starting a business, hiring employees, or because you just like paperwork).

Important Tip: If you do NOT or will NOT have employees that you pay to work for you in the next year, be CERTAIN that you do not say you have employees. Subcontractors are NOT employees—don't mix them up! If you accidentally claim you have employees, the IRS will expect you to file employment tax returns, and trust me, untangling that mess is not fun. You don’t want to be on the hook for extra paperwork, headaches, and penalties because of a simple mistake!

6. Review and Hit Submit

• Double-check everything before hitting that magic Submit button. You don’t want to be that person who misspelled their own business name, right?

7. Get Your EIN Instantly

• Boom! Your EIN appears instantly, like a magician pulling a rabbit out of a hat—except the IRS is involved, so it’s more like pulling a rabbit out of a filing cabinet. Print and download it right away before it vanishes into the void! Seriously, don't think, "I'll do this later." You need this number for important stuff, like opening a bank account, filing taxes, and looking like a serious business owner. Trust me, you don’t want to be scrambling later to find it!


• Important Note: If you choose to have your EIN mailed to you instead of getting it online, you’ll have to wait. And here’s the kicker—until that little number shows up in your mailbox, you won’t be able to do important things like open a business bank account. So, if you want to get started right away, don’t wait for snail mail. Get it online and keep the momentum going!

8. Save It Somewhere Safe

• Seriously, save that confirmation letter because you’ll need it for taxes, bank accounts, and proving you’re a legit business owner at parties.

And there you go—EIN achieved, minimal stress, and now you’re one step closer to world domination... or, you know, running your business.

Bonus Tip: Avoid headaches and keep things simple by understanding the IRS rules for employees vs. contractors. It'll save you a world of hassle down the road!