Get an EIN for your LLC free from the IRS: online with an SSN, or by fax/mail with Form SS-4 without one. Step-by-step instructions for US and non-US founders.
By Omer Aydin ·
You get an EIN for your LLC directly from the IRS, for free — there is never a government fee. If you have an SSN or ITIN, apply through the IRS online EIN assistant and receive the number at the end of the session. If you don't (most non-US founders), submit Form SS-4 by fax or mail, which the IRS advertises at roughly four business days for fax and four to five weeks for mail, though real-world fax turnaround often runs one to two weeks.
Here is exactly how to apply through each route, what the SS-4 asks, and the mistakes that delay applications.
An Employer Identification Number is a nine-digit federal tax ID — your company's equivalent of a Social Security number. Despite the name, you need one even with zero employees. It is required (or effectively required) for:
Apply after your state approves the LLC formation, so the legal name and date on the SS-4 match state records.
| Route | Who can use it | Cost | Typical timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online (IRS EIN Assistant) | Responsible party has SSN or ITIN | $0 | Issued at the end of the session |
| Fax (Form SS-4) | Anyone, including non-residents | $0 | ~4 business days advertised; often 1–2 weeks |
| Mail (Form SS-4) | Anyone | $0 | ~4–5 weeks |
International applicants can also call the IRS international line (+1-267-941-1099, not toll-free) to apply by phone with a completed SS-4 in hand.
The online tool requires the responsible party — the individual who controls the entity — to have an SSN or ITIN. The responsible party must be a person, not a company, and the IRS limits each responsible party to one EIN per day.
The IRS online assistant is open during limited hours (US business hours, Monday–Friday) and a session expires after 15 minutes of inactivity — you cannot save and resume. Have ready: the LLC's exact legal name as filed, formation state and date, business address, and your SSN/ITIN.
The tool issues your EIN immediately and generates the CP 575 confirmation letter as a PDF. Download it on the spot — the IRS does not reissue the CP 575, and banks ask for it. If you ever lose it, you can request a replacement verification letter (147C) by phone.
Key lines for a non-resident single-member LLC:
Use the SS-4 fax number for your situation listed in the current IRS instructions (there are separate numbers for US-based and international applicants). Include a return fax number — that is how the IRS sends the EIN back.
The IRS advertises about four business days; expect one to two weeks in practice. The returned SS-4 with the EIN written on it serves as your proof until the CP 575 letter arrives by mail.
Each step depends on the previous one, and the EIN sits in the middle of everything — which is why a stalled EIN application stalls the whole launch.
$0. The IRS issues EINs free through every route — online, fax, mail, and phone. Companies that charge for an EIN are charging for preparing and submitting the application on your behalf.
Yes. Complete Form SS-4, write "Foreign" on line 7b instead of an SSN, and submit by fax or mail (or by phone via the IRS international line). No SSN, ITIN, or US address is required for a US LLC to receive an EIN.
Online: issued during the application session. Fax: about four business days per the IRS, commonly one to two weeks in practice. Mail: four to five weeks. The online route requires the responsible party to have an SSN or ITIN.
The EIN is necessary but not sufficient — banks also verify the LLC's formation documents and the owner's identity (passport for non-residents). Fintech platforms like Mercury onboard non-resident founders remotely; traditional branches often require an in-person visit.
An EIN identifies a business entity; an ITIN identifies an individual who needs to file US taxes but is not eligible for an SSN. Your LLC needs an EIN. You personally may or may not ever need an ITIN, depending on your US tax situation.
Technically a disregarded single-member LLC owned by someone with an SSN can sometimes use the owner's SSN for federal tax purposes — but in practice you need the EIN anyway for banking and payment processors, and using an EIN keeps your SSN out of business paperwork.
Usually not for a simple name change; you notify the IRS in writing. You generally need a new EIN when the entity's structure changes — for example, a sole proprietorship incorporating, or an LLC electing to become a corporation in certain cases.
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Lovie includes EIN application assistance — including the SS-4 fax route for founders without an SSN — with every formation, at $29/month.
Form your company with Lovie — $29/month, registered agent and ongoing compliance included.