Form SS-4, Application for Employer Identification Number
Form SS-4 applies for an Employer Identification Number, the nine-digit federal ID a business uses for tax filings, payroll, and bank accounts.
This is the genuine IRS PDF, unmodified. Source: IRS official page.
What is SS-4?
Form SS-4 collects what the IRS needs to issue an EIN: legal and trade names, responsible party, entity type, reason for applying, and expected employment. Corporations, partnerships, multi-member LLCs, trusts, estates, and nonprofits all need one, and sole proprietors need one once they hire or set up certain retirement plans.
Most US applicants get an EIN faster through the IRS online assistant, which issues the number immediately. The paper SS-4 remains the route for fax and mail applications, for international applicants without an SSN or ITIN, and for banks that want the completed form on file.
Who files SS-4?
- New corporations, partnerships, and multi-member LLCs
- Sole proprietors hiring employees or needing an EIN for banking
- Trusts, estates, and nonprofits
- Foreign entities needing a US EIN, who apply by phone, fax, or mail
How to fill out SS-4
- Enter the legal name, trade name, and mailing address of the entity.
- Identify the responsible party and their SSN, ITIN, or EIN.
- Check the entity type and the reason you are applying.
- Answer the employment questions if you expect to pay wages.
- Download and sign, then fax or mail it to the IRS, or use it as your worksheet for the online EIN assistant, which is immediate.
Quick fill SS-4 on this page
Prefer to see the form itself while you type? Open SS-4 in the editor to fill it on the actual pages, add a signature, and download.
Frequently asked questions
How fast do I get the EIN?
Online: immediately during the session. Fax: about four business days. Mail: around four weeks. The online assistant is limited to applicants with a US taxpayer identification number.
Does a single-member LLC need an EIN?
Not for federal income tax by default, but it does the moment it has employees or excise obligations, and most banks require one to open a business account.