Form W-9, Request for Taxpayer Identification Number
The W-9 gives your Taxpayer Identification Number to a client or payer so they can report what they paid you. Fill in the official IRS PDF below and download it.
This is the genuine IRS PDF, unmodified. Source: IRS official page.
What is W-9?
Form W-9, Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification, is how a business collects your legal name, address, federal tax classification, and TIN (your SSN or EIN) before paying you. The payer keeps it on file and uses it to prepare information returns such as the 1099-NEC. It never goes to the IRS itself.
You will usually be asked for a W-9 when you start freelance or contract work, open certain financial accounts, or receive payments a business must report.
Who files W-9?
- Freelancers and independent contractors paid $600 or more by a business in a year
- Vendors, landlords, and attorneys receiving reportable payments
- Anyone whose bank or broker needs a certified TIN to avoid backup withholding
- US citizens and resident aliens only: non-US persons use Form W-8BEN instead
How to fill out W-9
- Enter your legal name exactly as it appears on your tax return, and your business or DBA name on line 2 if you use one.
- Check one federal tax classification box: individual/sole proprietor, C corporation, S corporation, partnership, trust/estate, or LLC with its tax class letter.
- Fill in your address so the payer can send your 1099 there.
- Enter your SSN, or your EIN if you are completing it for a business.
- Download the PDF, sign and date the certification, and send it to the requester, not to the IRS.
Quick fill W-9 on this page
Prefer to see the form itself while you type? Open W-9 in the editor to fill it on the actual pages, add a signature, and download.
Frequently asked questions
Do I send Form W-9 to the IRS?
No. The completed W-9 goes to the person or company that asked for it. They keep it on file and use it to prepare your 1099.
What happens if I refuse to fill out a W-9?
The payer is generally required to withhold 24% of your payments as backup withholding and send it to the IRS, so it usually costs you money to refuse.
SSN or EIN, which do I use?
Sole proprietors may use either. If you operate through a corporation, partnership, or multi-member LLC, use the entity’s EIN.
How long does a W-9 stay valid?
There is no expiry date. Send a new one when your name, tax classification, or TIN changes.