Starting a new business? Hiring Employees? Get your EIN for free.

An Employer Identification Number (EIN)—or Federal Employer Identification Number—is a unique nine-digit number used by the IRS to identify businesses for taxpayer purposes. It’s like a Social Security number for a business.

The IRS uses EINs to identify businesses for tax purposes. Business entities such as corporations, partnerships, and limited liability companies must have an EIN. If you’re a sole proprietor, you do not need to get an EIN unless you’re hiring employees because sole proprietors can use their Social Security number for tax purposes instead.
If you’re a business owner hiring employees, Square can help you apply for your EIN and pay your employees through our payroll service, Square Payroll. It’s easy to set up and takes just minutes to pay your team—so you can get back to your business.

The IRS requires a completed Form SS-4 to receive an EIN. We can help you obtain your EIN, right here, right now. Just answer a few questions required by the IRS—the whole process takes a few minutes. Once you’ve completed the application, either let us file the application for you, or mail or fax it in yourself.

Visit our EIN Guide for more questions related to Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN), state tax ID, where to look up your EIN on your tax return, and situations when a new employer identification number is needed.