How to Check if Your EIN Number Is Valid
Navigate the process of confirming your business's unique federal tax identifier. Get clear guidance on ensuring its validity and managing its information.
An Employer Identification Number (EIN) is a unique nine-digit number issued by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to identify a business entity. Business owners or individuals need to confirm their EIN for various purposes, such as filing federal tax returns, establishing business bank accounts, applying for necessary licenses, or verifying information for business partners.
Official Ways to Confirm Your EIN
The most definitive way to confirm an EIN is by reviewing the original IRS Confirmation Letter, also known as Notice CP 575. This letter is issued by the IRS after an EIN application is approved and serves as official documentation of your assigned EIN. The CP 575 letter includes the EIN, the official business name, filing address, and often lists the federal tax forms your business is required to file.
Another reliable method involves checking copies of previously filed federal tax returns. The EIN is consistently present on various business tax forms, such as Form 1120 for corporations, Form 1065 for partnerships, and Form 941 for payroll taxes. Reviewing these documents can quickly confirm the number you have on file.
Beyond tax returns, any official correspondence received from the IRS after your EIN was issued will likely display the number. This includes notices regarding tax payments, compliance, or other administrative matters.
If you cannot locate your EIN through these documents, contacting the IRS directly is the next step. You can call the IRS Business & Specialty Tax Line at 1-800-829-4933. When calling, you will need to provide specific information to verify your identity and the business’s details.
The IRS does not provide a public online search tool to verify EINs. Any service claiming to offer a public EIN lookup is not official.
Retrieving a Lost or Forgotten EIN
If an EIN is known to exist but cannot be found, the first action involves checking all business records thoroughly. This includes both physical and digital files for the original IRS confirmation letter (CP 575) or other official IRS correspondence that would contain the EIN.
Reviewing copies of prior federal tax documents is a highly effective way to retrieve a forgotten EIN. Forms like the annual income tax return (e.g., Form 1120, Form 1065) or quarterly payroll tax returns (Form 941) will prominently display the EIN. Accessing these previously filed documents, whether through your own records or a tax preparer, can quickly provide the needed number.
If personal and business records do not yield the EIN, contacting the IRS Business & Specialty Tax Line at 1-800-829-4933 remains the most reliable method for retrieval. The responsible party for the business, or an authorized representative, must make the call. The IRS representative will ask a series of identity verification questions to ensure they are speaking with an authorized individual before providing the EIN. For security, the IRS generally sends an EIN Verification Letter (147-C) by mail or fax, which serves the same purpose as the original CP 575 letter.
While banks, payroll service providers, or state agencies might have your EIN on file, they are not official sources for retrieval from the IRS. They may be able to provide the number if it was submitted to them previously, but the IRS remains the definitive authority for official EIN retrieval and verification.
Understanding EIN Status and Next Steps
Once assigned, an EIN is generally permanent for a specific business entity. It does not expire, and you typically do not need a new EIN unless there is a significant change in the business’s legal structure or ownership. For example, a sole proprietorship that incorporates into a different entity type, such as a corporation or a partnership, would require a new EIN.
An EIN might appear “invalid” to a user for several reasons. A common issue is a simple typographical error when entering the nine-digit number. If an EIN was recently applied for, it might not yet be fully active in the IRS system, leading to a temporary inability to verify it immediately. Sometimes, an EIN is genuinely lost and unrecoverable through personal records or IRS retrieval efforts, necessitating further action.
A new EIN is required under specific circumstances outlined by the IRS. Sole proprietors need a new EIN if they incorporate, form a partnership, or purchase an existing business they will operate as a sole proprietorship. Corporations typically need a new EIN if they receive a new charter, become a subsidiary of another corporation, or change their structure to a partnership or sole proprietorship. Similarly, a multi-member Limited Liability Company (LLC) generally needs a new EIN upon formation, and a single-member LLC may need one if it elects to be taxed as a corporation or S corporation, or if it has employees or excise tax liabilities.
Deciding whether to apply for a new EIN hinges on these structural changes, rather than merely changing a business name or address, which does not necessitate a new EIN. If, after exhausting all verification and retrieval methods, it is confirmed that the existing EIN cannot be located or is no longer appropriate for the current business structure, then applying for a new EIN becomes the necessary next step.