Why Are There Two Names for One Number?
The number carries 2 names because it lives in 2 systems: the federal system, where the IRS calls it an EIN, and everywhere else, where forms add Federal to make FEIN and separate it from a state employer ID.
Each of the 50 states runs its own revenue department, and most issue a separate state employer number for state payroll and sales tax. Because a business can hold a federal number and a state number at the same time, banks and payroll systems write FEIN to force the 1 issued by the IRS. Since 2001 the IRS has assigned EIN prefixes online, so the 2-digit prefix runs from 01 through 99 as a routing artifact, and the remaining 7 digits are sequential. Over 30 million businesses hold a federal number, for example 12-3456789, and every one is both an EIN and a FEIN. The distinction between the federal number and a state number is covered on EIN vs federal tax ID.
The naming split traces to 26 U.S.C. section 6109, the statute that requires a taxpayer identifying number on every federal return. That law names 1 federal identifier, so the word Federal in FEIN is a plain-language tag, not a 2nd registration. A sole proprietor with 0 employees receives the identical number a 500-employee corporation holds, and both confirm it on the same CP-575 letter. The steps to request that single number are laid out on how to get an EIN.
When Do People Say FEIN Instead of EIN?
State payroll registrations, bank account applications, W-9 requests, and vendor portals print FEIN to force the federal number rather than a state ID. All 4 ask for the identical 9-digit XX-XXXXXXX.
| Where it appears | Label printed | What you enter |
|---|---|---|
| Bank account application | FEIN or Federal Tax ID | Your 9-digit EIN |
| State payroll registration | FEIN | Your 9-digit EIN |
| Form W-9 | EIN | Your 9-digit EIN |
| Vendor onboarding portal | Federal Tax ID Number | Your 9-digit EIN |
| IRS Form SS-4 and CP-575 | EIN | Your 9-digit EIN |
Source: IRS Form SS-4 and Form W-9 instructions, verified August 2026.
The label changes, the number does not. A form that prints FEIN on 1 line and Federal Tax ID on the next still wants the same XX-XXXXXXX the IRS assigned. The overlap with the personal identifiers people confuse it with is covered on EIN vs SSN and TIN vs EIN.
Reading the 3 columns above, the middle column shifts across 5 rows while the right column repeats 1 instruction: enter your 9-digit EIN. A vendor portal that prints Federal Tax ID Number, a state form that prints FEIN, and an IRS notice that prints EIN all resolve to the same XX-XXXXXXX. A founder filling out 4 forms in 1 afternoon types the same 9 digits into each. The everyday tasks that call for the number are collected on using your EIN, and the exact digit layout sits on EIN number format.
No SSN. No passport upload.
Is a FEIN Different From a State Tax ID?
Yes. A FEIN is 1 federal number from the IRS. A state tax ID is a separate number from 1 of the 50 state revenue departments, used for state payroll withholding and sales tax. A business can hold 1 FEIN and several state IDs.
The FEIN handles federal returns: Form 1065 for a partnership, Form 1120 for a corporation, Form 990 for a nonprofit, and Form 1041 for an estate. A state ID handles state-level filings only, and its format differs from state to state. A company that hires in 3 states can hold 1 FEIN and 3 state IDs at once, so the federal number and the state numbers never replace each other. There are 5 taxpayer ID types under the TIN umbrella, and the state employer number is not 1 of them. The full federal-vs-state breakdown sits on EIN vs federal tax ID and is an EIN the same as a TIN.
Take a Delaware corporation that opens payroll in California, Texas, and New York: it registers 1 FEIN with the IRS and 3 separate state employer IDs, for a total of 4 identifiers. The FEIN never changes when a 4th or 5th state is added; the state issues 1 more state number and the federal number stays fixed. This is why a W-9 asks for the 1 federal number while a state withholding form asks for the matching state number. The line between a personal SSN and the business number is drawn on EIN vs SSN.
How Do You Get an EIN or FEIN?
The same way, because they are 1 number. File Form SS-4 with the IRS. With an SSN, the online tool issues it in 15 minutes for $0. With no SSN, the fax route issues it in 4 to 7 business days.
| Method | Time to number | SSN needed? | IRS fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| IRS online assistant | About 15 minutes | Yes | $0 |
| Fax Form SS-4 | 4 to 7 business days | No | $0 |
| Mail Form SS-4 | 6 to 11 weeks | No | $0 |
| Phone, international only | On the call | No | $0 |
Source: IRS Form SS-4 instructions, verified August 2026.
The online route validates the applicant against SSN and ITIN records, so anyone who holds neither stops at the validation screen. Those applicants use the fax route, entering the word Foreign on Form SS-4 line 7b and faxing to 855-641-6935 within the US or 855-215-1627 from abroad. The IRS international line, 267-941-1099, releases the number on the call, and a lost number is recovered at 800-829-4933 for a 147C letter. Founders in over 150 countries obtain a US number this way. einforllc.co files Form SS-4 for $97 within 7 business days, or $127 within 24 hours, and the number arrives on a CP-575 confirmation. The full federal walkthrough sits on what is a FEIN and what is an EIN.
How Do EIN and FEIN Compare Side by Side?
Every attribute matches, because an EIN and a FEIN are 1 number under 2 names. The example 45-6789012 is both an EIN and a FEIN, formatted XX-XXXXXXX with 9 digits.
| Attribute | EIN | FEIN |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Employer Identification Number | Federal Employer Identification Number |
| Issued by | IRS | IRS |
| Application | Form SS-4 | Form SS-4 |
| Format | XX-XXXXXXX | XX-XXXXXXX |
| Digits | 9 | 9 |
| IRS fee | $0 | $0 |
| Identifies | A US business or entity | A US business or entity |
| Also printed as | Federal Tax ID, Tax ID | FEIN, Federal Tax ID |
The single row that differs is the name: FEIN spells out Federal, EIN leaves it implied. The personal identifiers that share the 9-digit length are set apart on ITIN vs EIN and EIN vs SSN. For the umbrella term that covers all 5 taxpayer IDs, see TIN vs EIN.
Read down the 8 rows and 7 of them show identical values in both columns; only the full-name row differs. The number 45-6789012 validates the same way whether a form calls it an EIN or a FEIN, because 1 record in the IRS master file backs both labels. For applicants who hold no SSN, the filing path to that single record runs through how to get an EIN, and the LLC-specific route, from formation to a live number, is mapped on how to get an EIN for an LLC.
This page states federal tax rules current as of August 2026. It is not legal or tax advice. Confirm your business's position with a licensed CPA or attorney before filing.