Where Do You Submit an LLC EIN Application?
You submit an LLC EIN application through 4 IRS channels: the online assistant, fax, mail, or the international phone line at 267-941-1099. The online channel requires an SSN or ITIN. All 4 cost $0.
| Channel | Where it goes | Needs SSN or ITIN | Time to EIN | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IRS online assistant | irs.gov, Mon–Fri 7 a.m.–10 p.m. ET | Required | 15 minutes | $0 |
| Fax, US state address | 855-641-6935 | Not required | 4 business days | $0 |
| Fax, no US state address | 855-215-1627 | Not required | 4 business days | $0 |
| Mail, Form SS-4 | EIN Operation, Cincinnati, OH 45999 | Not required | 4 weeks | $0 |
| IRS international phone | 267-941-1099, Mon–Fri | Not required | During the call | $0 |
| einforllc.co Standard | We fax it for you | Not required | 16–19 business days | $97 |
| einforllc.co Fast | We file it within 24 hours | Not required | 6 to 8 business days | $127 |
Source: IRS Instructions for Form SS-4, “How to Apply,” verified July 2026. The 4-business-day fax figure is the IRS return-fax time and applies only when line 4 of the fax cover carries a return fax number; without one the IRS replies by mail instead. On the international phone line the IRS assigns the EIN to the authorized caller during the call itself.
Those published times describe a clean form. They restart from zero every time an entry contradicts the state record, because the IRS reports the problem by mail rather than by fax or email. The practical timeline for a first-time filer is therefore set by accuracy, not by channel speed.
The online assistant times out after 15 minutes of inactivity and discards the entries, so the 18 lines get prepared on paper before the session starts. The IRS also caps issuance at 1 EIN per responsible party per day across every channel. An owner holding 3 LLCs files across 3 separate days, because the limit attaches to the person named on line 7a rather than to the company named on line 1.
The 2 fax numbers split by address, not by nationality. An LLC with a legal residence or principal office in one of the 50 states faxes 855-641-6935. An LLC without a US state address faxes 855-215-1627. A US-formed LLC owned by a resident of another country still uses the number that matches its own address on lines 4a and 4b.
What Does the LLC EIN Application Ask, Line by Line?
Form SS-4 asks for the legal name, the addresses, the responsible party, the LLC member count, the classification, the reason for applying, the formation date, the employee count, and the business activity, across 18 numbered lines.
| Line | What the IRS asks | What an LLC enters |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Legal name of the entity | The LLC name character for character, as the state approved it |
| 2 | Trade name or DBA | Blank unless the LLC registered a separate trade name |
| 3 | Executor, administrator, trustee, care-of name | Blank for an LLC applying for itself |
| 4a, 4b | Mailing address | A non-US address is accepted, including the country name |
| 5a, 5b | Street address, when different | The physical location, when it differs from the mailing address |
| 6 | County and state of the principal business | The US county and state, or the foreign city and country |
| 7a | Name of the responsible party | One human being who controls the LLC and its funds |
| 7b | SSN, ITIN or EIN of that person | The word Foreign when the person holds none of the three |
| 8a | Is this application for an LLC? | Yes. This box turns on the 2 LLC-only fields below it |
| 8b | Number of LLC members | 1 for disregarded-entity treatment, 2 or more for partnership |
| 8c | Was the LLC organized in the United States? | Yes for all 50 states, whatever the owner's nationality |
| 9a | Type of entity | Disregarded entity, partnership, or corporation with a form number |
| 9b | State or foreign country of organization | The formation state, such as Wyoming, Delaware or New Mexico |
| 10 | Reason for applying | Started new business, banking purpose, or hired employees |
| 11 | Date the business started or was acquired | The formation date the state recorded, not the signing date |
| 12 | Closing month of the accounting year | December for an LLC on the calendar year |
| 13 | Highest number of employees in the next 12 months | 0 when the LLC pays no US wages |
| 14 | Election to file Form 944 once a year | Checked when employment tax runs $1,000 or less for the year |
| 15 | First date wages or annuities were paid | Blank when line 13 shows 0 employees |
| 16 | Principal activity of the business | One category, such as retail, wholesale, or finance and insurance |
| 17 | Principal line of merchandise or services | A plain description of what the LLC actually sells |
| 18 | Has this entity ever received an EIN? | No for a first application, Yes with the prior number attached |
Source: IRS Instructions for Form SS-4, verified July 2026. Highlighted rows are the 4 lines that decide an LLC application.
Line 1 has to match state records character for character
Line 1 takes the LLC’s legal name character for character, copied from the approved Articles of Organization. The IRS matches that string against the Secretary of State record. LLC against L.L.C. fails. A dropped comma before LLC fails. A missing word such as The fails. Every einforllc.co order includes that character-by-character name match before the form leaves our office, because the IRS reports a mismatch by mail rather than by email, and the reply lands weeks later.
Line 7a takes a person, never a company
The IRS defines the responsible party as the individual who controls the LLC and its funds. Line 7a takes that person’s legal name, and exactly 1 responsible party is permitted per application. Naming a parent LLC, a holding company, or a formation agent on line 7a triggers rejection. Line 7b then takes that person’s SSN, ITIN, or EIN, or the word Foreign when the person holds none of the three.
Line 10 changes what the IRS expects next
Line 10 states the reason for applying. Started new business, banking purpose, hired employees, changed type of organization, purchased going business, and compliance with IRS withholding regulations each sit in that block. Hired employees opens a payroll tax account, which then expects Form 941 every quarter. An LLC with 0 US employees enters banking purpose or started new business, puts 0 on line 13, and leaves line 15 blank.
No SSN. No passport upload.
How Do Lines 8a, 8b and 9a Work on an LLC Application?
Line 8a confirms the applicant is an LLC. Line 8b states the member count. Line 9a names the resulting classification. A 1 on line 8b produces a disregarded entity, and a 2 produces a partnership.
| Line 8b entry | Line 9a classification | Annual federal filing | Change it with |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1, US owner | Disregarded entity | Schedule C on Form 1040 | Form 8832 or Form 2553 |
| 1, foreign owner | Disregarded entity | Form 5472 + pro-forma 1120 | Form 8832 or Form 2553 |
| 2 or more | Partnership | Form 1065 | Form 8832 or Form 2553 |
| Any count, corporate election | Corporation or S corporation | Form 1120 or Form 1120-S | Already elected |
Source: IRS Form SS-4 instructions and Treasury Regulation 301.7701-3, verified July 2026.
Line 8b is the single most consequential number on the LLC EIN application. It carries no dollar sign and takes 1 keystroke, and it decides which federal return the LLC files for the rest of its life. A multi-member LLC filed as 1 member receives disregarded-entity treatment it never wanted, and unwinding that costs a Form 8832 election plus a corrected filing history. Read the full LLC tax classification breakdown before you fill it in.
The $25,000 line item foreign owners meet in year one
A foreign-owned single-member LLC files Form 5472 with a pro-forma Form 1120 every year, even on $0 of income. Internal Revenue Code section 6038A sets the penalty for missing it at $25,000 per year. The obligation attaches from the first tax year, and the EIN from this application is the number that return is filed under. Under Internal Revenue Code section 6109, that same EIN identifies the LLC on every federal filing that follows.
How Do You Complete an LLC EIN Application Without an SSN?
Enter the word Foreign on line 7b, then submit Form SS-4 by fax instead of online. The IRS accepts that entry, charges $0, and returns the EIN in 4 business days on a clean form. No passport upload is required.
The IRS online assistant validates the responsible party against SSN and ITIN records, so an applicant holding neither is stopped at that screen. Nothing about the LLC is disqualified. The application simply moves to paper, where a human IRS clerk in the EIN Operation unit reads the 18 lines and assigns the number. Four practical differences follow from that switch.
Line 7b takes 1 word. Foreign. The IRS instructions name that exact entry for a responsible party with no SSN, no ITIN, and no EIN.
The form travels by fax. 855-641-6935 for an LLC with a US state address, 855-215-1627 for everything else. Both accept a foreign address on lines 4a and 4b.
No tracking number exists. The IRS provides no status page and no reference number for a faxed SS-4. The reply arrives as the EIN itself.
No passport is required. Form SS-4 asks for no identity documents at all. Any service demanding a passport scan for an EIN is asking for something the IRS does not.
einforllc.co files for owners in 150+ countries, for LLCs formed in any of the 50 states. The full walkthrough lives on the LLC EIN without SSN page, and the $97 LLC EIN specialist service covers the filing end to end.
How Long Does an LLC EIN Application Take?
An LLC EIN application takes 15 minutes online with an SSN or ITIN, 4 business days by fax without one, 4 weeks by mail, and 16 to 19 business days through einforllc.co Standard or 6 to 8 business days through Fast, each with a written filing deadline.
The clock a founder actually feels starts at state approval, not at the EIN. Form SS-4 line 1 and line 11 both come from the approved Articles of Organization, so the EIN application waits behind whatever the Secretary of State takes. On Standard, einforllc.co faxes Form SS-4 within 7 business days of receiving completed details, and the IRS queue that follows puts the whole job at 16 to 19 business days. On Fast, we file within 24 hours and make the IRS call, which puts the whole job at 6 to 8 business days. Business days mean Monday to Friday, excluding US federal holidays.
We guarantee the stage we control, which is the filing. Standard says it in writing: filed by fax within 7 business days, or that fee is refunded. Fast says it in writing too: filed and the IRS call made within 24 hours, guaranteed, or that fee is refunded. Everything after the filing belongs to the IRS EIN Operation unit and its queue, so the end-to-end figures above are stated as ranges rather than as a deadline we do not control. A written deadline is worth reading only when the party naming it owns the outcome, and the filing is the stage we own outright.
| Stage | What happens | Elapsed |
|---|---|---|
| State approval | The Secretary of State records the LLC name and formation date | Set by your state |
| Articles review | We match line 1 against state records, character by character | Included |
| Classification check | We set lines 8a, 8b and 9a against your actual structure | Included |
| Filing, Standard | Form SS-4 leaves our office to the correct IRS fax line | Within 7 business days |
| Filing, Fast | Form SS-4 filed and the IRS phone follow-up made | Within 24 hours |
| IRS assignment | The EIN Operation unit assigns the 9-digit number | 16–19 business days total on Standard, 6 to 8 business days total on Fast |
| CP-575 letter | The IRS issues the confirmation letter, once and only once | Included |
Miss the filing deadline and that fee is refunded. More on speed: how fast an LLC gets an EIN.
How Much Does an LLC EIN Application Cost?
An LLC EIN application costs $0 at the IRS through all 4 channels. einforllc.co charges $97 for the Articles review, the classification check, and the SS-4 faxed within 7 business days, or $127 to file within 24 hours with the IRS call included. The EIN never renews, so year 2 costs $0.
| Item | Cost | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| IRS fee for Form SS-4 and the EIN | $0 | One-time |
| CP-575 confirmation letter | $0 | One-time |
| Articles review and line 1 name match | Included | One-time |
| Classification check, lines 8a, 8b, 9a | Included | One-time |
| Form SS-4 preparation and filing | Included | One-time |
| IRS phone follow-up | Fast only | Standard is fax, with no IRS calls |
| EIN: Standard | $97 | One-time. Faxed within 7 business days, 16–19 business days total |
| EIN: Fast | $127 | One-time. Filed within 24 hours with the IRS call, 6 to 8 business days total |
| LLC formation, optional add-on | +$197 | Only if you have not formed yet. State filing, first-year registered agent, and operating agreement, plus state filing fees at cost. The agent renews at $99/year |
| Year 2 and every year after | $0 | An EIN never renews. Only the registered agent does, and only if you took the add-on |
Prices verified July 2026. The EIN is priced on its own and the formation add-on is a separate line, never folded into the EIN price. Full breakdown on the LLC EIN cost page.
Among paid routes for an applicant without an SSN, einforllc.co charges $97, or $127 filed within 24 hours, while Rocket Lawyer charges $59.99, ZenBusiness $99, and Northwest $200, all verified July 2026. None of those three publishes a written filing deadline, and none reviews lines 8a, 8b and 9a against the Articles. The $97 buys a second reader on the 4 lines that decide the filing, plus a fee refunded if the filing deadline passes.
No SSN. No passport upload.
Why Do LLC EIN Applications Get Rejected?
An LLC EIN application gets rejected when an entry contradicts state records. Line 1, line 7a, line 8b, line 18, the filing date, and the fax number are the 6 entries that fail. The IRS replies by mail.
The name on line 1 does not match state records. One character decides it. LLC against L.L.C., a missing comma, or a dropped The all fail the match against the Secretary of State file.
A company sits on line 7a. The IRS requires a human being as responsible party. A parent LLC, a holding company, or a formation agent on line 7a triggers rejection.
Line 8b contradicts the Articles of Organization. A 1 on line 8b for an LLC the state recorded with 2 members creates a classification the LLC then has to unwind with Form 8832.
The application arrived before state approval. Line 1 and line 11 both come from the approved Articles. Filing early costs the whole cycle a second time, and the IRS reply travels by post.
The fax went to the wrong IRS number. 855-641-6935 handles entities with a US state address. 855-215-1627 handles everything else. The IRS reroutes rather than replies.
A second application for an EIN the LLC already holds. Line 18 catches it. The LLC ends up with 2 numbers on IRS record, and the bank verifies against the wrong one.
Every one of the 6 is preventable before the form leaves your desk. Read line 1 against the Articles twice. Put a person on line 7a. Count members from the operating agreement, not from memory. Confirm state approval. Pick the fax number by address. Check line 18 against any EIN the entity already holds. If you would rather hand that checklist to someone who runs it every day, that is exactly what the $97 covers. Related reading: how to get an ein for an llc and does my llc need an ein.
The IRS reports a rejection by reference code rather than by explanation, and reference 101 is the one LLC applicants meet most. It signals a name conflict or a mismatch against state records, and it means line 1 disagreed with the approved legal name on the Articles of Organization.
Nothing is lost in a rejection except time, because the IRS charges $0 for the application and $0 for the resubmission. The application is corrected and re-enters the queue at the back, which on the fax route adds 4 to 7 business days.
A second failure mode produces no rejection at all, which makes it worse. An application that passes validation with the wrong entry on line 9a issues a real EIN against the wrong classification, and the LLC learns about it when the IRS asks for a return it never expected to file.
What Happens After the LLC EIN Application Is Approved?
The IRS assigns a 9-digit EIN in the format XX-XXXXXXX and issues one CP-575 confirmation letter carrying the LLC’s exact approved name. The IRS never reprints that letter. A replacement comes only as a 147C.
The CP-575 is the document a US bank or payment processor verifies when an LLC opens an account, and the check is that the name on the letter matches the name on the Articles of Organization. That is the second place a line 1 typo surfaces, months after the IRS accepted it. Store a digital copy of the CP-575 before you open any account.
The EIN never expires. One number lasts the lifetime of the LLC. Year 2 and every year after cost $0, and the IRS never reissues a retired EIN to another entity.
A name change keeps the number. The LLC notifies the IRS in writing and holds the same EIN. Moving to a new state keeps it too.
A structure change does not. A single-member LLC that adds a 2nd member becomes a partnership and applies again on a fresh Form SS-4.
An S-corp election keeps the number. Form 2553 is due within 2 months and 15 days of the start of the tax year, and the EIN carries over unchanged.
This page states federal tax rules current as of July 2026. It is not legal or tax advice. Confirm your LLC’s position with a licensed CPA or attorney before filing.
How Do You File the SS-4 by Fax or Mail Instead of Online?
Download the 2-page PDF from irs.gov, complete lines 1 through 18 in ink, and fax it to 855-641-6935 for a US-state LLC or 855-215-1627 for an international one. Both lines receive 24 hours a day and return the EIN in 4 to 7 business days at $0.
| Route | Destination | Turnaround | Who it is for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fax, US state | 855-641-6935 | 4 to 7 business days | LLC formed in any of the 50 states |
| Fax, international | 855-215-1627 | 4 to 7 business days | Entity formed outside the US |
| IRS, Attn: EIN Operation, Cincinnati, OH 45999 | 6 to 11 weeks | Founders with 6+ weeks of runway | |
| Phone | 267-941-1099 | One 30-minute call | Non-US responsible parties |
Line 18 needs a physical signature. The IRS rejects DocuSign and Adobe Sign on Form SS-4 as of 2026, so the page is printed, signed in blue or black ink under the printed name of the responsible party from line 7a, dated, given a title (member, manager, or officer) and a daytime phone, then scanned or faxed. A signature under a name that differs from line 7a stalls the filing with a paperwork mismatch.
The fax cover sheet carries 6 fields: sender name, sender fax number, sender phone, LLC legal name, the EIN request flag, and the total page count. The IRS returns the CP-575to the fax number on that cover sheet. Leave it blank and the CP-575 goes by mail to the line 4a address instead, adding 2 to 3 weeks inside the US and 4 to 6 weeks abroad. Mail runs 5 to 7 times slower than fax end to end, so fax is the standard route for every foreign-owner scenario — see EIN for a foreign-owned LLC.
Source: IRS Form SS-4 (PDF) and the Instructions for Form SS-4, verified July 2026.
What Are the 5 Traps Founders Hit on Form SS-4?
Trap 1: a line 1 legal name that does not match the Articles character for character. Trap 2: an entity named on line 7a where the IRS requires a person. Trap 3: line 7b left blank. Trap 4: the wrong line 9a pick, which locks for 60 months. Trap 5: a line 18 signature under a different name than 7a.
Trap 4 is the expensive one. A wrong classification on line 9a takes 60 days at the IRS to unwind plus 1 fresh Form 8832 election, and the lock runs 60 months under 26 CFR § 301.7701-3. Trap 2 blocks the application outright until a corrected SS-4 arrives, because the responsible party has to be a natural person who controls the entity. Traps 1 and 5 both fail the IRS name-and-number match rather than the form itself, which is why they surface as reference 101 rather than a rejection letter.
Lines 10 through 18 cause far less trouble. Line 10 is the reason for applying, and “Started new business” covers 9 of 10 LLC filings. Line 11 is the start date, line 12 the closing month of the accounting year (December for most). Lines 13 through 16 cover employment tax and stay blank for an LLC with 0 employees. Line 17 is the principal business activity in 1 sentence.
We check every trap. Filing deadline in writing.