EIN (Employer Identification Number)
The 9-digit federal tax identifier assigned by the IRS to a business entity, used for tax filings, banking, and platform onboarding.
Definition
The EIN (Employer Identification Number) is the federal tax ID of a US business entity. Format: XX-XXXXXXX. It is permanent and does not require renewal. Non-residents obtain an EIN via IRS Form SS-4, faxed to the IRS international EIN unit with 'Foreign' entered in the SSN field for the responsible party.
Context
Banks, Stripe, Amazon Seller Central, and most US platforms require the EIN before they will onboard a US LLC. The EIN is therefore a practical prerequisite for operational use of the LLC. Delewarellc's bundle includes EIN preparation; turnaround is typically 1-2 business days for a correctly-filed Form SS-4.
Example
A Pakistani founder forms a Delaware LLC. Delewarellc prepares Form SS-4 with the founder's name on Line 7a and 'Foreign' on Line 7b. The form is faxed to the IRS international EIN unit. The CP 575 confirmation letter with the EIN comes back within 2 business days.
Common pitfalls
- Writing a passport number in the SSN field on Form SS-4 is the most common rejection reason. The correct entry is the literal word 'Foreign'.
- Confusing the EIN (LLC tax ID) with an ITIN (personal tax ID for non-residents). Most non-resident LLC owners need the EIN but not the ITIN.
- Losing the CP 575 letter is recoverable via Form 147-C request to the IRS, but adds 4-8 weeks of friction.