To find a business EIN number, start with where the number was already recorded: past tax returns, the original IRS assignment notice, payroll forms, or bank paperwork if it’s your own company. For someone else’s business, the route depends on what kind of entity it is. Public companies list their EIN on SEC filings in EDGAR, nonprofits list it on their Form 990 through the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search, and private companies generally have to be asked directly, usually through a Form W-9. If your own records fail, the IRS Business and Specialty Tax Line at 800-829-4933 can give the number to an authorized person over the phone.
Finding Your Own Business’s EIN
Before calling the IRS, check the documents you already have. The nine-digit number appears in several predictable places:1Internal Revenue Service. Employer Identification Number
- The original EIN assignment notice, CP 575, which the IRS mailed when the number was issued. It shows the EIN alongside your business’s legal name and filing address.
- Prior business tax returns. On Form 1120 for corporations, the EIN sits in Item B on the first page. On Form 1065 for partnerships, it’s in Item D.2Internal Revenue Service. Instructions for Form 1120 (2025) – Section: Item B. Employer Identification Number (EIN)3Internal Revenue Service. Instructions for Form 1065 (2025) – Section: Specific Instructions
- Payroll paperwork. Every Form 941 carries the EIN, and every W-2 you’ve issued shows it in Box b.4Internal Revenue Service. Instructions for Form 941 (Rev. March 2026)5Internal Revenue Service. 2026 General Instructions for Forms W-2 and W-3
- Business bank records. The bank collected the EIN at account opening and can usually retrieve it quickly by phone.
- State licensing or local permit applications, which normally required an EIN when you filed them.
Requesting a Replacement Letter From the IRS
If none of that turns up the number, the IRS will issue a replacement verification letter called LTR 147C. You request it by calling the Business and Specialty Tax Line at 800-829-4933, open Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time (Alaska and Hawaii follow Pacific).6Internal Revenue Service. Telephone Assistance Contacts for Business Customers – Section: Business and Specialty Tax Line and EIN Assignment (800-829-4933) Ask for the letter to be faxed. A faxed copy arrives the same day; a mailed one can take weeks.
The IRS will only release the number to someone authorized to act for the business. That means the owner of a sole proprietorship, a partner in a partnership, or a corporate officer on file for a corporation. A tax professional holding a valid Form 2848 Power of Attorney can also make the call, since that form permits the representative to receive the company’s confidential tax information.7Internal Revenue Service. Instructions for Form 2848 Have your Social Security number, the business’s legal name, and its registered address ready before you dial.
One timing rule catches people off guard: if the EIN was obtained through the IRS online application and the CP 575 wasn’t downloaded at the time, the IRS won’t issue a 147C for at least a month afterward.8Taxpayer Advocate Service. When Taxpayers Struggle to Obtain an EIN, Everyone Loses
Finding a Public Company’s EIN
Publicly traded companies disclose their EIN on their SEC filings, so the SEC’s EDGAR database is the fastest free source. Open the EDGAR full-text search, enter the company name or ticker, and filter for Form 10-K (annual report) or 10-Q (quarterly report).9SEC.gov. EDGAR Full Text Search The EIN is printed on the cover page of the filing, near the company’s name and address.10U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Using EDGAR to Research Investments Because the SEC requires this information, it’s always available and always free.
Finding a Nonprofit’s EIN
Tax-exempt organizations have to make their annual returns public, and those returns carry the EIN. The IRS runs a free Tax Exempt Organization Search that lets anyone look up a recognized exempt organization and view its filings.11Internal Revenue Service. Tax Exempt Organization Search Pull up the organization’s Form 990 and look at Box D on page one; the EIN sits there.12Internal Revenue Service. Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax – Form 990
The same tool confirms whether the group’s tax-exempt status is still in good standing or has been revoked, which is worth a look if you’re vetting a charity before donating.
Finding a Private Business’s EIN
Private companies aren’t required to publish their EIN, so the number isn’t sitting in a public database. The most direct approach is to ask the company for a completed Form W-9. That’s the standard IRS form businesses use to share their taxpayer identification number with each other, and most companies fill one out routinely for payment processing and 1099 reporting.13Internal Revenue Service. About Form W-9, Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification
When asking isn’t practical, business credit reports from Dun & Bradstreet, Equifax, or Experian may list the EIN. These reports carry a fee that varies by provider and report type, but they can be worth it for vendor due diligence. State-level business registrations and specialty permit filings sometimes include an EIN as well, though public availability varies by state.
Watch Out for EIN Lookup and Application Scams
The IRS issues EINs at no charge through its own online application, and applying through irs.gov delivers the number immediately on approval.14Internal Revenue Service. Get an Employer Identification Number In April 2025, the FTC sent warning letters to operators of websites charging up to $300 per EIN while mimicking the IRS site.15Federal Trade Commission. FTC Warns Operators of Websites that Charge for an Employer Identification Number and Claim Affiliation with the IRS
Signs a site isn’t the real IRS:
- Logos, seals, or color schemes designed to resemble a government page.
- “IRS” in the domain name. The genuine site is irs.gov, and no legitimate private service uses “IRS” in its address.
- Use of the term “EIN Assistant,” which is the IRS’s own name for its free application tool.
- No visible disclaimer stating that the operator isn’t affiliated with the IRS. Legitimate third-party filers post that disclosure plainly.
If you’re helping a client or your own business get a new EIN, go straight to irs.gov and use the free application. The number arrives at the end of the session, no fee, no waiting.