Whether an EIN is public information depends entirely on what kind of organization it belongs to. Nonprofits and publicly traded companies are required by law to disclose their Employer Identification Number in filings anyone can read, so those EINs are effectively public. Private businesses and sole proprietors are not, and the IRS does not maintain any public directory that would let you look their number up.
Why the IRS Doesn’t Publish EINs
The IRS is barred from sharing tax return information, including EINs listed on those returns, with the general public unless a specific legal exception applies.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 26 USC 6103 – Confidentiality and Disclosure of Returns and Return Information There is no centralized public EIN lookup at IRS.gov for ordinary businesses.
That said, an EIN identifies a business entity, not a person, and it does not carry the identity-theft risk of a Social Security Number. Companies routinely print their EIN on invoices, W-9 forms, and contracts they share with vendors and clients. Federal law also requires any business to hand over its EIN when another party needs it to file an information return with the IRS, such as a 1099 for a contractor paid more than $600 in a year.2GovInfo. 26 USC 6109 – Identifying Numbers3Internal Revenue Service. Am I Required to File a Form 1099 or Other Information Return?
So while the IRS treats the number as confidential on the government’s side, an EIN’s real-world visibility depends on which filings its owner is required to make public.
Nonprofit EINs Are Public
Tax-exempt organizations face transparency rules that do not apply to for-profit businesses. Organizations described in Section 501(c) or 501(d), including charities, social welfare groups, and trade associations, must make their annual returns available for public inspection at their principal office and at any regional office with three or more employees.4Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 26 USC 6104 – Publicity of Information Required From Certain Exempt Organizations and Certain Trusts In practice most nonprofits also post their filings online.
The annual return for most nonprofits is Form 990, and the EIN appears in Item D on the first page.5Internal Revenue Service. Instructions for Form 990 Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax The whole form is subject to public inspection, so the EIN sits alongside the organization’s revenue, expenses, executive compensation, and program activities. Private foundations file Form 990-PF, which follows the same public-inspection rules; the foundation’s EIN is in Item A of the heading.6Internal Revenue Service. Instructions for Form 990-PF
The fastest way to find a nonprofit’s EIN is the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search at apps.irs.gov/app/eos. Enter the organization’s legal name and the tool returns its most recent Form 990 along with the EIN and tax-exempt status.7Internal Revenue Service. Tax Exempt Organization Search Third-party sites like GuideStar (now Candid) aggregate the same 990 data and allow free searches.
Public Company EINs Are Also Public
Every company listed on a stock exchange files an annual report on Form 10-K, and the EIN typically appears on the cover page alongside the legal name, state of incorporation, and exchange listing. Search for these filings through the SEC’s EDGAR database at sec.gov/edgar/search using the company’s name or ticker.8U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. EDGAR Full Text Search Open the most recent 10-K and look for the “IRS Employer Identification Number” or “I.R.S. Employer I.D. No.” near the top of the document.
EINs sometimes surface in other government records too. UCC-1 financing statements, filed when a business pledges assets as collateral, include a field for the debtor’s tax identification number and are searchable through the Secretary of State in the state where the filing was made. Business registration documents, professional licenses, and some permit applications may also contain an EIN, though access varies widely by jurisdiction.
Private Company EINs Are Not Public
Finding a private company’s EIN is harder because these businesses have no legal obligation to make the number available to the general public. There is no free, centralized IRS tool for private-business lookups. Paid third-party services exist, but their accuracy varies and many simply repackage records you could search yourself.
Your practical options:
- Ask the company directly. If you need the EIN to file a 1099 or another information return, send a Form W-9. The company is legally required to provide its taxpayer identification number for information-reporting purposes.2GovInfo. 26 USC 6109 – Identifying Numbers
- Check prior tax documents. If you have done business with the company before, its EIN may appear on a 1099 you received. On a W-2, the employer’s EIN is in Box b.
- Search state business records. Some states include the EIN in their online business registration databases or franchise tax records.
- Review UCC filings or commercial credit reports. Both sometimes contain a company’s EIN.
Before searching, confirm the exact legal name of the business. Many companies operate under a trade name that differs from the name on their tax filings, and small differences will produce empty results in state databases. The Secretary of State’s website in the state of formation is usually the fastest way to verify the legal name.
Recovering Your Own EIN
If you are a business owner who has misplaced your own EIN, start with your own records before contacting the IRS.9Internal Revenue Service. Employer Identification Number Check the CP 575 confirmation notice the IRS sent when it issued the number, any federal business tax return you have filed, the bank that holds your business account, and any state or local agency where you applied for a permit or license.
If none of those work, call the IRS Business and Specialty Tax Line at 800-829-4933, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time. After verifying your identity, the IRS can provide the number over the phone and send a replacement confirmation known as Letter 147C.9Internal Revenue Service. Employer Identification Number Only authorized individuals, typically an owner or officer listed on the original application, can make this request.
When Someone Asks for Your EIN
The legal obligation to hand over your EIN applies only when the other party needs it to file an information return with the IRS.2GovInfo. 26 USC 6109 – Identifying Numbers If a request comes from someone with no legitimate tax-reporting reason to ask, you are not required to provide it.
Using a false or stolen EIN on a tax return or official document is a felony punishable by a fine of up to $100,000 ($500,000 for a corporation), up to three years in prison, or both.10GovInfo. 26 USC 7206 – Fraud and False Statements Less serious cases involving fraudulent documents not made under penalty of perjury can still bring a misdemeanor with fines up to $10,000 ($50,000 for a corporation) and up to a year in prison. These penalties reach anyone who knowingly uses a false identification number, not just the business the EIN belongs to.