To get an EIN for a multi-member LLC, complete the free application through the IRS. The fastest route is the online EIN Assistant at irs.gov, which issues the number on screen as soon as you submit. Because the IRS automatically classifies a multi-member LLC as a partnership, the entity must have its own EIN before it can file a tax return, open a bank account, or hire employees.1Internal Revenue Service. Limited Liability Company (LLC)
Why the LLC Needs Its Own Number
A single-member LLC can generally use its owner’s Social Security Number. A multi-member LLC cannot. With two or more owners, the IRS defaults to partnership classification, and partnerships are required to have an EIN.1Internal Revenue Service. Limited Liability Company (LLC)
That classification triggers an annual Form 1065, U.S. Return of Partnership Income, with the EIN on every page.2Internal Revenue Service. About Form 1065, U.S. Return of Partnership Income Banks also require the EIN to open a business account, and the LLC needs it for payroll tax reporting the moment it hires anyone.3Internal Revenue Service. Employer Identification Number
What to Have Ready Before You Start
The online application runs in a single session. There is no save function, and the system times out after 15 minutes of inactivity.4Internal Revenue Service. Get an Employer Identification Number Pull everything together first.
- Legal name of the LLC, matching what you filed with your state’s Secretary of State.
- Physical address and mailing address. If the LLC’s principal office is outside the United States, the online tool is not available; you’ll need to apply by phone, fax, or mail.
- State of formation (where you filed your Articles of Organization).
- Entity type: Limited Liability Company, with partnership classification.
- Total number of members.
- Reason for applying, usually “Started a new business.”
- Responsible party details: full legal name, title, and SSN or ITIN.
Who the Responsible Party Is
Every EIN application names a responsible party, meaning the individual who controls the entity and directs its funds and assets. For a multi-member LLC taxed as a partnership, this is generally one of the members or managers. It cannot be a third-party service or a tax preparer acting in their own capacity, though an authorized representative with a valid power of attorney can submit the application on the LLC’s behalf.4Internal Revenue Service. Get an Employer Identification Number
That person must supply an SSN or ITIN, and they become the IRS’s primary point of contact. If the responsible party later changes, the LLC must notify the IRS within 60 days using Form 8822-B.5Internal Revenue Service. About Form 8822-B, Change of Address or Responsible Party – Business
One EIN Per Day
The IRS issues no more than one EIN per responsible party per day, whether the application comes in online, by phone, fax, or mail.6Internal Revenue Service. Instructions for Form SS-4 If you’re forming multiple entities at once, spread applications across days or use different responsible parties who each genuinely control their respective LLC.
Applying Online Step by Step
The online EIN Assistant takes roughly 10 to 15 minutes, and the IRS charges nothing. Any third-party site charging a fee is unnecessary.7Federal Trade Commission. Don’t Pay to Get Your Employer Identification Number (EIN)
The tool is available at set hours (all Eastern time):
- Monday through Friday, 6:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. the next day.
- Saturday, 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
- Sunday, 6:00 p.m. to midnight.
Open the IRS “Get an Employer Identification Number” page and start the application. The system first confirms eligibility: the LLC’s principal place of business must be in the United States, and the responsible party must have an SSN or ITIN.4Internal Revenue Service. Get an Employer Identification Number
Select “Limited Liability Company” as the entity type and enter the number of members. The tool then walks through the legal name, address, state of formation, and responsible party details. When it asks for a reason, choose “Started a new business” for a newly formed LLC.
After you review and submit, the system validates your entries against IRS records. If everything matches, the EIN appears on screen along with the confirmation notice known as CP 575. Download and print it right away. The IRS issues CP 575 only once and cannot generate a duplicate.8Internal Revenue Service. CP 575 B Notice – Employer Identification Number
If You Can’t Use the Online Tool
Applicants outside the U.S., or responsible parties without an SSN or ITIN, have to use paper Form SS-4.9Internal Revenue Service. About Form SS-4, Application for Employer Identification Number (EIN) Three alternatives are available.
- Fax the completed Form SS-4 to the appropriate IRS service center. The EIN generally comes back by fax within four business days.10Internal Revenue Service. Instructions for Form SS-4 (12/2025)
- Mail the completed Form SS-4. Allow four to five weeks for processing.10Internal Revenue Service. Instructions for Form SS-4 (12/2025)
- International applicants can call the IRS Business and Specialty Tax Line to apply by phone. This route is primarily for entities with a principal business outside the U.S.
After You Get the EIN
The number is active as soon as it’s issued, but the CP 575 is the only official confirmation document the IRS produces. Banks, lenders, and state agencies may ask to see it. Keep a printed copy and a digital backup somewhere secure.
If the CP 575 is lost, request an EIN Verification Letter (Form 147C) by calling the IRS Business and Specialty Tax Line at 800-829-4933. You can ask for the 147C to be faxed while you’re on the phone, or mailed, which takes four to six weeks.
File Form 8822-B if the LLC’s address or responsible party changes later. Responsible-party changes must be reported within 60 days. Address changes have no hard deadline, but updating promptly keeps IRS mail flowing to the right person.5Internal Revenue Service. About Form 8822-B, Change of Address or Responsible Party – Business
When a New EIN Is Required Later
Most later changes do not require a new number. The LLC keeps the same EIN if it changes name or location, elects to be taxed as an S or C corporation, or has members join or leave without ending the partnership.11Internal Revenue Service. When to Get a New EIN
A new EIN is required if the LLC dissolves and a new entity is formed, if the business incorporates, or if the partnership ends entirely. The common trap: a two-member LLC that drops to one member is no longer a partnership. At that point, depending on the circumstances, the LLC may need a new EIN or may use the remaining member’s SSN.11Internal Revenue Service. When to Get a New EIN