# EIN NUMBER LOOKUP: HOW TO FIND BUSINESS TAX ID ONLINE An Employer Identification Number (EIN), is a unique nine-digit number issued by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to identify your business. All business EINs are public information. We show you how to do an EIN Lookup for your own business or various businesses. What is an EIN Number?\ An Employer Identification Number (EIN), also known as a Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN) or Federal Tax Identification Number (FTIN), resembles a Social Security number (SSN) for your business. The unique nine-digit [EIN number](https://registeredagentva.org/ein-number/) allows the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to identify businesses for tax reporting. [![](https://myvistage.com/hub/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2018/11/Business-Strategy-Blog-1024-686.jpg)](https://myvistage.com/hub/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2018/11/Business-Strategy-Blog-1024-686.jpg) Business owners will usually require an EIN when they: Apply for small business loans and credit\ Open a small business bank account\ Recruit employees (EIN required)\ Document Business Taxes When Does Your Business Need an EIN Number?\ Assuming that any of the accompanying statements are true, you'll need to get an EIN: Your business has employees\ Your business is a partnership or corporation\ Your business files excise taxes\ Your business withholds taxes for nonwage pay paid to a nonresident outsider\ You really believe one should start a business bank account.\ You need a business Mastercard to really and quickly build business credit. When Does a Sole Proprietorship Need an EIN Number?\ A sole proprietor regularly uses their own personal social security number for their business but even they must get an EIN to enlist employees or files excise taxes. Learn more in our Does a Sole Proprietor Need an EIN guide. Single-member [LLC](https://registeredagentva.org/llc/) should also all around acquire an EIN number and work using their EIN number to stay aware of their corporate shroud. Step by step instructions to Do an EIN Lookup Online\ You can find a lost or misplaced EIN by the accompanying Confirm whether you have any notifications from the IRS , they will usually include your EIN number in any letters or notifications. Any previously documented tax return will also contain your EIN.\ If you used your EIN to start a business bank account, you can contact your bank for your EIN\ If you used your EIN with the a State Office or neighborhood authority to get any business license or permit you can also contact them.\ You can call the IRS straightforwardly to recuperate your EIN Monday through Friday between the hours of 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Eastern Standard Time. The phone number for the Business and Specialty Tax Line is 800-829-4933. Remember that Mondays are the busiest days to call the IRS. An IRS representative will ask you some qualifying questions to insist business ownership or to affirm that you're authorized to be provided with the EIN. --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://james-nelson-1.gitbook.io/registeredagentva.org/ein-number-lookup-how-to-find-business-tax-id-online.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.