Practical Law Glossary Item 3-382-5083 (Approx. 3 pages)
Glossary
Employer Identification Number (EIN)
A nine-digit number (for example, 12-3456789) assigned by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to sole proprietors, corporations, partnerships, trusts, estates, and other entities for various tax filing and reporting purposes. For example, an employer/reporting entity uses its EIN to identify the employer in filing:
An EIN is for use only in connection with a taxpayer's business activities. Entities may apply for an EIN using IRS Form SS-4 and the accompanying IRS instructions for Form SS-4.