Does a nonprofit really need its own EIN?
Yes. A nonprofit needs 1 dedicated 9-digit EIN even before it earns 501(c)(3) status. A bank opens no account without it, and the IRS accepts no Form 1023 without it. The EIN costs $0.
The EIN is the organization's federal tax ID number. It appears on every federal filing the nonprofit makes: Form 990 or Form 990-EZ each year, Form 941 for payroll, and the 1099 forms it issues to contractors. A church or foundation carries the same 9-digit number for the life of the entity, and it never renews.
See whether your specific organization needs one on the do I need an EIN page, and name the correct responsible party for line 7a before you file.
How does a nonprofit get an EIN, step by step?
Five steps on Form SS-4. Confirm the EIN comes first, gather the details, check Other nonprofit organization on line 9a, state the reason on line 10, and receive the 9-digit EIN in 15 minutes at $0.
Confirm the nonprofit needs the EIN first
Every nonprofit needs 1 EIN before a bank account, before payroll, and before Form 1023. The EIN costs $0 and comes before 501(c)(3) status.
Gather the Form SS-4 details
Take the legal name from the articles of incorporation for line 1, name the responsible party on line 7a, and set the mailing address on line 4a.
Check Other nonprofit organization on line 9a
Line 9a lists the entity type. A nonprofit checks Other nonprofit organization and names its charitable or religious purpose in the space provided.
State the reason on line 10
Pick 1 reason, such as banking purpose or started a new organization. The reason changes nothing about the $0 EIN cost.
File and receive the 9-digit EIN
The online tool issues the 9-digit EIN in 15 minutes, and the IRS mails CP-575 within 14 calendar days. Apply for 501(c)(3) status afterward on Form 1023 or 1023-EZ.
Source: IRS EIN Assistant and IRS Form SS-4 instructions, verified July 2026.
Read the full line-by-line walkthrough on the how to apply for an EIN page, review each field on the Form SS-4 page, or fill the 18 lines with the SS-4 form helper.
Does the EIN come before 501(c)(3) status?
Yes, always. The EIN is step 1 and 501(c)(3) recognition is step 2. A nonprofit files Form 1023 ($600) or Form 1023-EZ ($275) after it holds the 9-digit EIN, never before it.
The EIN grants 0 tax exemption on its own. Exemption arrives only when the IRS approves the exemption application. Form 1023 runs 12 pages and carries a $600 user fee; the streamlined Form 1023-EZ runs 3 pages at $275 and is open to organizations with gross receipts under $50,000 and total assets under $250,000. The 1023-EZ has existed since 2014, and section 501(c)(3) itself dates to the tax code of 1954.
A nonprofit that files Form 1023 within 27 months of forming receives exemption backdated to its formation date. IRS Publication 557 and Publication 4220 lay out the process. Compare every fee side by side on the EIN cost page.
Which Form SS-4 lines does a nonprofit fill in?
Six lines matter. Line 1 for the legal name, line 4a for the address, line 7a for the responsible party, line 8a marked no, line 9a checked Other nonprofit organization, and line 10 for the reason.
Form SS-4 holds 18 lines total, and a nonprofit leaves most blank. The 1 line that defines the entity is line 9a: a nonprofit does not check corporation or LLC, it checks Other nonprofit organization and writes its purpose beside it. Line 8a is marked no, because a nonprofit is not an LLC. Line 10 states the reason, and banking purpose is the most common of the 4 choices for a new organization.
A nonprofit whose responsible party holds no SSN enters Foreign on line 7b and files by fax to 855-641-6935, or 855-215-1627 for international entities, in 4 business days at $0. International applicants reach the IRS at 267-941-1099. The full no-SSN path sits on the EIN without an SSN page.
What does a nonprofit EIN cost in 2026?
The EIN costs $0 directly from the IRS and never renews. The separate 501(c)(3) filing costs $600 on Form 1023 or $275 on Form 1023-EZ. ein-number.com charges $69 or $99 for SS-4 preparation; the EIN fee stays $0.
| Item | Form | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| The EIN itself, from the IRS | Form SS-4 | $0 |
| 501(c)(3) exemption, standard | Form 1023 | $600 |
| 501(c)(3) exemption, streamlined | Form 1023-EZ | $275 |
| ein-number.com, Standard | SS-4 prepared and checked | $69 |
| ein-number.com, Fast | Same, filed within 24 hours | $99 |
| Rocket Lawyer | SS-4 preparation | $59.99 |
| LegalZoom | SS-4 preparation | $249 |
IRS user fees and competitor prices verified July 2026. The IRS EIN fee is $0 on every route, in all 50 states.
The honest line: the EIN is $0 and the online route works well when a volunteer treasurer has an SSN and the legal name matches the articles. The $600 and $275 fees belong to the IRS for the exemption, not to any filing service. A preparation fee of $69 or $99 buys a checked line 9a and a $0 EIN behind it.
Do churches and religious organizations need an EIN?
Yes. A church needs its own 9-digit EIN even though it is automatically tax-exempt without filing Form 1023. The EIN costs $0 and saves the $600 user fee a Form 1023 would carry.
A church is 1 of the few 501(c)(3) organizations the IRS recognizes without an exemption application, so it skips the $600 Form 1023 fee. It still needs the EIN to open a bank account, run payroll on Form 941, and file information returns. IRS Publication 1828, the Tax Guide for Churches, confirms the EIN is required while Form 1023 is optional for a church.
A church files Form SS-4 the same way as any nonprofit: line 9a checked Other nonprofit organization, line 10 for the reason, and the 9-digit EIN issued in 15 minutes at $0. The Form SS-4 page shows the exact entries.
Does a private foundation need its own EIN?
Yes. A private foundation needs 1 dedicated 9-digit EIN, then files Form 1023 at the $600 user fee for 501(c)(3) status and Form 990-PF each year. The EIN itself costs $0.
A private foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization, so it files the full Form 1023, not the 1023-EZ, and the $600 user fee applies. After recognition, it files Form 990-PF annually and distributes about 5% of its assets each year under IRC 4942, a figure that includes the rest of its assets each year. The EIN precedes all of it, issued on Form SS-4 with Other nonprofit organization on line 9a for $0.
A foundation that also runs taxable ventures separates them under distinct EINs; the EIN for a business page covers that case. The CP-575 confirmation arrives within 14 calendar days, and the CP-575 page shows what to check on it.