What Is a FEIN? The Federal Employer Identification Number
A FEIN, or Federal Employer Identification Number, is the 9-digit tax ID the IRS assigns to a business, written XX-XXXXXXX. It is exactly the same number as an EIN: the IRS prints EIN on Form SS-4 and the CP-575 notice, while banks and state agencies add the word Federal. The IRS issues it for $0, once, for the life of the entity.
The short answerA FEIN (Federal Employer Identification Number) is the same 9-digit number as an EIN, written XX-XXXXXXX and issued by the IRS at $0 on Form SS-4. The IRS calls it an EIN on the form and on the CP-575 notice; banks and state agencies add the word Federal to separate it from state tax IDs. A business holds 1 FEIN for its whole life and a separate state tax ID in each state where it registers.
Is a FEIN the same as an EIN?
Yes. The IRS issues 1 nine-digit Employer Identification Number per entity and calls it an EIN on every form, notice and instruction. The F is added by banks, payroll registrations and state agencies, and changes nothing.
The word Federal does 1 job: it tells the reader that the box wants the IRS number, not the state employer account number or the state sales-tax permit number that the same business also holds. A company that runs payroll in 3 states holds 1 FEIN and 3 state employer IDs, and each state form labels the federal box FEIN so the 2 kinds of number are not mixed up.
| Where the box appears | Label printed | What to enter |
|---|---|---|
| IRS Form SS-4, CP-575 notice, Letter 147C | EIN / Employer identification number | The 9-digit EIN |
| Form W-9, Part I | Employer identification number | The 9-digit EIN |
| Form W-2, box b | Employer identification number (EIN) | The 9-digit EIN |
| Bank business account application | FEIN or Federal Tax ID | The 9-digit EIN |
| State payroll or unemployment registration | FEIN | The 9-digit EIN, then the state assigns its own ID |
| Florida Division of Corporations (Sunbiz) record | FEI/EIN Number | The 9-digit EIN |
| Vendor onboarding portal | Federal Tax ID Number | The 9-digit EIN |
Sources: Form SS-4 instructions; Form W-9 and W-2 instructions; Florida Sunbiz record layout [2], [5].
The attribute-by-attribute comparison is on the FEIN vs EIN page, and the Florida-specific FEI label is explained on the FEI number lookup page.
Who needs a FEIN?
Every entity that pays wages or files its own business return, and in practice every business that opens a bank account. The IRS lists the triggers; a sole proprietor with 0 employees is the main case that can wait.
| Entity or situation | FEIN required by the IRS | The filing that forces it |
|---|---|---|
| Corporation (C or S) | Yes | Form 1120 due April 15, or 1120-S due March 15 after a Form 2553 election within 75 days |
| Partnership or multi-member LLC | Yes | Form 1065 |
| Any business with 1 or more employees | Yes | Forms 941 and W-2 |
| Nonprofit or church | Yes | Form 990, 990-EZ, or 990-N for gross receipts of $50,000 or less; Form 1023 for exemption |
| Estate of a decedent | Yes | Form 1041 for any year with income |
| Trust (other than most grantor trusts) | Yes | Form 1041 |
| Single-member LLC, 0 employees, US owner | No for tax; yes for a bank account | Schedule C under the owner's SSN |
| Sole proprietor, 0 employees | No | Schedule C under the owner's SSN |
| Foreign-owned single-member LLC | Yes | Form 5472 with a pro-forma Form 1120 |
Source: IRS, Employer Identification Number ("Do you need an EIN?") [1].
The full decision walk-through is on the do I need an EIN page and the who needs an EIN page.
How do you get a FEIN?
File Form SS-4 with the IRS through 1 of 4 routes. All 4 cost $0; the route decides the wait and whether an SSN is needed.
| Route | Open to | Time to the number | IRS fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online EIN Assistant | Responsible party with an SSN or ITIN and a US address | 15 minutes | $0 |
| Fax | Anyone; Foreign on line 7b for applicants with no SSN or ITIN | 4 business days (855-641-6935 US; 855-215-1627 no US residence) | $0 |
| Anyone | About 4 weeks | $0 | |
| Phone | Applicants with no US residence or place of business only | Issued on the call, 267-941-1099, Monday-Friday, 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern time | $0 |
Source: Instructions for Form SS-4 (Rev. December 2025) [5].
ein-number.com prepares and files the form for $69 (Standard) or $99 (Fast, filed within 24 hours), with every line checked by a second reviewer and a full refund if an error on our side causes a rejection. Applicants with an SSN or ITIN gain nothing from paying; the service exists for the applicants the online tool turns away.
Get a FEIN filed right, from $69How is a FEIN different from a state tax ID?
A FEIN comes from the IRS and is valid in all 50 states; a state tax ID comes from 1 state's revenue or labor agency and covers only that state's payroll, unemployment or sales tax account.
| Attribute | FEIN (federal) | State tax ID |
|---|---|---|
| Issuer | IRS | 1 state agency (revenue, labor or employment department) |
| How many per business | 1, for life | 1 per state and per tax type, so a 3-state employer holds 3 or more |
| Format | 9 digits, XX-XXXXXXX | 7 to 12 characters; letters mixed in by some states |
| Fee | $0 | $0 to $100 by state, with some states charging a separate permit fee |
| Needed for | Federal returns, payroll deposits, 1099s, bank KYC | State withholding, unemployment insurance, sales tax permits |
| Application | Form SS-4 | The state's online registration, which asks for the FEIN first |
| Unemployment tax it supports | FUTA on Form 940: the first $7,000 of each employee's wages at 6.0 percent, less a 5.4 percent credit for state tax paid | State unemployment wage bases run from $7,000 to over $60,000 depending on the state |
| Returns filed under it | Forms 941, 940, W-2, W-3, 1099-NEC, 1120, 1120-S, 1065, 990 | State withholding, unemployment and sales-tax returns |
Most state registrations ask for the FEIN on their own application, so the federal number comes first. The formats differ too: state numbers range from 7 to 12 characters and in several states mix letters and digits, while the FEIN is always 9 digits with 1 hyphen, as laid out on the EIN number format page. The federal tax ID number page lists the 6 names the same federal number goes by.
How do you find a FEIN you already have?
Check 5 documents you already hold, in this order: the CP-575 notice, page 1 of a filed business return, box b of a W-2 you issued, a signed W-9, and the bank's account file. If none survives, the IRS reissues it as Letter 147C.
The 147C request is 1 phone call to 800-829-4933, Monday-Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time, by the responsible party or an authorised officer; the IRS faxes the letter during the call on request. Every method is on the EIN lookup page and the call script is on the 147C letter page. For another company's FEIN, see the EIN search by company name page.
What else do people ask about the FEIN?
What is a FEIN in simple terms?
A FEIN is the 9-digit Federal Employer Identification Number the IRS assigns to a business, trust, estate or nonprofit, written XX-XXXXXXX. It is the same number the IRS calls an EIN on Form SS-4 and the CP-575 notice. The F stands for Federal and distinguishes it from the state tax IDs issued by the 50 state revenue agencies.
Is a FEIN the same as an EIN?
Yes. FEIN and EIN are 2 names for 1 number. The IRS itself uses EIN on every form and notice; FEIN appears on bank account applications, state payroll registrations and vendor portals. Whichever label a form uses, the answer is the same 9 digits, and a business never holds a second number under the other name. Both cost $0.
Is a FEIN the same as a federal tax ID number?
Yes, for a business. Federal tax ID number, FEIN, EIN and tax ID (EIN) all point to the 9-digit IRS number issued under 26 U.S.C. § 6109. For an individual, the federal tax ID is the 9-digit SSN or, for people who cannot get an SSN, the 9-digit ITIN that always begins with 9. A form asking a company for its federal tax ID wants the FEIN.
Who needs a FEIN?
Any entity that files a business return or pays wages: corporations, partnerships, multi-member LLCs, nonprofits, most trusts and every estate that has income. A single-member LLC or sole proprietor with 0 employees can report under the owner's SSN, but banks and payment processors ask for a FEIN to open a business account, so in practice 1 is needed within the first 30 days of trading.
How do you get a FEIN?
From the IRS, at $0, through 1 of 4 routes: online in 15 minutes with an SSN or ITIN, by fax in 4 business days, by mail in about 4 weeks, or by phone at 267-941-1099 for applicants with no US residence. Every route files the same Form SS-4; applicants with no SSN or ITIN enter the word Foreign on line 7b.
How much does a FEIN cost?
$0 from the IRS on every route, with no renewal fee in year 2 or any later year, because a FEIN never expires. A filing service charges for preparing and submitting Form SS-4: ein-number.com charges $69 (Standard) or $99 (Fast), and anyone holding an SSN or ITIN with a US address loses nothing by filing at irs.gov for free.
How do you find your FEIN if you lost it?
Check the CP-575 notice first, then page 1 of any filed business return, a W-2 you issued (box b), a signed W-9, or your bank's account file. When no document survives, call the IRS Business and Specialty Tax Line at 800-829-4933, Monday-Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time, and request Letter 147C, which restates the FEIN and legal name at $0.
Does a FEIN change when the business changes?
Not for a name change, an address change or a move to another state; Form 8822-B reports a new address or responsible party within 60 days and the FEIN stays. The IRS issues a new number when the legal entity changes: a sole proprietorship incorporates, a partnership becomes a corporation, or a single-member LLC takes on a 2nd member and becomes a partnership.
Is a FEIN public information?
Only for 2 groups. Public companies print their FEIN on the cover of every Form 10-K filed with the SEC, and tax-exempt organisations' FEINs appear on Form 990 and in the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Private companies' FEINs are not published by the IRS or any state; a vendor shares it on a signed Form W-9, and 24% backup withholding applies to payments reported without a matching number.
Which primary sources back this page?
Every fee, deadline, form number and phone line above is taken from the 5 official documents below. No third-party blog is cited.