An Alaska EIN number is the nine-digit Employer Identification Number the IRS assigns to your business, and you get one free directly from the IRS, usually in a single online session. You need it before you can hire employees, open a business bank account, or complete most state filings in Alaska. The application takes a few minutes if you qualify for the online system, longer if you have to go by fax or mail.
Do You Actually Need One
Corporations, partnerships, and multi-member LLCs all need an EIN, whether or not they have employees.1eCFR. 26 CFR 301.6109-1 – Identifying Numbers A sole proprietor or single-member LLC working alone can use a Social Security Number instead. That changes the moment you hire your first employee.
The IRS also requires an EIN for entities that file excise tax returns, administer qualified retirement plans, or operate as nonprofits filing annual information returns.2Internal Revenue Service. Employer Identification Number Trusts and estates need their own numbers too. An out-of-state address doesn’t exempt you: if any of these conditions apply to a business operating in Alaska, you need an EIN.
What to Have Ready Before You Apply
The IRS uses Form SS-4 for every EIN application.3Internal Revenue Service. About Form SS-4, Application for Employer Identification Number The online version asks the same questions as the paper form, so gather this information first either way:
- The entity’s legal name exactly as it appears on your Alaska formation documents, plus a full mailing address.
- The entity type (corporation, partnership, LLC, estate, trust, or other).
- The reason you’re applying, such as starting a new business or hiring employees.
- The month and year the business started or will start operating.
- The highest number of employees you expect over the next 12 months, by category.
- A specific description of the principal business activity. “Commercial fishing operations” or “oilfield services consulting” works far better than “services.”
Every application also requires a responsible party: the individual who ultimately owns or controls the entity and has authority over its funds and assets.4Internal Revenue Service. Instructions for Form SS-4 For a corporation that’s typically the principal officer. For a partnership it’s a general partner. For a trust it’s the grantor or trustee. The responsible party must give a full legal name, title, and either a Social Security Number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number. Without one of those numbers, the application won’t go through.
How to Apply
Online
The online application at IRS.gov is the fastest route and the one most Alaska businesses will use. You receive the EIN immediately on completion, which means you can open a bank account or move on to state registration the same day. The system runs on 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., and Sunday 6:00 p.m. to midnight.5Internal Revenue Service. Get an Employer Identification Number The IRS issues one EIN per responsible party per day.6Taxpayer Advocate Service. Getting an EIN
Two conditions apply: the responsible party must have a valid SSN or ITIN, and the entity must have a U.S. address. If either is missing, use fax, mail, or phone.
Fax
Complete Form SS-4 and fax it to 855-641-6935 if your principal place of business is in any U.S. state or the District of Columbia. The IRS typically faxes the EIN back within four business days.4Internal Revenue Service. Instructions for Form SS-4
Mail the completed SS-4 to Internal Revenue Service, Attn: EIN Operation, Cincinnati, OH 45999. Processing takes about four to five weeks.4Internal Revenue Service. Instructions for Form SS-4 The IRS mails back Notice CP 575, your official proof of the assigned EIN. Keep it somewhere safe; replacing it means a phone call to the IRS.
Phone (International Applicants)
If your principal place of business is outside the United States, you can apply by phone. This is the main route for international responsible parties who lack an SSN or ITIN and can’t use the online system.
Using Your EIN in Alaska
Alaska Business License
Nearly every business operating in Alaska needs an Alaska Business License from the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development.7State of Alaska. Business Licensing The application asks for your EIN, and the license costs $50 per year.8State of Alaska. Business License Forms and Fees The EIN becomes your permanent account number with the department.
Employer Registration
Any entity that employs one or more people for even part of a day during a calendar year must file an Alaska Employer Registration form with the Department of Labor and Workforce Development.9Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development. Alaska Employer Registration Form You’ll need your EIN to complete the registration, which sets up your unemployment insurance account.10Department of Labor and Workforce Development. TaxWeb FAQ
Local Sales Taxes
Alaska has no statewide sales tax, but many municipalities impose their own. If you sell goods or services in a city that has a local sales tax, you’ll register with that local government and give them your EIN. Not every city taxes sales: Juneau charges 5%, while Anchorage has no general retail sales tax at all.11State of Alaska. Alaska Sales Tax Information Check with the specific municipality where you operate.
Foreign Entity Registration
Out-of-state businesses that want to operate in Alaska must register as “foreign” entities with the Alaska Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing, and the EIN is required on those forms.7State of Alaska. Business Licensing
If You Lose Your EIN
Before calling anyone, check the CP 575 notice the IRS sent when you first applied, any prior business tax returns, or the bank where your business account is held. State and local agencies where you’ve filed license paperwork may also have it on record.2Internal Revenue Service. Employer Identification Number
If none of that turns it up, call the IRS Business and Specialty Tax Line at 800-829-4933, Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. local time. Alaska residents should follow Pacific Time. The agent will verify your identity and read the number back to you if you’re authorized to receive it.2Internal Revenue Service. Employer Identification Number
Keeping the Account Current
The EIN itself stays with your business permanently, but the details behind it can change. If the business moves, changes its mailing address, or gets a new responsible party, notify the IRS by filing Form 8822-B within 60 days of the change.12Internal Revenue Service. About Form 8822-B, Change of Address or Responsible Party – Business It’s easy to forget during a busy transition, but a stale responsible party can create real problems with IRS correspondence and account access later.
Closing the Account
If the business shuts down or never gets off the ground, the IRS will not cancel the EIN. Once assigned, it belongs to that entity forever. What the IRS can do is deactivate the account so no future filings are expected under that number.13Internal Revenue Service. If You No Longer Need Your EIN Send a letter that includes the EIN, the business name, and the reason for closing. File any outstanding returns and pay any balance owed; the IRS won’t close the account until that’s done.