How to Get an EIN Number in Florida: Apply, Confirm, and Store It

To get an EIN in Florida, apply directly with the IRS through its free online application at IRS.gov. The tool assigns your nine-digit Employer Identification Number on the spot once you finish the questions, and the whole thing takes about fifteen minutes if you have your information ready.1Internal Revenue Service. Get an Employer Identification Number There is no fee. Any website charging you for an EIN is a third-party service, not the IRS.

Do You Actually Need an EIN

Florida corporations, partnerships, and multi-member LLCs need an EIN regardless of whether they have employees. Any business that hires employees needs one. Banks will also ask for an EIN before opening a business checking or savings account, even for entities that could otherwise use the owner’s Social Security number for tax purposes.2U.S. Small Business Administration. Open a Business Bank Account

Single-member LLCs are the exception. The IRS treats a single-member LLC as a “disregarded entity” by default, so you can report its income on your personal return using your Social Security number. You only need a separate EIN if the LLC has employees, owes excise taxes, or if you want one to open a business bank account.3Internal Revenue Service. Single Member Limited Liability Companies Once you hire someone, employment taxes have to be reported under the LLC’s own name and EIN, not your personal information.

What to Have Ready Before You Start

The online application does not save your progress, and the session times out after 15 minutes of inactivity. If it expires, you start over from the beginning.1Internal Revenue Service. Get an Employer Identification Number Gather everything first.

  • The exact legal name your entity is registered under with the Florida Division of Corporations, plus any trade name or DBA.
  • Your entity type (LLC, corporation, partnership, sole proprietorship, trust, or other), which determines how the IRS classifies you for tax purposes.
  • A physical street address for your principal place of business. P.O. boxes are generally not accepted.
  • The responsible party’s name and Social Security number or ITIN. This must be an individual who owns or controls the entity and manages its funds, not another business.4Internal Revenue Service. Responsible Parties and Nominees
  • Your reason for applying, such as starting a new business, hiring employees, or opening a bank account. The answer helps the IRS determine which returns you’ll need to file.

The underlying form is IRS Form SS-4, available as a free PDF at IRS.gov.5Internal Revenue Service. Form SS-4 (Rev. December 2025) Applying online walks you through the same questions in a web tool, but reviewing the PDF first shows you exactly what to expect.

The Four Ways to Apply

Online

The IRS online EIN application is the fastest route and issues your number immediately after you submit. You answer a series of questions, confirm your entries, and receive the EIN on the confirmation screen.1Internal Revenue Service. Get an Employer Identification Number

Availability, in Eastern Time:

  • Monday through Friday, 6:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. the following day
  • Saturday, 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
  • Sunday, 6:00 p.m. to midnight

To use the online tool, your principal place of business must be in the United States, and the responsible party must have a valid SSN or ITIN.1Internal Revenue Service. Get an Employer Identification Number

Fax

Complete and sign Form SS-4, then fax it to (855) 641-6935. That number covers applicants whose principal business is in any of the 50 states or the District of Columbia.6Internal Revenue Service. Where to File Your Taxes for Form SS-4 If you include a return fax number, the IRS will fax your EIN back in about four business days.7Internal Revenue Service. Instructions for Form SS-4

Mail

Send the completed Form SS-4 to:

Internal Revenue Service
Attn: EIN Operation
Cincinnati, OH 45999

Expect your EIN in roughly four weeks.8Internal Revenue Service. Employer Identification Number Mail is the slowest option and only makes sense if you cannot use the online tool or a fax machine.

Phone (International Applicants Only)

If your principal place of business is outside the United States, you can apply by calling (267) 941-1099, Monday through Friday, 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Eastern Time. This is not a toll-free number.8Internal Revenue Service. Employer Identification Number

Having an Attorney or CPA Apply for You

If you want a lawyer, accountant, or other representative to submit the application on your behalf, complete Line 18 (Third Party Designee) on Form SS-4 and sign it. That authorization lets the designee file the application and receive the EIN.7Internal Revenue Service. Instructions for Form SS-4

A few practical points. The designee’s authority ends the moment the EIN is assigned. The IRS sends the official confirmation notice to you, not to the designee. And if the designee’s address or phone number matches yours, you cannot use the online tool; you’ll need to fax or mail the application.7Internal Revenue Service. Instructions for Form SS-4 Nominees, meaning people who are not actually authorized representatives, cannot apply for an EIN, and the IRS warns that using one puts the entity’s information at risk.8Internal Revenue Service. Employer Identification Number

Your Confirmation Letter and Storing the Number

Online applicants see the EIN on screen and can download a confirmation right away. Fax applicants generally receive theirs within four business days, and mail applicants wait up to four weeks.8Internal Revenue Service. Employer Identification Number

After the EIN is assigned, the IRS mails an official confirmation called Notice CP 575. That letter is your primary proof that the entity has a valid federal tax ID, and banks, licensing agencies, and business partners will ask to see it. The IRS only issues one original. If you lose it, a replacement requires calling the IRS business line and requesting Letter 147C.8Internal Revenue Service. Employer Identification Number

The EIN itself is permanent. It does not expire, even if the business goes dormant. As long as the entity legally exists, the number stays assigned.

How to Find a Lost EIN

Losing track of an EIN is common. Work through these in order:

  • Check the original CP 575 notice from when you first applied.
  • Look at a previous federal tax return filed by the business.
  • Call your business bank; they have it on file.
  • Check any Florida state or local license application, since those typically required the number.

If none of those work, 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 and Hawaii callers use Pacific Time. The IRS will verify your identity and give the number over the phone if you’re authorized to receive it.8Internal Revenue Service. Employer Identification Number

When a Change to Your Business Requires a New EIN

The EIN stays with your entity as long as its structure stays the same. Certain changes end the existing number and require you to apply for a new one.9Internal Revenue Service. When to Get a New EIN

  • A sole proprietor incorporates, forms a partnership, or files bankruptcy.
  • A corporation gets a new charter from the state, merges to create a new corporation, or converts to a partnership or sole proprietorship.
  • A partnership incorporates, dissolves and starts a new partnership, or one partner takes over as a sole proprietor.
  • An LLC terminates and forms a new corporation or partnership, or a single-member LLC begins owing employment or excise taxes.

Changing your business name, adding a partner to an existing partnership, or moving to a new address does not require a new EIN.9Internal Revenue Service. When to Get a New EIN

Updating Your Responsible Party or Address

If the responsible party listed on your EIN application changes, you have 60 days to notify the IRS by filing Form 8822-B, Change of Address or Responsible Party — Business.10Internal Revenue Service. About Form 8822-B, Change of Address or Responsible Party – Business The same form handles a change of business address. Missing the 60-day window can create problems later, particularly if the IRS needs to reach the entity or if account information doesn’t match when you try to make changes.

Where the EIN Fits With Florida State Registration

An EIN is a federal number and does not register your business with Florida. If you’re forming an LLC, corporation, or partnership, you separately file organizing documents (articles of organization for an LLC, articles of incorporation for a corporation) with the Florida Division of Corporations through Sunbiz.org. For an LLC, the total filing fee is $125, which includes a $100 formation fee and a $25 registered agent fee.11Florida Division of Corporations. LLC Fees The legal name you use on the EIN application should match the name registered with the state exactly.

If your business will sell taxable goods or services, you also register as a sales and use tax dealer with the Florida Department of Revenue before you start making sales. Businesses with employees register for reemployment (unemployment) tax through the same process. You can register online or submit a paper Florida Business Tax Application (Form DR-1).12Florida Department of Revenue. Account Management and Registration

Avoiding Paid EIN Websites

Many websites charge fees of $49 to $300 to “help” you get an EIN, sometimes with names and designs that imply an IRS affiliation. They are not affiliated with the IRS. The Federal Trade Commission has sent warning letters to operators of these sites, noting that their practices may violate federal law and can result in civil penalties of up to $53,088 per violation.13Federal Trade Commission. FTC Warns Operators of Websites that Charge for an Employer Identification Number and Claim Affiliation with the IRS The IRS does not charge for an EIN. If a site is asking for your credit card, close the tab and go to IRS.gov.