What Is a TID Number in Indiana and How to Get One

A TID number in Indiana is the 13-digit Taxpayer Identification Number the Indiana Department of Revenue (DOR) assigns to a business for state tax purposes. It functions as your state-level account number, tying your business to every Indiana tax obligation you owe. If you plan to sell products, hire employees, or run almost any other taxable activity in the state, you need one, and you get it by filing a free Business Tax Application (Form BT-1) through the INBiz portal after you already have a federal EIN.

What the 13 Digits Actually Mean

Your TID is built from a 10-digit base number plus a 3-digit location suffix.¹ Each physical business location gets its own suffix, so a company with three Indiana storefronts has one base number and three distinct TIDs. The number shows up on your Registered Retail Merchant Certificate, your tax vouchers, and any return you file with the state.

TID vs. Federal EIN

These are two different numbers for two different governments. The EIN is a nine-digit number the IRS issues for federal taxes, business bank accounts, and payroll.² The Indiana TID covers state obligations: sales tax, withholding tax, food and beverage tax, and other Indiana-specific levies. You need both, and you need them in order. The EIN is a prerequisite for the BT-1, so get the federal number first and use it on your Indiana registration.

Who Needs an Indiana TID

Any business conducting taxable activity in Indiana must register with the DOR and receive a TID. The common triggers are selling tangible products (which means collecting the state’s 7% sales tax), having employees on payroll (which requires state income tax withholding), and selling food or beverages subject to the food and beverage tax.³ Less common triggers include short-term lodging rentals, motor vehicle rentals, fuel distribution, and sales of tires or fireworks.⁴

Sole proprietors and general partnerships don’t register with the Indiana Secretary of State, but they still need a TID if any of those triggers apply.⁵ Every other entity type (corporations, LLCs, limited partnerships) must register with the Secretary of State before applying for a TID.

Remote Sellers

You don’t need a physical presence in Indiana to owe sales tax here. If your gross revenue from sales into Indiana exceeds $100,000 in the current or previous calendar year, you’ve established economic nexus and must register for a TID.⁶ Indiana previously had a 200-transaction threshold as well, but it was eliminated effective January 1, 2024. Exempt sales and marketplace sales both count toward the $100,000.

Adding a Location or Tax Type

If you already have a TID and open a new location, or you need to register for an additional tax type, file another BT-1 referencing your existing TID. The DOR assigns a new location suffix to your base number.⁵

How to Apply

Registration runs through INBiz, Indiana’s online business portal, by completing Form BT-1.⁷ Before you start, pull together:

Your federal EIN. You cannot complete the application without it.
Your legal business name as it appears on federal records.
Your business mailing address, physical location address, and phone number.
Your organization type (corporation, LLC, partnership, sole proprietorship, or other).
Your six-digit NAICS code describing your primary business activity.

The official BT-1 instructions tell applicants to allow four to six weeks for processing.¹ Online filings through INBiz often move faster than that, but plan around the longer window if you have a firm launch date.

What It Costs

The BT-1 itself is free. If your business will make retail sales, you also need a Registered Retail Merchant Certificate, which costs $25 per location.⁸ Four Indiana locations means $100 up front. The fee is set by Indiana Code 6-2.5-8-1.⁹

Using Your TID Once You Have It

The TID is your login identity for INTIME, the DOR’s online portal for filing returns, making payments, and managing your tax accounts.¹⁰ You’ll use it to file sales tax, withholding tax, and various special taxes, and you’ll reference it on any paper correspondence with the department.

The number also appears on your Registered Retail Merchant Certificate, which Indiana law requires you to display at your place of business. Each location needs its own certificate showing that location’s specific 13-digit TID.⁹

What Happens If You Don’t Register

Indiana imposes a $5,000 penalty for each violation of operating without a required permit, license, or credential, and the Registered Retail Merchant Certificate falls under that rule.⁸ On top of the flat penalty, you’d owe every dollar of uncollected sales tax, plus interest and late-filing penalties on every return you should have filed. The $25 certificate is cheap by comparison.

Closing the Account When You’re Done

When you stop doing business in Indiana, close your tax accounts formally. The simplest route is through INTIME. If you don’t have an INTIME account, file a Tax Closure Request (Form BC-100) by fax to 317-232-1021 or by mail to the DOR.¹¹ File every outstanding return and pay any balance before submitting the closure. If you skip the step, the DOR can keep issuing estimated bills that build penalties and interest you’ll have to clean up later.

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Indiana Government Forms. Indiana Department of Revenue Form BT-1 Checklist
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U.S. Small Business Administration. Get Federal and State Tax ID Numbers
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Indiana Department of Revenue. Register a Business
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INBiz. Sole Proprietorship Tax Registration
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Indiana Department of Revenue. Business Tax Application Checklist for BT-1
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Indiana Department of Revenue. Remote Seller FAQs
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Indiana Department of Revenue. Business Tax Application Checklist
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Indiana Department of Revenue. Fines, Fees and Penalties
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Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 6-2.5-8-1 – Registered Retail Merchants Certificate; Application; Filing Fee
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Indiana Department of Revenue. INTIME
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Indiana Department of Revenue. Close a Business Account