Find Out a Company's Tax ID Number
It is necessary for a business to obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN) unless it is a sole proprietorship and the owner uses his social security number instead. Also called a Federal Tax Identification Number, an EIN identifies the business entity. Like social security numbers, the EIN has nine digits. There are several methods of checking a company's EIN that range from searching for the information on the company's website to using an EIN checking service.
Instructions
1. Visit the company's website. According to Business.gov, some private companies make their EIN publicly available on their website. If the number is on the website, you may find it at the bottom of the site's pages or on the "About Us" page.
2. Check for a public company's EIN. Public companies include their EIN on the first page of their SEC filing, 10-Ks and 20-Fs. These documents are available from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in the EDGAR database.
3. Examine a nonprofit organization's Form 990. Nonprofit companies include their tax identification number on this form, which they use to report their financial information. You can search for a nonprofit organization's Form 990 on Guidestar's database (see Resources).
4. Visit an EIN checking website online, such as Einfinder.com and KnowX.com. These websites offer the service for a fee. Enter the information for the company in the fields provided and click the search button. The next page contains a link to the report. Follow directions to make the required payment so you can view the report.
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