How to Get an EIN Without an SSN (Step by Step for Non-US Founders)

Yes — you can get an EIN without a Social Security number, and it is still completely free. The IRS online application is closed to you, because it demands an SSN or ITIN for the person applying, but the IRS keeps three other doors open: a phone line reserved for international applicants that issues the number during the call, a fax route that answers in about four business days, and plain mail. This guide walks through each route, the exact lines of Form SS-4 that trip people up, and the one thing you should never do — pay a website to \"get your EIN\" for you.

Why the online application won't work for you

The IRS's online EIN Assistant only works if the responsible party has an SSN or ITIN and the business has a legal residence or principal place of business in the United States. If that is not you, the assistant stops early — and that is not a rejection of your business. Every state allows non-residents to own LLCs, and the IRS fully expects foreign owners to apply on paper instead. The form is the same Form SS-4 that US applicants use; only the delivery method differs. If you already have an ITIN, good news: you can use the online assistant after all. This catches out founders following tutorials filmed by US residents: the online assistant is genuinely the fastest route — it is just not open to you. Everything below is for founders who have neither number.

Route 1: Apply by phone — the EIN is issued on the call

If your business has no legal residence, principal office, or place of business in the US, you qualify for the IRS international line: 267-941-1099 (not toll-free; Monday to Friday, 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Eastern Time). This is the fastest route by far, and it works like this:

• Before you call, download Form SS-4 and fill it in completely. The representative will work through it with you line by line, and having it in front of you turns a stressful call into a formality.
• Have your formation documents handy. Your LLC name must match your approved Articles of Organization character for character, including the \"LLC\" designator.
• The EIN is assigned during the call. Write it down and read it back. The number is valid immediately.
• If the representative asks, be ready to fax or mail the signed SS-4 within 24 hours — keep a scan of the signed form ready just in case.
• The paper confirmation letter (Notice CP 575) is mailed afterwards to the mailing address on the form. Banks will ask for it, so use an address where you reliably receive US mail.

Two practical notes on the call. First, time zones: the line is staffed on Eastern Time, so from Europe, Africa, or Asia you may be dialing in your evening, and a hold is possible — set aside an unhurried half hour. Second, whoever calls must be authorized to receive the EIN and answer questions about the entity. If a co-founder or accountant calls for you, name them in the third-party designee section of the SS-4 and have them work from the same completed copy you hold, so every answer matches the form exactly.

Route 2: Fax or mail Form SS-4

Fax is the classic route and nearly as good. From outside the United States, fax the completed, signed SS-4 to 304-707-9471; from inside the US, the number is 855-215-1627. Include a return fax number on the form — the IRS faxes your EIN back, generally within about four business days. No fax machine? Online fax services handle this fine, and several formation founders use them for exactly this step. Mail is the same form sent to the IRS EIN International Operation in Cincinnati, Ohio; allow at least four to five weeks, and more in peak season. Fax beats mail in almost every case, and the phone beats both if you can call during US hours. Our general EIN guide covers what the number is and when an LLC legally needs one.

Filling in Form SS-4: the lines that matter

Most of the SS-4 is self-explanatory, but four spots cause nearly all the delays for foreign founders:

• Line 1: the legal name of the LLC, exactly as it appears on your state formation document.
• Lines 4a–4b (mailing address): where the CP 575 letter will be sent. Many non-US founders use their registered agent's address here, because it is a real US address where mail is received and scanned — ask your agent first.
• Lines 7a–7b (responsible party): that is you, the owner. Line 7b asks for your SSN or ITIN — write \"foreign\". Do not leave it blank, and never invent or borrow a number; a blank line is the single most common reason foreign applications stall.
• Line 9a (entity type): check \"Other\" and write \"Foreign-owned single-member LLC\" (or your actual structure). Line 10: the reason is simply \"Started new business.\"
• Third-party designee box: if someone else — an accountant or service — should receive the fax-back on your behalf, name them here.

Then sign and date the form — an unsigned fax application is a quiet cause of \"lost\" EINs. The IRS also limits issuance to one EIN per responsible party per day, which only matters if you are forming several companies at once. And double-check the LLC name against your state approval letter before you send anything: a one-character mismatch between the SS-4 and the Articles is the most common reason a bank later refuses to match the EIN letter to the company, and fixing it means phone calls nobody enjoys.

After your EIN arrives

Guard the CP 575 letter (or the fax-back) like a passport: your bank will want it when you open a US business account, and replacing it is slow. Speaking of banks, our business bank account guide covers what US banks ask foreign-owned LLCs for. Two closing warnings. First, an EIN is not an ITIN: an ITIN (Form W-7) is a personal number for people who must file US tax returns but cannot get an SSN, and you do not need one to get an EIN, own an LLC, or open most business accounts — services that bundle a pricey \"ITIN application\" into formation are selling a step you can usually skip. Second, the EIN itself is always free from the IRS; any website charging $99–$300 is faxing the same free form you are holding. One obligation does start with the EIN: a foreign-owned single-member LLC must file Form 5472 with a pro-forma Form 1120 every year, even with zero income — our foreign LLC registration guide explains the compliance side, and it is the filing foreign founders most often miss — for a calendar-year LLC the package is due each spring (April 15, extendable to October 15 with Form 7004), including years with no income at all.

Frequently asked questions

Can a non-US citizen get an EIN for an LLC?

Yes. Citizenship and residency are irrelevant — the IRS issues EINs to foreign owners of US LLCs every day. Without an SSN or ITIN you simply use the SS-4 phone, fax, or mail routes instead of the online assistant.

How long does it take to get an EIN without an SSN?

By phone: the same day, during the call. By fax: about four business days. By mail: four to five weeks or longer. The paper CP 575 confirmation follows by mail in all cases, but the number works as soon as it is issued.

Do I need an ITIN before I can apply for an EIN?

No. Write \"foreign\" on line 7b of the SS-4. An ITIN is a separate personal tax number obtained with Form W-7, needed only if you personally have to file a US tax return — it is not a prerequisite for an EIN or for owning an LLC.

A website offered to get my EIN for $250. Should I pay?

No — the EIN is free from the IRS, and paid services submit exactly the same Form SS-4. Pay only if you genuinely want hand-holding through the paperwork, never because you believe the IRS charges a fee. It does not.

Fees verified against official state sources — last checked October 26, 2026.