How to Get an EIN Without an SSN (CP-575 Explained)

Can I get an EIN without an SSN?

Yes. You do not need a Social Security Number (SSN) to get an Employer Identification Number (EIN). The IRS allows international applicants and foreign-owned businesses to obtain an EIN without an SSN or ITIN by filing Form SS-4 by phone, fax, or mail. On the form’s responsible-party line, eligible foreign applicants write “Foreign” instead of a US tax ID. (IRS, Instructions for Form SS-4)

What is an EIN?

An EIN (Employer Identification Number, also called a Federal Tax Identification Number) is a nine-digit number the IRS assigns to identify a business entity. The IRS describes it plainly: “An EIN is a federal tax ID number for businesses, tax-exempt organizations and other entities.” It functions for a company much like an SSN functions for an individual.

A US LLC needs an EIN to open a US business bank account, hire employees, file federal returns, and—for foreign-owned single-member LLCs—to file the mandatory Form 5472 information return. The IRS issues the EIN free of charge: “You can get an EIN for free directly from the IRS.” Be wary of any service that obscures the fact that the IRS itself never charges for the number. (IRS, Employer Identification Number)

Can a foreigner get an EIN without an SSN or ITIN?

Yes—this is one of the most common misconceptions, and the IRS guidance is unambiguous. Foreign individuals are not required to have an ITIN in order to receive an EIN. The EIN belongs to the business entity, not to you personally, so your lack of a US personal tax ID does not disqualify the company.

The catch is method, not eligibility. The IRS online EIN application requires the responsible party to have a valid SSN or ITIN, and is only available when your principal place of business is in the United States or US territories. A non-resident founder with no US tax ID therefore cannot use the online tool—but can still get the EIN through the dedicated international channels described below. (IRS, Instructions for Form SS-4)

How do I apply for an EIN as a non-resident? (Form SS-4 by fax, mail, or phone)

International applicants use Form SS-4, Application for Employer Identification Number (current revision: December 2025), submitted through one of three channels. Per the IRS, if your principal place of business is outside the US, you can apply for an EIN by phone, or by submitting Form SS-4 by fax or mail. (IRS, Employer Identification Number)

Application methods for foreign applicants

All figures above are from the IRS Instructions for Form SS-4 and the IRS EIN page. (Domestic applicants with a US principal place of business use a different fax number and mailing service center; the numbers and address above are the IRS’s dedicated international channel.) (IRS, Instructions for Form SS-4; IRS, Employer Identification Number)

A daily cap applies regardless of channel: EIN issuances are limited to one per responsible party, per day (“you can apply only for 1 EIN per day”).

How do I fill out Form SS-4 as a non-resident? (Line-by-line walkthrough)

Below is a numbered walkthrough for a typical non-resident forming a US LLC (e.g., a single-member Wyoming or Delaware LLC). Always confirm against the current Form SS-4 and its instructions.

1. Line 1 — Legal name of entity. Enter the LLC’s exact legal name as registered with the state (e.g., “Acme Global LLC”).
2. Line 2 — Trade name. Leave blank unless the LLC operates under a different DBA.
3. Line 3 — Executor/trustee. Leave blank for a standard LLC.
4. Lines 4a–4b — Mailing address. Your foreign address is acceptable here. This is where the IRS mails the CP-575 confirmation.
5. Lines 5a–5b — Street address. Use the US business/registered address if different from the mailing address; otherwise leave blank.
6. Line 6 — County and state where principal business is located. Enter the US county and state of formation (e.g., “Sheridan County, WY”).
7. Line 7a — Name of responsible party. Enter the individual who ultimately owns or controls the entity (typically you, the founder/owner).
8. Line 7b — SSN, ITIN, or EIN of responsible party. If you have none and are ineligible to obtain one, enter “Foreign.” The IRS instruction: “Enter ‘foreign’ or N/A on line 7b if the responsible party doesn’t have and is ineligible to obtain an SSN or ITIN.”
9. Line 8a — Is this application for an LLC? Check “Yes.”
10. Line 8b — Number of LLC members. Enter “1” for a single-member LLC.
11. Line 8c — Was the LLC organized in the US? Check “Yes” (the LLC is a US-state entity, even if you are abroad).
12. Line 9a — Type of entity. A single-member LLC is, by default, a disregarded entity; a multi-member LLC defaults to a partnership. Foreign-owned single-member LLCs often note “Foreign-owned U.S. disregarded entity” because they must file Form 5472.
13. Line 10 — Reason for applying. Choose the option that fits—commonly “Started new business” or “Banking purpose.” A foreign-owned disregarded LLC applying to meet its 5472 filing duty may note “Compliance with IRS withholding regulations” or “Foreign-owned U.S. disregarded entity – Form 5472.”
14. Lines 11–17. Enter the business start date (Line 11), expected employees (Line 13—usually “0” for non-residents not hiring in the US), principal activity (Line 16), and a description (Line 17).
15. Third Party Designee. If a filing service or accountant applies on your behalf, complete this block to authorize them to receive the EIN and answer SS-4 questions.
16. Signature. Sign, date, and include a daytime phone and—if filing by fax—a return fax number so the IRS can fax the EIN back.

The “responsible party” is defined by the IRS as “the person who ultimately owns or controls the entity or who exercises ultimate effective control over the entity.” Unless the applicant is a government entity, “the responsible party must be an individual (that is, a natural person), not an entity.” (IRS, Instructions for Form SS-4)

How long does it take to get an EIN?

Timing depends entirely on the method, per the IRS Instructions for Form SS-4:

• International phone (267-941-1099): immediate—the IRS representative assigns the EIN during the call.
• Fax: “you’ll receive your EIN by fax generally within 4 business days” if you supply a return fax number.
• Mail: “approximately 4 weeks”; the IRS advises applying 4–5 weeks before you need it.

For non-residents who cannot use the online tool, fax is the practical sweet spot—a paper trail plus a roughly four-business-day turnaround. (IRS, Instructions for Form SS-4)

What is the CP-575?

The CP-575 is the official EIN confirmation notice the IRS issues when it first assigns your EIN. It states your EIN, the entity’s legal name, the address on file, and which federal returns the entity is expected to file. Banks, payment processors, and state agencies frequently ask for it to verify a business.

Critically, the IRS issues the CP-575 only once and does not reissue it. If you lose it, you request a Letter 147C (“EIN Previously Assigned”) instead, which confirms the same information and is routinely accepted in place of the CP-575. To request a 147C, the IRS directs you to call its Business and Specialty Tax Line at 800-829-4933. (The IRS will send the 147C only to the address or fax number on file for the EIN.) (IRS, Employer Identification Number)

Who is the “responsible party,” and can it be a foreigner?

Yes, the responsible party can be a non-US person. The IRS defines the responsible party as “the person who ultimately owns or controls the entity or who exercises ultimate effective control over the entity.” For a founder-owned LLC, that is normally you.

Two rules matter for non-residents:

1. It must be a real person, identified by name on Line 7a. Unless the applicant is a government entity, the responsible party must be a natural person, not another entity or a nominee.
2. No US tax ID is required to serve in this role. When the responsible party has no SSN/ITIN and is ineligible for one, the IRS instructs you to enter “Foreign” on Line 7b. The IRS also requires entities to report a change in responsible party by filing Form 8822-B within 60 days of the change. (IRS, Instructions for Form SS-4)

What are the common reasons EIN applications get rejected (and how to avoid them)?

Most non-resident rejections and delays trace to a handful of avoidable errors:

• Mishandling Line 7b. If you have no SSN/ITIN and are ineligible to obtain one, enter “Foreign” or “N/A” exactly as the IRS instructs—don’t enter an invalid or placeholder number.
• Mismatched entity name. The Line 1 legal name must match your state formation documents exactly, or the IRS may bounce the application.
• Trying to use the online tool from abroad. The online EIN application requires an SSN/ITIN for the responsible party and a US principal place of business; non-residents without these must use phone, fax, or mail.
• Naming an entity instead of a person as responsible party. Line 7a must show the controlling individual.
• Hitting the daily cap. Only one EIN per responsible party per day is issued; a same-person second application the same day will be refused.
• Online “reference number” errors. If the online tool returns a reference-number error, it generally means the application needs manual IRS review, which pushes you to the SS-4 paper or phone route anyway.

When in doubt, completing a clean SS-4 and faxing it to the IRS EIN International Operation is the most reliable path for foreign founders.

Should I use a filing service?

You can absolutely get an EIN yourself, for free, directly from the IRS using the methods above—and many non-residents do. The trade-off is friction: a paper SS-4, an international fax or a phone call across time zones, and the chore of getting it right the first time.

A filing service makes sense if you want the SS-4 (and usually the LLC formation, registered agent, and bank-account setup) handled end-to-end. As one example, EIN.LLC prepares and submits Form SS-4 for non-US founders who have no SSN or ITIN, typically returning the EIN in about 3–5 business days, as part of a flat-fee LLC + EIN + US business-banking package. It is a filing service, not a law or tax firm, and it cannot make the IRS move faster than the IRS does. Whatever you choose, remember the underlying number is free from the IRS—you are paying for convenience and done-for-you handling, not for the EIN itself.

FAQ

Do I need an ITIN before I can get an EIN? No. The IRS states foreign individuals are not required to have an ITIN to receive an EIN. If you have neither an SSN nor an ITIN and are ineligible for one, you write “Foreign” on Line 7b of Form SS-4.

Can a non-US resident be the responsible party on the EIN application? Yes. The responsible party is the individual who ultimately owns or controls the entity. They do not need a US tax ID; they enter “Foreign” on Line 7b when they have none.

What’s the fastest way for a foreigner to get an EIN? Calling the IRS international line at 267-941-1099 (Mon–Fri, 6 a.m.–11 p.m. Eastern) yields the EIN during the call. By paper, fax returns the EIN generally within 4 business days; mail takes about 4 weeks.

Is the online EIN application available to non-residents? No, if you have no US principal place of business and no SSN/ITIN. The online tool requires an SSN or ITIN for the responsible party. Use phone, fax, or mail instead.

Does the EIN cost money? No. The IRS issues EINs free of charge. Third-party services may charge a fee for handling the paperwork, but the number itself is always free directly from the IRS.

What is the difference between the CP-575 and a 147C letter? The CP-575 is the one-time original EIN confirmation. The 147C (“EIN Previously Assigned”) is a reissued confirmation you request (via 800-829-4933) if the CP-575 is lost; both are widely accepted as proof of your EIN.

Do foreign-owned single-member LLCs have extra IRS obligations? Yes. Foreign-owned single-member US LLCs (disregarded entities) are generally required to file Form 5472 with a pro-forma Form 1120 annually, which is a primary reason such LLCs need an EIN in the first place.

Last updated June 2026 · EIN.LLC editorial team. This is general information, not legal or tax advice — consult a professional for your situation.

Primary sources:

• IRS — Instructions for Form SS-4 (Rev. December 2025)
• IRS — Form SS-4 (PDF)
• IRS — Employer Identification Number
• IRS — Apply for an Employer Identification Number (EIN) Online