How to find an EIN

Where the EIN already is, by situation

1. Your employer's EIN — W-2, box b. The box labeled "Employer identification number (EIN)" near the top-left of the form, printed as XX-XXXXXXX. Tax software asks for it exactly as printed.
2. A client's or payer's EIN — the 1099. The "PAYER'S TIN" box on any 1099 form (1099-NEC, 1099-INT, 1099-MISC and the rest).
3. Your own business's EIN — the CP 575 letter. The confirmation notice the IRS mailed when the EIN was assigned. Also on prior business tax returns, business bank-account paperwork, and old business licenses.
4. A charity's EIN — the donation receipt. Nonprofits print their EIN on receipts and acknowledgment letters so donors can claim deductions. It's also in the IRS exempt-organizations records.
5. A public company's EIN — its SEC filings. Companies state their own EIN on the cover page of SEC filings like the 10-K. The EIN lookup carries these numbers with a link to each company's SEC record.

Recovering your own business's EIN

If it's your own EIN and the CP 575 is gone: check prior tax returns and bank paperwork first, then call the IRS Business & Specialty Tax Line at 800-829-4933 and ask for a 147C verification letter — it's free, and only an authorized person for the business can request it. The IRS doesn't offer an online lookup for your own lost EIN.

EINs are public identifiers — companies print them on W-2s and SEC filings, and charities on receipts. But knowing an EIN proves nothing about who you're talking to: never treat "they knew the EIN" as verification of a caller, email, or invoice.

Check the number against the source

For public companies and large nonprofits, the EIN lookup shows the number with its source — the company's own SEC filings record, or the IRS exempt-organizations file — and when it was last checked.

EIN questions

Where is the EIN on a W-2?

Box b, near the top-left of the form, labeled "Employer identification number (EIN)" — a nine-digit number formatted XX-XXXXXXX. Enter it in tax software exactly as printed.

Can I look up any company's EIN for free?

Public companies: yes — they state their EIN in their own SEC filings, which is what the fin.codes EIN lookup carries. Registered nonprofits: yes, through IRS exempt-organizations records. Private companies: there's no free public registry — ask the company directly, typically via a W-9.

I lost my own business's EIN. How do I get it back?

Check the CP 575 confirmation letter, prior business tax returns, or business bank paperwork. If none of those surface it, call the IRS Business & Specialty Tax Line at 800-829-4933 for a 147C verification letter — free, but only an authorized person for the business can request it.

Is an EIN the same as a TIN?

An EIN is one type of Taxpayer Identification Number — the type for businesses and organizations. SSNs and ITINs are the types for individuals. When a form asks for a company's TIN, its EIN is usually the answer.

Do I need my employer's EIN to file taxes?

Yes — tax software asks for the EIN from box b of your W-2 to match the IRS's copy. If your W-2 is missing or the EIN is illegible, ask your employer's payroll team; don't guess or copy the number from an unofficial source.