Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN)

A Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN) is a unique nine-digit number assigned by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to identify businesses operating in the United States. This number is used to identify a business entity for tax purposes, as well as for opening bank accounts, applying for loans, and filing and paying company payroll and other business taxes. In other words, it serves as a business's identification number for the IRS.

The FEIN format is always XX-XXXXXXX, and is the only format the Pavillio System allows. If the system notices the FEIN appears to be misaligned with general formatting (eg; 12-3456789 or 99-9999999) we will contact you and request additional documentation.

To find your Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN), you can follow these steps:

  1. Check Your Documents: Your FEIN is usually mentioned on any business-related documents, such as previous tax returns, business registration paperwork, or other official documents you received from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

  2. Contact the IRS: If you cannot find your FEIN on your documents, you can contact the IRS directly Monday-Friday between 7am-7pm local time:

    1. Call (800) 829-4933.

    2. Select your preferred language (Press 1 for English).

    3. Press 1 for EIN Employer Identification Numbers.

    4. Press 3 if you have an EIN but cannot remember it. Your call will be connected to an IRS agent. There may be a delay depending on the time and day (We recommend calling between 7am-10am and 3pm-7pm, and avoiding calling on Mondays).

    5. Tell the IRS agent that you need an EIN Verification Letter (147C).

    6. To ensure that you are the business owner or have the authority to be the agent, the agent will ask you a few security questions.

    7. You are then asked to choose between receiving your 147C letter by mail or fax. You will receive your 147C immediately if you choose fax.

    For additional support from the IRS directly, please navigate to their official website.

  3. Check with Your Bank: If you opened a business bank account, your bank may have your FEIN on file. You can reach out to your bank to inquire about this.

  4. Check with Your Accountant or Tax Preparer: If you work with an accountant or tax preparer, they should have your FEIN on record, as they often use it for tax filing purposes.

Remember that the FEIN is crucial for various business-related activities, including tax filing, hiring employees, opening business bank accounts, and more. It's important to keep this number secure and easily accessible for official purposes.