EIN vs. ITIN: What’s the Difference and What Is Form SS-4?

- **An EIN identifies your business.** - **An ITIN or SSN identifies you as an individual.** ## Understand the difference An **EIN (Employer Identification Number)**, **SSN (Social Security Number)**, and **ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number)** are all nine-digit U.S. tax identification numbers, but they identify different things. ### EIN An **EIN** identifies your **company**. The IRS issues it through **Form SS-4**. You typically use an EIN for things like: - federal tax reporting - opening a business bank account - filing business tax returns - hiring employees ### SSN An **SSN** identifies **you personally**. It is issued by the Social Security Administration to U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and non-citizens authorized to work in the U.S. ### ITIN An **ITIN** also identifies **you personally**. It is issued by the IRS to people who have a U.S. tax filing requirement but are **not eligible for an SSN**. ## What this means in practice - Your **EIN** is for your **business**. - Your **SSN or ITIN** is for **you as an individual**. - You will only ever have **one personal number**: either an **SSN** or an **ITIN**, **not both**. ## Can you get an EIN without an SSN? Yes. As a **non-U.S. founder**, you can get an **EIN for your LLC without having an SSN**. ## What is Form SS-4? **IRS Form SS-4** is the application used to obtain an **EIN** for your business. You can: - submit **Form SS-4** yourself directly to the IRS, or - have **doola** handle the EIN application for you as part of company formation ## When might you need an ITIN? You may separately need an **ITIN** if you have a **personal U.S. tax filing obligation** and you are not eligible for an SSN.