Your Florida LLC has been approved. The state issued a document number. You logged into Sunbiz and downloaded a copy of your Articles of Organization. The next thing you need is an EIN — a federal Employer Identification Number, the business equivalent of a social security number.
This guide walks through how to get one in 15 minutes for free, plus what to do if the standard online application doesn't work for you.
What an EIN is and why you need one
An EIN is a 9-digit number issued by the IRS that identifies your business for federal tax purposes. The Florida Division of Corporations doesn't issue or care about your EIN — it's a federal thing.
You need one to:
- Open a business bank account (every bank requires it for LLCs)
- Hire employees and run payroll
- File a business tax return separate from your personal return
- Apply for most business credit cards
- Apply for most business loans
- Avoid putting your personal SSN on every W-9 you send out
A single-member LLC with no employees can technically use the owner's personal SSN for tax purposes. But every practical interaction with a bank, vendor, or contractor will ask for an EIN. Just get one.
The IRS application is free
It costs $0 to apply for an EIN directly with the IRS. Anyone telling you to pay $79–$299 for an "EIN service" is selling you a glorified form-fill — they fill out the same online application you'd fill out, and they make money on the markup.
The exception: non-US residents who don't have an SSN or ITIN. The online IRS application requires an SSN or ITIN to identify the "responsible party," so non-residents have to file Form SS-4 by fax or mail, which takes 4–6 weeks. Services like doola specialize in this for international founders and run $297–$397, which is a reasonable trade for the alternative being "fax a form to the IRS and wait six weeks."
doola — get an EIN as a non-resident →
If you're a US resident with an SSN, keep reading.
Step-by-step: applying for your EIN online
1. Go to the IRS website. The exact URL is irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/apply-for-an-employer-identification-number-ein-online. Don't use Google to find it; click straight from this article or type it manually. There are dozens of paid lookalike sites that charge for free service.
2. Check the application hours. The IRS EIN application is only available Monday–Friday, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Eastern Time. It is not available on weekends or federal holidays. If you start outside those hours, you'll get an error message.
3. Click "Apply Online Now."
4. Identify your entity type. Pick "Limited Liability Company (LLC)."
5. Pick your state and the number of members. Florida. Single-member or multi-member.
6. Pick your reason for applying. Almost always: "Started a new business."
7. Provide the responsible party information. This is the human being who controls the LLC — typically the owner. The IRS will ask for the name and SSN of that person. The IRS only allows one EIN per responsible party per day, so if you're forming multiple LLCs, you can only file one application per calendar day.
8. Provide the LLC information. Legal name, mailing address, county, state, date the LLC was formed. The "date" is the date the Florida Division of Corporations approved your Articles, not the date you submitted them. Pull it from your Sunbiz confirmation email.
9. Tell the IRS what you do. They'll ask for a business activity category and a brief description. Pick the closest fit. There's no penalty for picking "Other" if nothing matches cleanly.
10. Choose how you want to receive your EIN. Online (recommended) — you'll see the EIN on screen and can download a confirmation letter (Form CP 575) immediately. By mail — you'll wait 4–5 weeks. Always pick online.
11. Save the confirmation letter. Download the PDF. Save it in two places. Email yourself a copy. Banks will ask for it. Vendors will ask for it. You will lose it eventually if you only have one copy.
The whole process takes 12–18 minutes if you have your LLC document number and SSN ready.
Common errors and how to fix them
"Reference 101" error. This happens when the IRS system thinks the responsible party already has an EIN issued today. Wait 24 hours and try again. If it persists, file Form SS-4 by fax to the IRS — this is an internal IRS database conflict and can't be resolved through the online tool.
"Reference 102" error. Usually means the entity name conflicts with an existing record. Double-check spelling against your Sunbiz Articles of Organization. The IRS is strict about exact match.
"Reference 109" or "112" error. Technical errors on IRS's end. Try again outside peak hours (avoid Monday morning and Friday afternoon).
Got the EIN but lost the CP 575 confirmation letter. You can request a replacement (called a 147C letter) by calling the IRS Business & Specialty Tax Line at 1-800-829-4933. Be prepared for a 30–60 minute hold.
After you have your EIN
Three things to do the same week:
- Open a business bank account. Read our Business Bank Comparison → for the right pick.
- Save the EIN and CP 575 in two places. Cloud backup plus a local file. You'll need it for every bank, every vendor, every state and federal tax filing.
- Update your registered agent record if you used a service. Some registered agent services maintain a compliance dashboard that wants your EIN. Northwest and ZenBusiness both prompt for it.
When to consider paying for help
There's exactly one situation where paying for EIN help makes sense: you're a non-US resident without an SSN or ITIN. In that case, doola runs $297 and includes the SS-4 filing, follow-up with the IRS, and confirmation.
doola — non-resident EIN service →
If you're a US resident with an SSN, the IRS form takes 15 minutes. Don't pay anyone $79+ to do it.
Next: the registered agent decision
If you haven't decided on a registered agent yet — or if you used a friend and want to switch — read The 7 Best Registered Agents for Florida LLCs (2026) →