How to Get an EIN in Louisiana (2026)

Fact-checked by the LegalGlass editorial team against primary sources · Published Aug 20, 2026 · Last updated Aug 20, 2026

An EIN is free from the IRS, and the online EIN assistant issues the number immediately to applicants whose principal business is in Louisiana and whose responsible party has a valid taxpayer ID. Louisiana issues no EIN of its own — after the federal number you register the entity with the Louisiana Secretary of State through geauxBIZ and open state tax accounts with the Louisiana Department of Revenue.

When You Must Have an EIN

An EIN is a nine-digit federal tax identification number for a business, in the format 00-0000000. The IRS requires one if your business has employees, operates as a corporation or partnership, files employment, excise, or alcohol, tobacco and firearms returns, withholds tax on income other than wages paid to a non-resident alien, has a Keogh or other qualified retirement plan, or is involved with certain trusts, estates, and non-profit organisations.

A multi-member LLC needs an EIN because it is treated as a partnership by default. A single-member LLC with no employees can technically use the owner's Social Security number, but almost always gets an EIN anyway: banks require one to open a business account, payment processors ask for one, and using it keeps your Social Security number off every Form W-9. If you elect S-corporation treatment on Form 2553 you must have an EIN first. See single-member LLC and S-corp vs LLC.

How to Apply for an EIN

There are three routes, and only one of them is fast. The online EIN assistant on irs.gov issues the number immediately at the end of a single session. It is available Monday to Friday from 6:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. Eastern, Saturday from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., and Sunday from 6:00 p.m. to midnight. The session cannot be saved and times out if you idle, so gather your legal name, mailing address, entity type, formation state, start date, and reason for applying before you begin.

If you cannot use the online tool, complete Form SS-4 and submit it by fax or by mail to the service centre for your location. Fax is materially quicker than mail. International applicants who have no United States principal place of business use the dedicated phone and fax procedures described in the Form SS-4 instructions. Whichever route you take, the EIN is free: the IRS warns explicitly that you never have to pay a fee for one, so ignore any site that quotes a price.

Responsible Party and the One-Per-Day Limit

Every EIN application must name a responsible party — a natural person who controls, manages, or directs the entity and the disposition of its funds and assets. The IRS requires that person's Social Security number, ITIN, or existing EIN on the application. A registered agent, accountant, or formation company may act as a third-party designee, but may not be listed as the responsible party in place of the real controlling person.

The IRS also limits applications to one EIN per responsible party per day, across all channels. If you are setting up several entities at once, plan on one per day rather than trying to batch them. Keep the confirmation notice (CP 575) the IRS issues; banks, payroll providers, and state agencies ask for it, and replacing it later means requesting an EIN verification letter (147C) by phone. See the ITIN page if the responsible party has no Social Security number.

The Louisiana Step: geauxBIZ and the Department of Revenue

Louisiana does not issue a state equivalent of the federal EIN. It runs two separate registrations that each want the EIN once you have it. The first is with the Louisiana Secretary of State, whose geauxBIZ portal handles entity filings and points you at the licences your activity requires. The second is with the Louisiana Department of Revenue, which opens your state tax accounts for sales tax, withholding, and income tax as applicable.

Order matters. Form the entity first, obtain the EIN in the entity's exact legal name second, and use that EIN when you open Department of Revenue accounts third. Louisiana's corporation franchise tax has been repealed for taxable periods beginning on or after January 1, 2026, which removes one recurring filing for entities that were subject to it. See Louisiana LLC tax filing and Louisiana business licence.

Getting the Entity Right Before You Apply

Apply for the EIN in the exact legal name that appears on your Louisiana formation document. For an LLC that is the name on the Articles of Organization (form #365) filed with the Secretary of State, which costs $100, rising to $125 for filings made on or after October 1, 2026. Louisiana LLCs then file an annual report costing $30, rising to $35 on the same date. A mismatch between the Secretary of State record and the IRS record will hold up bank accounts and payroll.

Check name availability first, then file. The full sequence is in how to form an LLC in Louisiana, with the fees broken out in Louisiana LLC cost, the filing itself in Louisiana Articles of Organization, and the agent requirement in Louisiana registered agent. Sole proprietors have no formation step — but still need the EIN once they hire.

Common EIN Mistakes to Avoid

Four errors account for most of the trouble. Paying for an EIN. Third-party sites charge for what the IRS gives away; the only official channels are irs.gov and Form SS-4. Applying before the entity exists. If you are forming an LLC or corporation, file the formation document with the state first, then apply with the exact legal name on that document — a mismatch between the EIN record and the state record causes bank and payroll rejections later.

Naming the wrong responsible party. Listing a nominee, agent, or service provider instead of the person who actually controls the entity is not permitted and has to be corrected in writing. Getting a second EIN when you did not need one. A new EIN is required for a genuine change in ownership or structure, not for a change of business name, address, or trade name. Read how to get an EIN for the national walkthrough and the glossary for the terminology.

After the EIN: Keeping the Number Straight

Once issued, an EIN belongs to the entity permanently. It is never reused or reassigned, even if the business closes. Closing a business does not cancel the number; you ask the IRS to close the associated business account instead, in writing, after filing all required returns. Keep the CP 575 notice with your formation documents.

You will use the EIN on federal income and employment tax returns, on Form W-9 when clients request your taxpayer information, on payroll filings, when opening bank and merchant accounts, and on most state tax registrations. Keep the federal EIN clearly separated in your records from state-issued account numbers — they look similar, they are issued by different agencies, and mixing them up is a common cause of misapplied payments. See business tax basics and how to dissolve an LLC for the closing sequence.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does an EIN cost in Louisiana?

Nothing. The IRS issues EINs free of charge through its online assistant or on Form SS-4, and warns explicitly that you never have to pay a fee for one. Any website quoting a price is a third-party service. Louisiana charges separately for entity filings, but not for a tax identification number.

How long does it take to get an EIN in Louisiana?

The IRS online EIN assistant issues the number immediately at the end of the session, so most Louisiana applicants have it the same day. Form SS-4 submitted by fax takes longer, and mail longer still. The assistant runs Monday to Friday from 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. Eastern.

Does Louisiana issue its own tax ID number?

Louisiana does not issue an equivalent of the federal EIN. The Louisiana Department of Revenue opens state tax accounts, and the Secretary of State assigns a charter number to registered entities through geauxBIZ. Both registrations ask for your federal EIN, so obtain that first.

Do I need an EIN before registering an LLC in Louisiana?

File the Articles of Organization with the Secretary of State first, then apply for the EIN in the exact legal name shown on that filing. Applying in the wrong order risks a name mismatch between the IRS and state records, which causes rejections at banks and payroll providers later.

Who is the responsible party on a Louisiana EIN application?

A natural person who controls, manages, or directs the entity and the disposition of its funds and assets. The IRS needs that person's Social Security number, ITIN, or EIN. A registered agent or accountant may act as a third-party designee but cannot be listed as the responsible party.

Related

• How to get an EIN (cluster hub)
• EIN basics
• How to form an LLC in Louisiana
• Louisiana LLC cost
• Louisiana LLC tax filing
• What is an ITIN?
• How to get an EIN in Mississippi (sibling)
• How to get an EIN in South Carolina (sibling)

Sources

1. Louisiana Secretary of State — Start a Business (geauxBIZ registration).
2. Louisiana Secretary of State — Forms and Fee Schedule (Articles of Organization #365, $100; annual report $30).
3. Louisiana Secretary of State — 2026 Fee Changes ($125 formation and $35 annual report from October 1, 2026).
4. Louisiana Department of Revenue — Corporation Income and Franchise Tax (franchise tax repealed for periods on or after January 1, 2026).
5. Louisiana Department of Revenue — General Sales and Use Tax.
6. Louisiana Revised Statutes — Title 12, Limited Liability Companies.
7. IRS — Get an Employer Identification Number (free; online assistant hours; one EIN per responsible party per day).
8. IRS — Do You Need an EIN?
9. IRS — About Form SS-4, Application for Employer Identification Number.
10. IRS — Responsible Parties and Nominees.
11. IRS — Limited Liability Company (LLC).
12. IRS — Single Member Limited Liability Companies.
13. Legal Information Institute (Cornell) — 26 CFR 301.7701-3 (entity classification election).

LegalGlass provides general information for educational purposes and is not legal advice, is not a law firm, and is not a substitute for advice from a licensed attorney or tax professional. Laws, fees, and thresholds change; verify current requirements with the IRS, the Louisiana Secretary of State, and the Louisiana Department of Revenue before acting.