How to Get an EIN in Minnesota (2026)

Fact-checked by the LegalGlass editorial team against primary sources · Published Aug 6, 2026 · Last updated Aug 6, 2026

An Employer Identification Number (EIN) is a free, nine-digit federal tax ID issued by the IRS — not by Minnesota. The fastest way to get one is the IRS online application, which issues your EIN immediately at no cost. A Minnesota business generally needs an EIN to hire employees, open a bank account, or file as a corporation or partnership, and then registers separately with the Minnesota Department of Revenue for state tax accounts.

What an EIN Is and Who Needs One

An Employer Identification Number (also called a Federal Employer Identification Number or FEIN) is a nine-digit number the IRS assigns to identify a business for federal tax purposes. In Minnesota, you need an EIN if your business hires employees, operates as a corporation or partnership, files certain excise or employment tax returns, or has a Keogh plan. A multi-member Minnesota LLC always needs one. A single-member LLC with no employees can use the owner's Social Security number, but most get an EIN anyway to open a bank account and keep business and personal finances separate.

The EIN Is Free From the IRS

The EIN is completely free when you apply directly with the IRS. Third-party websites that charge a fee to "get your EIN" are simply filling out the same free application on your behalf. There is no reason to pay. The IRS limits applicants to one EIN per responsible party per day, and the application asks you to identify a responsible party — the individual who ultimately controls the entity — along with their Social Security number or individual taxpayer identification number.

How to Apply for an EIN

There are four ways to apply. Online is fastest: the IRS EIN Assistant is open on business days, walks you through the questions, and issues your number immediately at the end. Fax a completed Form SS-4 and you typically get a number back in about four business days. Mail takes about four weeks. International applicants without a U.S. taxpayer ID can apply by phone. Have your legal entity name, formation state, responsible party, and reason for applying ready before you start.

Applying Without an SSN (ITIN Holders)

You do not need a Social Security number to get an EIN. If the responsible party has an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) or no U.S. tax ID at all, you cannot use the online tool, but you can still obtain an EIN by fax or mail using Form SS-4, or by phone for international applicants. On the form you enter the ITIN, or write "Foreign" if the responsible party has neither an SSN nor an ITIN. This lets nonresident owners of a Minnesota LLC get an EIN to open accounts and file U.S. returns.

Minnesota State Registration After Your EIN

An EIN is federal. To operate in Minnesota, you also register with the Minnesota Department of Revenue for the state accounts your business needs — typically a sales and use tax permit if you sell taxable goods or services, and employer withholding and unemployment insurance accounts if you have employees. Minnesota businesses register for a Minnesota Tax ID through the Department of Revenue. Your EIN is the number you will supply on those state registrations and on your Minnesota tax filings. See business tax basics and business licenses for the next steps.

Using and Protecting Your EIN

Once issued, your EIN never expires and is not reused for another business. Use it on federal and state tax returns, payroll filings, business bank accounts, and vendor forms such as the W-9. If you lose it, look on your IRS confirmation notice (CP 575), a prior return, or call the IRS Business and Specialty Tax Line. You generally need a new EIN only if the business structure changes — for example, a sole proprietorship incorporates, or an LLC is taken over by a new owner and becomes a different tax entity. Treat the EIN like a Social Security number for your business and share it only when required.

What You Need Before You Apply

The EIN application goes faster if you gather your details first. Have ready the legal name of the business exactly as it appears on your formation documents, any trade name or DBA, the business mailing and physical address, the state where the entity was formed, the type of entity (sole proprietorship, single-member LLC, multi-member LLC, corporation, or partnership), the number of expected employees, and the date the business started or will start. You also identify the responsible party — a real person who controls the entity — and provide their SSN or ITIN. The IRS does not allow one entity to be the responsible party for another in most cases.

Choose the reason for applying (started a new business, hired employees, banking purposes, or changed organization type). If you are forming a Minnesota LLC, it is usually cleanest to file your formation documents first so the LLC legally exists, then apply for the EIN in the LLC's exact legal name. Applying before the entity is formed can create mismatches you have to correct later.

Common EIN Mistakes to Avoid

A few errors trip up new applicants. Paying a third-party site for something the IRS does for free is the most common; apply directly with the IRS and pay nothing. Others apply for an EIN before forming the entity, then have to cancel or amend when the legal name differs. Some request a second EIN when they do not need one — adding a DBA, moving, or hiring your first employee does not require a new number. And many forget that the EIN is only the federal step; you still register separately with the Minnesota Department of Revenue for Minnesota tax accounts.

Enter the responsible party and their SSN or ITIN carefully, because a mismatch with IRS records can reject the application. Keep the confirmation notice (CP 575) somewhere safe; it is the cleanest proof of your EIN for banks and lenders. If you ever restructure — for example, converting a sole proprietorship to a corporation — check the IRS rules on when a genuinely new EIN is required, and see business tax basics for the follow-on filings.

Why Minnesota Businesses Get an EIN

Even when it is optional, an EIN unlocks the everyday machinery of running a business. Banks in Minnesota almost universally require an EIN to open a business checking account in the company's name, which is the first step toward separating business and personal finances — a separation that also helps protect the liability shield of an LLC. Payroll providers need it to run payroll and file employment taxes; vendors and clients ask for it on a Form W-9 so they can issue 1099s; and lenders, payment processors, and licensing boards frequently request it. Using an EIN instead of your Social Security number on those forms also reduces the exposure of your personal identity.

An EIN is equally central at tax time. A multi-member LLC files a partnership return under its EIN, an LLC that elects S-corp or corporate status files under it, and any business with employees reports withholding under it. Because the number is permanent and specific to your entity, it becomes the thread that ties together your bank, payroll, state registrations, and federal returns. Getting it early — right after you form the entity — keeps every later step aligned to the same identifier. It helps to think of the EIN as the federal anchor and your Minnesota registrations as the state layer built on top of it: you supply the same EIN when you register with the Minnesota Department of Revenue for a sales and use tax permit, employer withholding, and unemployment insurance. The state issues its own account numbers, but they are tied to your business by that federal EIN, so keeping the entity's legal name identical across every registration prevents mismatches and delays. Sequencing the steps well — form the entity, get the EIN, open the bank account, then complete Minnesota tax and licensing registrations — means each step cleanly references the one before it.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does an EIN cost in Minnesota?

Nothing. The IRS issues EINs for free. Any site charging a fee is a third party completing the free federal application for you. Apply directly with the IRS to pay nothing.

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

The IRS online application issues your EIN immediately. Fax applications take about four business days and mailed Form SS-4 applications take about four weeks. International phone applications are handled during the call.

Does a single-member LLC in Minnesota need an EIN?

Not always. A single-member LLC with no employees can use the owner's SSN, but an EIN is required to hire employees or elect corporate taxation, and most banks require one to open a business account.

Can I get an EIN without a Social Security number?

Yes. Applicants with an ITIN or no U.S. tax ID cannot use the online tool but can obtain an EIN by fax or mail with Form SS-4, or by phone for international applicants.

Is an EIN the same as a Minnesota state tax ID?

No. An EIN is a federal number from the IRS. Minnesota issues its own state tax account numbers through the Minnesota Department of Revenue when you register for sales tax, withholding, or other state accounts.

Related

• How to get an EIN (cluster hub)
• What is an ITIN?
• Form a Minnesota LLC
• Minnesota LLC tax filing
• Business tax overview
• Business licenses
• Business and tax glossary

Sources

1. IRS — Get an Employer Identification Number (free; online, fax, mail, or phone for foreign applicants)
2. IRS — About Form SS-4, Application for EIN
3. IRS — Responsible Parties and Nominees
4. IRS — Do You Need an EIN?
5. IRS — Single Member Limited Liability Companies
6. IRS — Limited Liability Company (LLC)
7. IRS — Business Structures
8. Cornell Legal Information Institute — Employer Identification Number (EIN)
9. Cornell Legal Information Institute — Limited Liability Company (LLC)
10. Minnesota Department of Revenue — Businesses (Minnesota Tax ID)
11. Minnesota Secretary of State — Start a Business

LegalGlass provides general information for educational purposes and is not a law firm or a substitute for advice from a licensed attorney or tax professional. Laws, fees, and thresholds change; verify current requirements with the official state agency and the IRS before acting.