How to Get an EIN in Vermont (2026)

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

An EIN is a free federal nine-digit tax ID issued by the IRS — there is no separate Vermont EIN. Apply through the IRS online EIN Assistant for immediate issuance, or file Form SS-4 by fax (about four business days) or mail (about four weeks). Register the entity with the Vermont Secretary of State first.

What an EIN Is and What "in Vermont" Means

An Employer Identification Number is a nine-digit federal taxpayer identifying number issued by the Internal Revenue Service under 26 U.S.C. § 6109. It identifies a business entity to the federal government the way a Social Security number identifies an individual. It is written in the format 12-3456789.

There is no such thing as a Vermont EIN. The IRS issues one national EIN per entity, and the same number works whether the business operates in Vermont or moves to another state. What is genuinely Vermont-specific is everything that happens around the EIN: the entity filing with the Vermont Secretary of State, the state tax accounts you open with the Vermont Department of Taxes, and any local license. Those state accounts usually ask for the federal EIN, which is why the EIN normally comes second — after the entity exists, before state tax registration.

An EIN is also free. The IRS charges nothing to issue one, and any site that quotes a fee is selling a filing service, not the number. See the national how to get an EIN guide and what an EIN is for the federal fundamentals.

Who in Vermont Actually Needs One

The IRS requires an EIN if any of the following is true. You:

• have employees, or will pay wages subject to withholding;
• operate as a corporation or a partnership (including a multi-member LLC taxed as a partnership);
• file employment, excise, or alcohol/tobacco/firearms returns;
• withhold taxes on income other than wages paid to a non-resident alien;
• have a Keogh plan; or
• are involved with certain trusts, estates, REMICs, non-profits, farmers' cooperatives, or plan administrators.

A single-member LLC with no employees is the common gray area. By default the IRS treats it as a disregarded entity, and the owner may use their own SSN for income tax. But the LLC still needs its own EIN once it has employees or owes certain excise taxes, and most banks require an EIN to open a business account in the LLC's name. Because the number is free and takes minutes, most Vermont single-member LLC owners get one anyway to keep the business's finances cleanly separate from personal ones.

A Vermont sole proprietor with no employees is not required to have an EIN and may file Schedule C using an SSN. Getting one anyway lets you give clients an EIN instead of your SSN on a Form W-9, which is a meaningful privacy improvement for freelancers.

How to Apply for an EIN

The IRS offers four channels, and they differ mainly in speed.

1. Online (fastest). The IRS EIN Assistant validates your answers and issues the number immediately at the end of the session. It is open to applicants whose principal business is in the United States or a U.S. territory and whose responsible party has a valid SSN, ITIN, or EIN. The session must be completed in one sitting — it times out after a period of inactivity and cannot be saved.
2. Fax. Send a completed Form SS-4 to the fax number for your location. The IRS generally returns the EIN by fax in about four business days when a return fax number is provided.
3. Mail. Mail Form SS-4 to the address in the instructions. Processing generally takes about four weeks.
4. Phone (international applicants). Applicants without a U.S. legal residence or principal place of business can call the IRS international line listed in the Form SS-4 instructions.

Two IRS limits trip people up. First, the IRS issues one EIN per responsible party per day, so you cannot spin up several entities' numbers in a single afternoon under one person. Second, the online assistant is available only during posted hours, not around the clock.

The Responsible Party

Form SS-4 asks for a responsible party: the individual who actually controls, manages, or directs the entity and the disposition of its funds and assets. The IRS requires a natural person here, not another company, unless the applicant is a government entity or a publicly traded corporation. You must supply that person's SSN, ITIN, or EIN. If you do not have an SSN, see what an ITIN is — foreign owners typically apply by fax, mail, or phone rather than online.

Keep the responsible party current. When the person changes, file Form 8822-B within 60 days. Stale responsible-party information is a common reason IRS notices go to the wrong person and deadlines get missed.

Before You Apply: Vermont Entity Setup

If the business will be an LLC or a corporation, register it with the Vermont Secretary of State, Corporations Division first, then apply for the EIN in the entity's exact legal name. Vermont LLCs are formed under the Vermont Uniform Limited Liability Company Act at 11 V.S.A. chapter 25 (Title 11A, chapter 15 in the Secretary of State's materials), and the Corporations Division handles articles of organization, registered agent designations, and annual reports through its online filing system. See how to form an LLC in Vermont and Vermont registered agent requirements.

Getting the order right matters. The IRS asks for the entity's exact legal name on Form SS-4, and a mismatch between the IRS record and the Vermont registry creates problems later when banks, payroll providers, and the Vermont Department of Taxes cross-check the two.

After the EIN: Vermont Tax Registration

Once you have the EIN, register with the Vermont Department of Taxes for the accounts your business actually needs:

• Sales and use tax — Vermont requires a license before making taxable retail sales, and a separate meals and rooms tax account applies to those businesses.
• Withholding — required if you pay wages to employees working in Vermont.
• Business entity income tax — Vermont imposes an entity-level minimum tax on pass-through entities such as LLCs and S corporations, in addition to the owners' personal income tax on their share of the profit.

Each of those accounts is keyed to the federal EIN, which is why the EIN is normally the second step after formation and the first step before any state tax account. Vermont's business entity income tax obligation applies even to a small or dormant LLC, so budget for it rather than discovering it at filing time.

Keep the IRS confirmation notice with your formation documents. If you lose it, ask the IRS for a Letter 147C rather than applying for a second EIN — duplicate numbers for one entity cause mismatched filings that take months to unwind. For the federal picture across states, see the national EIN guide and business tax overview.

Common Mistakes

Four errors account for most EIN problems. Paying for one — third-party sites charge for a free federal number. Applying before the entity exists — if you plan to run the business through an LLC, form the LLC first so the EIN attaches to the right legal name; otherwise you may need a second number. Getting duplicate EINs for the same entity, which creates mismatched filings. And losing the CP 575 notice, the IRS confirmation letter; if that happens, request a replacement Letter 147C by phone rather than applying again.

Also remember that an EIN is not a license, a tax exemption, or proof of good standing. It is an identifier. You still need the state and local registrations discussed above, and a business license where one applies.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a fee to get an EIN in Vermont?

No. The IRS issues EINs at no charge through its online assistant, by fax, by mail, or by phone for international applicants. Any website that charges for an EIN is selling a filing service layered on a free federal number. Vermont does not issue or charge for a state-level EIN.

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

The IRS online EIN Assistant issues the number immediately at the end of a single session, which cannot be saved and resumed. Faxing Form SS-4 generally returns an EIN in about four business days when a return fax number is provided. Mailing Form SS-4 generally takes about four weeks.

Do I need an EIN for a Vermont LLC?

A multi-member Vermont LLC needs an EIN because it is taxed as a partnership by default. A single-member LLC with no employees may use the owner's SSN for income tax, but needs an EIN once it hires employees or owes certain excise taxes. Most banks and the Vermont Department of Taxes will ask for one regardless.

Do I register with the Vermont Secretary of State or the IRS first?

Register the entity with the Vermont Secretary of State Corporations Division first if you are forming an LLC or corporation, then apply for the EIN in the entity's exact legal name. That keeps the IRS record and the Vermont registry aligned, which matters when banks and the Department of Taxes cross-check them.

What is a responsible party on Form SS-4?

It is the individual who controls, manages, or directs the entity and the disposition of its funds and assets. The IRS requires a natural person, not another company, unless the applicant is a government entity or publicly traded corporation, and it requires that person's SSN, ITIN, or EIN. Report changes on Form 8822-B within 60 days.

What Vermont tax accounts do I open after getting an EIN?

It depends on the business. Vermont requires a sales and use tax license before making taxable retail sales, a withholding account if you pay Vermont wages, and a meals and rooms tax account for those industries. Pass-through entities such as LLCs also owe Vermont's business entity income tax.

Related

• How to get an EIN: national guide
• What is an EIN?
• How to form an LLC in Vermont
• Vermont registered agent requirements
• What is an LLC?
• Single-member LLCs
• Business tax overview
• S-corp vs LLC
• What is an ITIN?
• Small business legal glossary

Sources

1. IRS - Get an Employer Identification Number (free EIN; application methods).
2. IRS - Apply for an Employer Identification Number (EIN) Online (immediate issuance; one session; one EIN per responsible party per day).
3. IRS - Do You Need an EIN? (who is required to have one).
4. IRS - About Form SS-4.
5. IRS - Form SS-4 (PDF).
6. IRS - Instructions for Form SS-4 (fax and mail timing; international phone applicants).
7. IRS - Responsible Parties and Nominees.
8. IRS - Change of Address or Responsible Party - Business (Form 8822-B).
9. IRS - Limited Liability Company (LLC) (default classification).
10. IRS - Single Member Limited Liability Companies.
11. Vermont Secretary of State - Corporations Division (entity filings).
12. Vermont Secretary of State - Online Filing.
13. Vermont Department of Taxes - Business Entity Income Tax.
14. Vermont Department of Taxes - Sales and Use Tax (license requirement).
15. Vermont General Assembly - Vermont Statutes, Title 11A, Chapter 15.
16. Cornell LII - 26 U.S. Code § 6109, Identifying numbers.
17. Cornell LII - 26 CFR § 301.6109-1, Identifying numbers.

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 amounts with the IRS and the Vermont Department of Taxes before acting.