Getting an EIN for Your Idaho Nonprofit

Issued by the IRS, an Employer Identification Number is a nine-digit federal tax identification number. Think of it as a Social Security number for your organization — it's how the IRS, banks, and other institutions identify your nonprofit as a distinct entity. It's sometimes called a Federal Tax ID or FEIN, but it's the same thing.

The name is misleading for nonprofits. "Employer Identification Number" makes it sound like you only need one if you have employees. That's not how it works. Every nonprofit needs an EIN regardless of whether it ever hires anyone, because the EIN is required for the foundational steps of standing up the organization.

What you use it for

• Opening a bank account. No bank will open an account for your nonprofit without an EIN. This alone makes it essential — you can't accept and manage donations properly without a dedicated account.
• Applying for 501(c)(3) status. The IRS exemption application (Form 1023 or 1023-EZ) requires your EIN. You can't apply for tax-exempt status without it.
• Filing your annual 990 return. Your federal information return is filed under your EIN.
• Hiring employees and running payroll, if and when you do.
• Applying for grants, many of which ask for your EIN as identification.

Between the bank account and the 501(c)(3) application, the EIN is a gating requirement for nearly everything a new nonprofit needs to do.

The single most important timing rule is this: get your Articles of Incorporation accepted by the Idaho Secretary of State first, then apply for the EIN. Don't do it in the other order.

Why order matters

When you apply for an EIN, the IRS asks for your organization's exact legal name and formation details. If you apply before the state has accepted your articles, you risk locking in a name or details that don't match your official state record — and a mismatch between your EIN registration and your incorporation can cause headaches later, especially during the 501(c)(3) application when the IRS cross-checks everything.

The right sequence

1. File your Articles of Incorporation with the Idaho Secretary of State and wait for acceptance.
2. Apply for the EIN using the exact legal name from your accepted articles.
3. Adopt bylaws and hold your organizational meeting.
4. Open your bank account using the EIN and your filed articles.
5. Apply to the IRS for 501(c)(3) recognition, using your EIN on the application.

Following this order keeps your state and federal records aligned from the start and prevents the correction work that comes from getting an EIN prematurely.

The good news: getting an EIN is free and fast. The IRS issues EINs directly at no charge, so be wary of any site that offers to get you one for a fee — you're paying for something the government provides for free.

The online application

The fastest route is the IRS EIN Assistant. The application is available during posted hours, takes about ten to fifteen minutes, and issues your EIN immediately upon completion. You can download the confirmation notice (the CP 575) right away and start using the number the same day.

What you'll need

• Your nonprofit's exact legal name and Idaho address, as they appear on your accepted articles.
• The type of entity — you'll indicate it's a nonprofit or church-controlled/other nonprofit organization.
• The name and Social Security number or ITIN of the "responsible party" — typically a principal officer, such as the president or executive director.
• The reason for applying (starting a new organization) and the date the organization was formed.

If the responsible party has no SSN or ITIN

The online application requires the responsible party to have a Social Security number or ITIN. If yours doesn't, you can still get an EIN by submitting Form SS-4 by fax or mail, which takes longer than the instant online option but works.

A few predictable errors cause the most trouble. Knowing them in advance saves you from redoing work.

Applying before incorporation

Covered above but worth repeating: get your articles accepted first. An EIN tied to a name or details that don't match your state record is a problem you'll have to unwind.

Paying a third party for a free service

The EIN is free from the IRS. Sites that charge a "processing fee" to obtain one are charging for the free government service. If someone's fee genuinely bundles the EIN into broader formation help you want, that can be fine — but never pay a standalone fee just for the number itself.

Getting more than one EIN

Your nonprofit needs exactly one EIN for its lifetime. Applying again because you misplaced the confirmation, or because you slightly changed your name, creates duplicate records and confusion. If you lost your EIN, retrieve it from your prior filings, your bank, or by calling the IRS — don't apply for a new one.

Naming the wrong responsible party

The responsible party should be a genuine principal officer who controls the organization, not a volunteer helper or an outside consultant. If that person later leaves, you can update the responsible party with the IRS, which keeps your records accurate. Choosing carefully up front avoids cleanup later.