Getting an EIN for Your Indiana Corporation

An Employer Identification Number is the nine-digit federal tax ID that the IRS assigns to a business. It functions as the corporation's equivalent of a Social Security number — the identifier the federal government, banks, and other institutions use to recognize your business as a distinct taxpayer.

Why a corporation always needs one

Unlike a single-member LLC, which can sometimes get by on the owner's Social Security number, a corporation always needs its own EIN. Here's why:

• A corporation is a separate taxpayer. It files its own federal return — Form 1120 as a C-corporation, or Form 1120-S if it has elected S-corporation status — and that return requires an EIN.
• Banks require it. No bank will open a corporate account without the corporation's EIN.
• Payroll depends on it. Officers who work in the business are generally treated as employees, so the corporation runs payroll, which requires an EIN for withholding and employment tax filings.
• The S-corp election references it. Form 2553, used to elect S-corporation status, is tied to the corporation's EIN.

In short, there's no scenario where an operating Indiana corporation doesn't need an EIN. Getting it is one of the first things to do after your Articles of Incorporation are approved.

Timing matters a little. You generally want your corporation to legally exist before you apply for its EIN, so the two records line up cleanly.

Form the corporation first

Apply for the EIN after your Articles of Incorporation are approved by the Indiana Secretary of State. The EIN application asks for the corporation's legal name and formation details, so having the corporation officially on record first keeps everything consistent. Applying before the entity exists can create mismatches you'll have to untangle later.

Do it early in the setup sequence

Once the corporation is approved, get the EIN right away — it's a prerequisite for the next steps. You can't open the corporate bank account, set up payroll, or file the S-corp election without it. Because the online application issues the number immediately, there's no reason to delay; you can have it the same day the corporation is approved.

The IRS offers the EIN at no cost, and the online application is by far the easiest route for anyone with a US Social Security number or ITIN.

Applying online

1. Go to the EIN Assistant on the official IRS website — apply directly, not through a paid intermediary.
2. Select that you're applying for a corporation and identify the responsible party (typically an officer or the principal owner).
3. Enter the corporation's legal name, address, and formation details exactly as they appear on your Articles of Incorporation.
4. Complete the application in one session — it takes about ten minutes and can't be saved partway.
5. Receive your EIN immediately on screen. Download and save the confirmation notice.

The application is available during posted IRS hours and issues the number on the spot. Print or save the confirmation the moment you get it — retrieving it later is more of a hassle than saving it up front.

It's free

The EIN itself costs nothing when you apply directly with the IRS. Any charge you encounter is a convenience fee someone is charging to obtain it for you, not a government cost. For a straightforward corporation, applying yourself is quick and free.

The online application requires the responsible party to have a US Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN). If yours doesn't, there's still a clear path — it just isn't the instant online one.

The fax or mail route

If the responsible party has no SSN or ITIN, you apply using Form SS-4, submitted by fax or mail to the IRS. You complete the form with the corporation's details and the responsible party's information, and the IRS issues the EIN and returns it. Fax is faster than mail — often a few business days — while mail can take several weeks.

Practical notes for non-US owners

Foreign owners of an Indiana corporation can absolutely obtain an EIN; the SS-4 route exists precisely for this. Fill out the form carefully, since errors cause delays that are slow to resolve by fax or mail. Some owners work with a professional to prepare the SS-4 correctly the first time, given that the feedback loop is longer than the instant online process.

Once the EIN is in hand, it unlocks the rest of your corporation's setup and becomes a permanent part of its identity.

What you can do now

• Open the corporate bank account. Bring your filed Articles of Incorporation, the EIN confirmation, your bylaws, and ID for authorized signers.
• Set up payroll. Register for the employment tax accounts you'll need and begin withholding for any employees, including working officers.
• File the S-corp election, if you're making one. Form 2553 uses the EIN and has timing windows, so coordinate it with your CPA.
• Use it on tax and business filings. The EIN goes on the corporation's federal return and on many state and vendor forms.

Keep it safe and consistent

Store the EIN confirmation with your permanent corporate records. Use the exact corporate name associated with the EIN consistently across accounts and filings — mismatches between your EIN record, your bank, and your state registration cause friction. The EIN stays with the corporation for its entire life and is never reassigned to another entity, even after the corporation eventually closes.