Getting an EIN for Your Kansas Corporation

The IRS assigns each business an Employer Identification Number — a nine-digit federal tax ID. It identifies your corporation to the federal government the way a Social Security number identifies a person. It's sometimes called a Federal Tax ID Number, and it's free from the IRS.

Why a corporation always needs one

This is a key difference from LLCs. A single-member LLC with no employees can sometimes operate on the owner's Social Security number. A corporation cannot — it's a separate taxpaying entity that files its own federal returns, so it needs its own federal ID from day one. There's no version of a corporation that runs on an owner's SSN.

What you use the EIN for

• Filing the corporation's federal tax returns — Form 1120 for a C-corp, Form 1120-S for an S-corp
• Opening the corporate bank account — banks require the EIN to open a business account
• Hiring employees and running payroll — payroll tax filings are tied to the EIN
• Making an S-corporation election — Form 2553 requires the corporation's EIN
• Establishing business credit and dealing with vendors who ask for a tax ID

The EIN is one of the first things you set up after the state approves your Articles of Incorporation, because so much else — the bank account especially — depends on having it.

Timing matters. Apply for the EIN after your corporation is officially formed, not before.

Form the corporation first

The EIN application asks for the corporation's legal name and details as they'll exist as a formed entity. Applying before the Secretary of State approves your Articles of Incorporation risks a mismatch between the name on your EIN and the name on your state record. Wait until the corporation is approved and its name is locked in, then apply. Since Kansas often processes online formations the same business day, the wait is usually short.

Apply before you need the bank account

The most common reason to want the EIN quickly is the corporate bank account — you can't open one without it. If you have a bank appointment or a funding deadline, get the EIN right after formation so it's ready. The online application issues the number immediately, so this rarely becomes a bottleneck for applicants who qualify to file online.

There are a few ways to apply, and which one you use depends mostly on whether the corporation's responsible party has a US Social Security number or ITIN.

Online — the fastest way

Apply through the IRS EIN Assistant at IRS.gov. The application takes about ten minutes, and the EIN is issued immediately at the end — you can download the confirmation and start using the number the same day. The online tool is available during the IRS's posted hours and must be completed in one session; it doesn't save partway through.

To apply online, the responsible party — the person who controls or manages the corporation — must have a valid US Social Security number or ITIN. The online path is the right choice for the large majority of US-based corporations.

By fax or mail — for those without an SSN or ITIN

If the responsible party doesn't have an SSN or ITIN — common for non-US owners of a US corporation — you apply using Form SS-4, submitted by fax or mail. Fax is faster than mail, generally returning the EIN within a few business days; mail takes longer. There's no online option in this case, so plan for the extra time.

What you'll need to apply

• The corporation's exact legal name as filed with Kansas
• The corporation's address
• The responsible party's name and SSN, ITIN, or (for the SS-4 route) an indication that none applies
• The reason for applying (starting a new business), the type of entity (corporation), and basic details like the number of expected employees

The EIN process is simple, but a few predictable errors cause real headaches. Knowing them in advance saves you the trouble.

Applying before the corporation exists

Getting the EIN before the state approves your Articles can lock in a name that then doesn't match your official record. Form first, then apply. The small wait is worth avoiding a mismatch that confuses banks and the IRS.

Paying a third party for a free number

The EIN is free directly from the IRS. Services that charge a fee just to "get your EIN" are charging for something you can do yourself in ten minutes online. A legitimate formation package may obtain the EIN as part of a bundle for convenience, but the number itself never costs anything at the IRS.

Getting the responsible party wrong

The responsible party is the individual who actually controls the corporation — not a nominee or a hired agent. Naming the wrong person creates problems later, especially with banks and the IRS. For a small corporation, this is usually the majority owner or the person running the company.

Losing the confirmation

The EIN confirmation (the CP 575 notice or the online download) is your official proof of the number. Save it — banks and the IRS may ask for it. If you lose it, you can request a replacement letter (a 147C) from the IRS, but it's far easier to file the original confirmation somewhere safe from the start.

Mixing up entity types

When you apply, select corporation as the entity type — not sole proprietorship, not LLC. Choosing the wrong type on the EIN application misclassifies your business with the IRS and can complicate your tax filings. Since your Kansas filing created a corporation, the EIN application should say so.