Getting an EIN for Your Minnesota LLP

An Employer Identification Number is a nine-digit federal tax ID that the IRS assigns to a business. It functions as the business equivalent of a Social Security number — it identifies the partnership on federal tax filings, on bank paperwork, and to the IRS and other agencies. For a Minnesota LLP, an EIN is not a nice-to-have; it is required.

Why an LLP always needs one

A single-member LLC can sometimes get by using the owner's Social Security number, because the IRS treats it as a disregarded entity. An LLP is different. By definition it has two or more partners, and it files a partnership tax return (Form 1065). The IRS requires a partnership to have its own EIN to file that return and to issue Schedule K-1s to the partners. There is no version of an operating LLP that runs on a partner's personal SSN — the partnership needs its own federal number.

What you use the EIN for

• Filing the partnership's federal return and issuing K-1s to the partners
• Opening a business bank account in the partnership's name — banks require the EIN
• Hiring employees and handling payroll tax filings and deposits
• Registering for Minnesota tax accounts, such as sales-and-use tax or employer withholding
• Establishing the partnership's identity with vendors and on official paperwork

The sequence matters a little. It is cleanest to have your LLP registered with the Minnesota Secretary of State first, so the partnership formally exists, and then apply for the EIN. That way the EIN application reflects an entity that is already on the record, and the name you give the IRS matches the name on your Statement of Qualification.

The practical order

• Register the LLP by filing the Statement of Qualification through the MBLS portal
• Once registered, apply for the EIN with the IRS
• Use the EIN to open the partnership bank account and register any needed Minnesota tax accounts

You do not have to wait days between steps — Minnesota online filings are generally processed the same day, and the IRS issues the EIN immediately during an online application, so the whole sequence can happen in a short window. Applying for the EIN before the LLP is registered risks a mismatch between the name the IRS has on file and the name the state ultimately records, which is a headache to untangle later.

The IRS issues EINs at no cost. Be skeptical of any service that charges a fee purely to "get" an EIN — the IRS provides it free, and applying is straightforward.

Apply online (the usual route)

The fastest way is the IRS EIN Assistant at IRS.gov. The online application takes roughly ten minutes, and the EIN is issued immediately at the end — you can download the confirmation and use the number the same day. The application is available during the IRS's posted online hours.

One partner completes the application as the partnership's responsible party. That person provides their own Social Security number or ITIN to verify identity, along with the partnership's legal name (matching the Statement of Qualification), its address, and basic information about the business.

Choosing the entity type on the application

When the application asks for the type of entity, select partnership. This matches how an LLP is taxed by default. The application will ask about the number of partners, the start date, and whether you expect to have employees. Answer these based on your actual situation; if you plan to hire, indicating so lets the IRS set up your employment tax accounts.

If the responsible party has no SSN or ITIN

A partnership whose responsible party does not have a US Social Security number or ITIN cannot use the instant online tool. In that case, apply by fax or mail using Form SS-4. This takes longer than the online route — fax responses come back in a matter of business days, mail longer — so plan ahead if this applies to your partnership.

Once the EIN is issued, keep the confirmation somewhere safe and durable. You will be asked for it repeatedly — by the bank, by the Minnesota Department of Revenue, by payroll providers, and at tax time. Treat the confirmation letter the way you would any core business document.

Put the EIN to work

• Open the partnership bank account. Most banks require the filed Statement of Qualification, the EIN confirmation, the partnership agreement, and ID for the authorized signers. Keeping partnership money separate from personal money is part of operating the LLP as a genuine separate business, which supports the liability shield.
• Register Minnesota tax accounts as needed. If the LLP sells taxable goods or services, register for sales-and-use tax with the Minnesota Department of Revenue. If it has employees, register for employer withholding and unemployment insurance. The EIN ties these accounts together.
• Use it on tax filings. The EIN goes on the partnership's Form 1065 and on the Schedule K-1s issued to partners.

When you might need a new EIN

An existing EIN generally follows the partnership as long as the same partnership continues. Certain structural changes — such as the partnership incorporating, or being taken over in a way that creates a new entity — can require a new EIN. A simple change of name, address, or registered agent does not. If your firm undergoes a significant structural change, check the IRS guidance or ask your CPA before assuming the old EIN still applies.

Mainstay Filing's core service is registering your Minnesota LLP with the Secretary of State — preparing and filing the Statement of Qualification and providing registered agent service. Getting the LLP registered first is what makes the EIN application clean, because the name you give the IRS matches the name on the state record.

The EIN itself is free and quick to obtain directly from the IRS, and applying is simple enough that many partnerships handle it themselves right after registration. We are glad to point you to the right IRS resource and explain how the EIN fits with your Minnesota registration and bank account setup. What we do not do is provide tax advice — how the partnership elects to be treated and how it structures its filings belong with a CPA. Our lane is the state registration that gets your LLP on the record and ready for the EIN, bank account, and everything that follows.