Getting an EIN for a New Hampshire Limited Partnership

An Employer Identification Number is a nine-digit federal tax identifier issued by the IRS. Think of it as a Social Security number for the business — the number the government, banks, and other institutions use to identify the entity.

Why an LP always needs one

A limited partnership is a pass-through entity, but it still files its own federal return: Form 1065, the partnership return, plus a Schedule K-1 for each partner. Because the partnership itself is the filer, it needs its own tax ID to file — which is why, unlike a single-member LLC that can sometimes lean on the owner's Social Security number, an LP needs an EIN from day one no matter how small it is or how many partners it has.

Where you will use it

• Filing the partnership's federal return (Form 1065) and issuing K-1s
• Opening the partnership's bank account — banks require the EIN to open a business account
• Registering for New Hampshire business taxes with the Department of Revenue Administration
• Hiring employees and handling payroll tax obligations
• Establishing the partnership's identity with vendors, lenders, and counterparties

Timing matters. Apply for the EIN after the New Hampshire Certificate of Limited Partnership has been accepted, not before.

Why the sequence matters

The EIN application asks for the legal name of the entity and the state and date of formation. If you apply before the LP legally exists, you risk getting a number tied to a name or entity that does not match the state's record, which creates a mismatch you will have to untangle later with the IRS. The clean order is: file and get the Certificate of Limited Partnership accepted first, then apply for the EIN using the exact legal name as it appears on the certificate.

Getting the EIN early in the LP's life — right after formation — is smart, because you need it before you can open a bank account or register for state taxes, and those are among the first things a functioning partnership does.

The IRS issues EINs at no cost. The fastest path is the online EIN Assistant on the IRS website, which issues the number immediately once the application is complete.

The online application

• Go to the EIN Assistant at IRS.gov and select that you are applying for a partnership.
• Provide the LP's exact legal name and the New Hampshire formation details.
• Identify the "responsible party" — for an LP this is generally the general partner who controls the entity — including that person's name and Social Security number or ITIN.
• Complete the application in one session; the tool does not save partway through.

The online application is available only to applicants whose responsible party has a U.S. Social Security number or ITIN. When you finish, the EIN is issued on the spot and you can download the confirmation letter (the CP 575) and start using the number the same day.

If you cannot apply online

Applicants without a U.S. taxpayer ID for the responsible party — for instance, a foreign general partner without an SSN or ITIN — apply using Form SS-4, submitted by fax or mail. This route takes longer than the instant online issuance, so plan accordingly if it applies to your partnership.

Most EIN applications are routine, but a few points catch partnership applicants specifically. Getting them right the first time avoids calls to the IRS later.

The responsible party

The IRS requires a single "responsible party" — a person who controls or manages the entity. For an LP, that is generally a general partner, because the general partner is the one with management authority. It cannot simply be the partnership itself. If the general partner is an entity (say, an LLC serving as general partner), the IRS still wants a natural person behind it as the responsible party.

Match the name exactly

Enter the LP's legal name precisely as it appears on the accepted Certificate of Limited Partnership, including the "Limited Partnership," "L.P.," or "LP" designator. A mismatch between the EIN record and the state record causes friction when a bank cross-checks the two.

One EIN per entity

A limited partnership gets one EIN. Do not apply more than once for the same LP — duplicate applications create confusion in IRS records. If you already have an EIN and are only changing the responsible party or an address, that is an update, not a new application.

Beware paid "EIN services"

The EIN is free directly from the IRS. Services that charge a fee to "obtain your EIN" are charging for the convenience of filling out a free government form on your behalf. There is nothing wrong with paying for that convenience if you want it, but understand you are not paying the IRS — you are paying a middleman for a process you can complete yourself in about ten minutes.

With the EIN in hand, the LP can take the practical steps that turn it from a filed certificate into an operating business.

What the EIN unlocks

• Open the partnership bank account: bring the stamped Certificate of Limited Partnership, the EIN confirmation, the limited partnership agreement, and identification for the signers.
• Register for New Hampshire business taxes: the Department of Revenue Administration uses the EIN to associate the partnership with its Business Profits Tax and Business Enterprise Tax accounts.
• Set up payroll if the LP will have employees.
• File the annual partnership return (Form 1065) and issue K-1s at tax time.

Keep the CP 575 confirmation letter with the LP's permanent records alongside the certificate and the partnership agreement. Banks and agencies periodically ask for it, and having the original on file saves you from requesting a replacement (a Letter 147C) from the IRS down the road.