Getting an EIN for Your Wyoming LLC

An Employer Identification Number, or EIN, is a nine-digit number the Internal Revenue Service assigns to a business. Think of it as a Social Security number for your company. It identifies your Wyoming LLC on federal tax filings, on bank paperwork, and to vendors and payroll systems. It is sometimes called a Federal Tax ID Number or FEIN — same thing.

The EIN is federal, not a Wyoming filing

This is worth being clear about, because it confuses a lot of new owners. Forming your LLC happens at the Wyoming Secretary of State. Getting an EIN happens at the IRS. They are two separate steps with two separate agencies. Wyoming does not issue EINs, and the state does not need to see your EIN to form the LLC. You form first, then get the EIN for the now-existing company.

What you use it for

• Opening a business bank account — nearly every bank requires an EIN for an LLC
• Filing federal taxes and, where applicable, employment tax returns
• Hiring employees and running payroll
• Applying for business licenses, credit, or merchant accounts
• Keeping your Social Security number off business paperwork

Whether an EIN is strictly required depends on your LLC's structure, but in practice almost every LLC ends up getting one.

You are required to have an EIN if

• Your LLC has more than one member — multi-member LLCs are taxed as partnerships by default and must have an EIN to file
• You have employees, or plan to hire them
• You have elected to have the LLC taxed as an S-corporation or C-corporation
• You are required to file certain excise or employment tax returns

You should get one even if not strictly required

A single-member LLC with no employees can technically use the owner's Social Security number for federal income tax, because the IRS treats it as a disregarded entity. But almost every bank requires an EIN to open a business account in the LLC's name, and keeping your SSN off business documents is good practice. For a few free minutes of effort, an EIN is nearly always worth getting.

One EIN per entity

Your Wyoming LLC gets one EIN, and it stays with the entity. You do not get a new one each year or for each bank account. You would only need a new EIN in specific situations, such as certain changes in ownership structure or converting to a different entity type.

The IRS issues EINs at no cost. Be cautious of third-party sites that charge a fee just to "get" an EIN — the number itself is always free directly from the IRS.

Form your LLC first

Apply for the EIN after your Wyoming LLC is formed and appears on the state's record. Applying for an entity that does not yet exist creates mismatches that cause problems later. Once the Articles of Organization are processed and the LLC is active, you are ready.

Apply online — the fast path

If you have a U.S. Social Security number or ITIN, apply through the IRS EIN Assistant at IRS.gov. The online application takes roughly ten minutes, walks you through a short set of questions about the LLC, and issues the EIN immediately at the end. You can download and print the confirmation letter and start using the number the same day — for a bank account, for example.

Information you will need

• The LLC's exact legal name as filed in Wyoming, and any trade name
• The LLC's mailing address
• The name and taxpayer ID (SSN or ITIN) of the responsible party — generally a member who controls the LLC
• The number of members and the LLC's expected tax classification
• The reason you are applying, such as starting a new business

Wyoming is a popular formation state for owners who live outside the United States, so the non-resident EIN process comes up often. It is entirely doable — it just takes a different path.

The online application requires an SSN or ITIN

The IRS online EIN Assistant asks the responsible party for a U.S. Social Security number or ITIN. If you do not have one, you cannot use the online tool. This stops some non-U.S. owners in their tracks, but it is not the end of the road.

Apply by fax or mail with Form SS-4

Non-U.S. owners without an SSN or ITIN apply using IRS Form SS-4, the paper application, submitted by fax or mail. On the form you can indicate that the responsible party is a foreign person. Fax is faster than mail — the IRS typically returns the EIN by fax within a couple of weeks, versus longer for mail. You do not need an ITIN to obtain an EIN for the LLC this way; the entity can have an EIN even though the owner has no U.S. tax ID.

Plan for the timeline

If you are a non-U.S. owner, budget extra time. The fax route is not instant like the online tool, so if you have a bank appointment or a deadline, start the EIN process as soon as your Wyoming LLC is formed. Some formation services, including ours, can assist with obtaining the EIN so you are not navigating the SS-4 process alone.

A few recurring errors cause delays and confusion. They are all easy to sidestep once you know them.

Paying for something that is free

The EIN itself costs nothing from the IRS. Sites that charge a standalone fee purely to obtain an EIN are charging for a free government service. Legitimate formation services may include EIN assistance as part of a broader package — which is different from being charged a fee for the number itself.

Applying before the LLC exists

Get the LLC formed and active in Wyoming first. Applying for an EIN for an entity that is not yet on the state record leads to name and record mismatches.

Using the wrong name or a mismatched responsible party

Apply using the LLC's exact legal name as filed with Wyoming, and name a real responsible party who actually controls the company. Inconsistencies between your EIN records, your state formation, and your bank paperwork cause avoidable friction when you go to open accounts.

Losing the confirmation letter

Save the IRS confirmation (the CP 575 for new EINs) somewhere safe. Banks and other institutions may ask for it, and while you can request a replacement confirmation later, keeping the original is far simpler.