How to Check an Employer Identification Number

Check Your Employer's EIN Online

An employer identification number (EIN) is assigned to a company or employer by the IRS. Much like the way a Social Security number identifies an individual, an EIN can be used to identify an employer. It's relatively simple to check your employer's EIN. All you'll need is some basic information about your employer and access to the Internet or a public library.

Instructions

1. Check your pay stub and other company documents. Many employers display their EIN on pay stubs and company invoices. This is the easiest place to find an EIN; however, you may need to take additional steps to verify that the number is correct.

2. Check your company's website. Your employer may disclose its EIN on a company website. To check, use a search engine like Google Site Search to do an intrasite search for "EIN." The EIN should be a nine-digit number.

3. Check SEC filings. If your employer is a public company, they are legally required to disclose their EIN on SEC filings including 10-Ks and 20-Fs. The US Securities and Exchange Commission maintains a record of these filings on their EDGAR database. Searching the database is free and can be done online at the EDGAR web site.

4. Check Form 990. If your employer is a non-profit, it will most likely include their EIN on a publicly filed document called Form 990. There is a free website called Guidestar that collects 990s filed by non-profits. You will need to create an account and password to use the free search.

5. Head to the library. Many libraries use ReferenceUSA, a database of more than 14 million companies with EIN information. Your librarian will be able to help you access the database and search for an EIN.

6. Check a private database. Private information companies often have more up-to-date listings than government databases. A trial account at feinsearch.com gives you five free EIN searches to verify the EIN you have or find an EIN using a company name, address or phone number.

7. Use a fee-based service. If you can't verify your employer's EIN using a free service, you may want to try a subscription service like knowx.com. Your first EIN search is free, and additional searches cost $6.95 each. You can also use this database to search for tax liens against your employer, bankruptcies and other important information.

References

• US Securities and Exchange Commission - EDGAR database
• Guidestar

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish