How to Get an EIN for Free in 2026 (and What Filing Services Charge)

Short answer: The IRS issues an employer identification number (EIN) for free, online, in minutes, and its own page says you never have to pay a fee for one. Filing services sell help with the form, not a different number. Bizee lists its standalone EIN service at $70 and ZenBusiness at $99, both read on 10 October 2026. Pay only if you want someone else to fill in the application or bundle the EIN with formation.

Our analysis: We set the IRS route against the two standalone filing services whose EIN prices we could confirm that day. The IRS pages set the rules for every route, including a limit of one EIN application per day. Each price below comes from one of those pages, all read on 10 October 2026.

What the IRS requires

An EIN is the federal tax number that identifies a business. The IRS overview lists the entities that need one to operate, and a limited liability company (LLC) is on that list. The same overview says you can get an EIN for free directly from the IRS in minutes.

The online application has three conditions. The business must be a domestic organization, formed or created in the United States or a U.S. territory. You must be the responsible party, meaning the person in control of the entity, or an authorized representative acting for that person. And you need the responsible party's Social Security number (SSN) or individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN). Check those three before you start. If you are unsure whether you need an ITIN as well, read ITIN vs EIN.

The tool is also open on fixed hours. The IRS lists them in Eastern Time: Monday to Friday from 6:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. the next day, Saturday from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., and Sunday from 6:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. Plan the application for those hours instead of waiting for a deadline night.

Steps to get the EIN for free

1. Check that you qualify. Confirm the business is domestic, that you are the responsible party or its authorized representative, and that you have the responsible party's SSN or ITIN in hand.

2. Gather the entity details. Have the legal business name exactly as it appears on your state formation papers, the entity type, and the state where the business was formed. Use the same legal name everywhere, because the rest of your paperwork will carry it.

3. Start from the IRS site. Open the IRS application directly rather than through a search ad. The IRS warns on its own page: "Beware of websites that charge for an EIN."

4. Submit once, after checking each answer. If the application is approved, the IRS issues the EIN immediately online. The IRS allows one EIN application per day, so a second try the same day is not an option.

5. Use another route only if you must. If you cannot apply online, the IRS page points you to phone, fax and mail options. Those count toward the same daily limit.

What the daily limit means for you

The IRS overview puts it in one line: "You can apply only for 1 EIN per day, whether online or by phone, mail or fax." The rule covers the business, not the method. A phone call, a fax and an online form all count toward the same day. The page sets no yearly cap and no per-responsible-party cap, so the limit is about the day, not about how many EINs you can hold over time.

The free route has a real cost that does not appear on any price list. You complete the form yourself, during the IRS hours, and nobody reviews your answers before they go in. A paid service takes that work off your hands. The question is whether that work is worth the standalone price to you.

What filing services charge for the same number

The gap between the free route and the cheapest standalone service is $70 for one number. Both services say they do the filing for you: Bizee handles the paperwork, and ZenBusiness prepares and files it. The IRS still issues the number, so what you buy is the form-filling and, at ZenBusiness, the accuracy guarantee.

Bizee also says its Standard and Premium packages include the EIN for free, but their prices are not in the table. A package is a different purchase from a standalone EIN, so price the whole package before you count the EIN as free. Bundles such as doola and Stripe Atlas include an EIN in their fee, and the IRS charges nothing for it. doola vs Stripe Atlas shows what each bundle costs in year one.

What it costs over time

For a one-owner LLC, the EIN costs $0 through the IRS and $70 to $99 through a standalone service. The ZenBusiness Pro Package changes that comparison because it renews. Paying $199 a year for three years comes to $597 ($199 x 3), before state fees, and only if the price holds at each renewal. If the EIN is the only thing you need, compare the standalone price with the IRS's $0, not with the bundle.

Paying makes sense in three cases. You do not want to answer the application questions yourself. You want the accuracy guarantee ZenBusiness attaches to its $99 service. Or you already buy formation from the same provider and want the EIN in the same checkout. In each case you pay for the service, not for the number.

If you can apply during the IRS hours and your entity details are settled, the free route gives you the same number for nothing. Paying a standalone price in that situation buys convenience, not a government fee.

What the EIN unlocks next

Keep the number with your formation papers. These pages cover the decisions that come after it:

• How much it costs to start an LLC puts the EIN next to the state filing fees and the annual charges.
• How to pay yourself from an LLC covers owner pay once the business is running.
• If you plan to open a business bank account, compare the best free business checking accounts and the business bank account ranking, and read the Novo review and the Mercury review.
• For the tax side, how to file taxes for free covers personal return options, not business filings.
• For the bookkeeping side, compare free accounting software and the cheapest accounting software for a small business before you pick a tool.

Frequently asked questions

Is an EIN really free from the IRS?

Yes. The IRS says you can get an EIN for free through its own online tool, and its application page says you never have to pay a fee for one. A filing service charges for help with the paperwork, so its fee is not a government fee.

How long does it take to get an EIN?

If the online application is approved, the IRS issues the EIN immediately, so the time is the time it takes you to finish the form. Bizee delivers within one business day, and ZenBusiness's Pro Package includes 1-day processing. A paid service cannot beat an approved IRS application on speed.

Can I apply for more than one EIN in a day?

No. The IRS allows one EIN application per day, whether you apply online, by phone, by mail or by fax. If you are setting up more than one entity, spread the applications across separate days, and read each entity's details twice before you submit.

Does a single-member LLC need an EIN?

The IRS overview lists limited liability companies among the entities that need an EIN to operate. It does not separate single-member LLCs from multi-member ones, so check the IRS guidance for your setup before you decide.

Is a filing service worth paying for an EIN?

Only when the paperwork is the real problem. A standalone service costs more than the IRS route, which costs nothing. What you buy is someone else completing the form, and at ZenBusiness, an accuracy guarantee. If you are comfortable with the questions on the IRS page, the free route gives you the same number.

How we checked this

We verified the pages below on 10 October 2026: the IRS application page, the IRS EIN overview, the Bizee EIN page, the ZenBusiness EIN page and the ZenBusiness pricing page. Every price on this page comes from those pages, except the $597 three-year total, which is our arithmetic. The table covers the services whose EIN prices we confirmed that day, so other providers are not in it.

Cite this: Finpresso, "How to Get an EIN for Free in 2026 (and What Filing Services Charge)", October 2026.

This page is general information, not personalized financial or tax advice. Confirm terms, fees and eligibility with each provider and with the IRS before you apply or pay.

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