How Do You Apply for a Nonprofit Tax ID Number?

Your business needs an employer identification number (EIN) even if it has nonprofit status. Without an EIN, you will not be able to file taxes, open a bank account, or process payroll for your business. GovDocFiling can help you determine the best method for applying for your nonprofit tax ID number.

The Purpose of Having an EIN for a Nonprofit Business

An EIN performs similar functions for a business as a Social Security number does for an individual. EINs are formatted like: 01-2345678. Along with the activities mentioned above, you need an EIN to hire employees, apply for business licenses, and file tax forms. You shouldn’t need to use your Social Security number to start up your nonprofit corporation. Before you submit your nonprofit 501c3 application, you should apply for an EIN with GovDocFiling.

Information You’ll Need to Get An EIN

If you’re ready to apply for an EIN for your nonprofit business, you should be ready to provide proof of the following:

  • You are an authorized officer or member of the tax-exempt organization or are an authorized incorporator or agent.
  • Your Social Security number.
  • The legal name of the organization.
  • The physical address of the organization.
  • The mailing address of the organization, if different than the physical address.

Once you have all of this information ready, you’re ready to get started.

Applying for Your EIN

The easiest way to apply for a nonprofit EIN is through GovDocFiling’s easy online form submission. This streamlines the process so you don’t have to worry about doing it all yourself. Once you submit your application, we’ll promptly email you your EIN once we receive it. The EIN application form is easy to fill out and only takes a few minutes.

Simplify the process of getting your EIN for your nonprofit corporation by using GovDocFiling instead of going through confusing IRS forms on your own. Simply select your entity type as Non-Profit Organization on this tax ID application page to start the process.

Application Processing Times

After you have submitted your application to GovDocFiling, you will receive your EIN on the same business day if you submit before 3pm. On weekends and after 3pm PST, you will receive your EIN via email on the next business day.

Your EIN is yours from the moment you receive the email, but it is important to remember that it can take time for the record too show up in every government database. This might delay the processing of paperwork that relies on the EIN, but by the time you receive your hard copy letter from the IRS confirming your EIN, you should be able to count on it being an active record in every necessary database. Those letters can take up to 30 days to arrive.

Do You Need More Than One EIN?

Individual business entities only need one EIN. In fact, the IRS will only issue them one. Individuals may need to apply for an EIN for more than one entity, though, and that is a fairly common occurrence. It happens when:

  • Individuals own a business and operate as executor of an estate at the same time
  • Individuals own two businesses at the same time
  • An entrepreneur has one business and becomes a partner in a second
  • Someone who is already the contact of record for a business EIN becomes the contact of record for a nonprofit’s EIN
  • Someone is the contact for multiple nonprofit entities

Whenever these situations arise, GovDocFiling is ready to support your needs. All you have to do is fill out an application for each EIN you need. There are options for every kind of entity, so select each application to fit your needs. If you file for them all on the same day, our processing policy applies to each of them. That makes it easy for you to register more than one business if it becomes necessary.

Questions? Send an Email

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us. Email response times are typically less than one full business day.