All entities created in the United States are required to obtain a Federal Tax ID Number (EIN Number) from the Internal Revenue Service in order to operate. Simply put, in order to do business in the US, hire employees, or open a bank account, just like individuals have social security numbers, entities need to get a Federal Tax ID Number, also referred to as an EIN (which stands for Employer ID Number). Gov Doc Filing simplifies the process of obtaining a federal tax id number with a one-page and simplified application process, quick turn around, and electronic e-mail delivery of your Tax ID Number.

Ready to file?

State EIN Filing Requirements

Each of the fifty states has their own state rules and regulations for businesses and entities, that may require additional document filings after you obtain your Federal EIN/Tax ID Number. The address used as the physical address of the business or entity in your EIN application, is the state in which you will need to research if there are additional state level, as well as even local or county level tax related or filing requirements.

For example, in California, if you want to do business under a name that is different than the legal name of the entity (such as for sole proprietors who’s legal name on their EIN is their name) you need to file a DBA (Doing Business As) at the county level. New York, Massachusetts, and South Carolina are states that almost always require state level tax ID Numbers, or for you to register your business with the Tax Department of the state.

There is no simple, or blanket answer if you will need to obtain a state level EIN, also referred to as an SEIN (State Employer Identification Number) or not, because it depends on multiple factors:

  • Your state’s laws and regulations
  • Your business entity type
  • The nature of your business activities and operations
  • If you hire employees, and what states your employees reside in

Whatever state is the primary address of your business, consult you state’s Secretary of State website to confirm the requirements and additional filings.

Federal EINs Are Required For All Entity Types

Unlike state EINs, federal EINs (FEINs) are always required for all entities. To easily obtain a Federal EIN, start your EIN application here by selecting your entity type. Your EIN application will be processed with the IRS and the number will be sent to you securely and quickly for your immediate use.

After getting a Federal EIN, LLCs (Limited Liability Companies), and Corporations (both S-Corporations and C-Corporations) are also required to register the formation of the entities with their state. This is called the state formation for LLCs or Incorporation for S-corporations and C-Corporations. LLCs are required to file a document known as the Articles of Organization with the state, and corporations file a similar document known as the Articles of Incorporation. These are the documents that act as a governing charter for the entity, which outline specific information about the new entity, such as the members, managers, server of process, and effective start date. Articles of Organization for LLCs, or Article of Incorporation for S-corps and C-corps, are documents provided by each state’s Secretary of State office, and there are filing fees associated with filing these documents which vary again based on which state your business entity resides.

File For State LLC EIN

File For State S-Corp

File For State C-Corp

Hiring employees is a very common reason that businesses need to get state level Tax ID Numbers, because hiring employees brings on a whole additional layer of both federal and state requirements, taxes, payroll, and insurance. In general, we refer to this as “compliance”. Again, every state has their own unique laws and requirements, and within each state, it can get even more complicated. To mitigate the complexity of these governmental systems and requirements, services like ADP offer a turnkey and simple online solution for businesses to streamline HR and payroll services that ensure compliance with no hassle.

Find Payroll Solutions

Interested in more state EIN filing information? Find your state below: