IRS SS-4 Confirmation Letter: Who can get it and how to apply?

An EIN is a 9-digit number that is assigned to employers, trusts, sole proprietors, corporations, partnerships, estates, certain individuals, and other entities for tax filing and reporting purposes. Interested individuals need to submit a Form SS-4 with valid details to the IRS to get a confirmation letter including EIN. 

IRS SS-4 Confirmation Letter

An SS-4 Confirmation Letter is an official document provided by the IRS that confirms the issuance of an Employer Identification Number (EIN) to an individual’s business.

The IRS SS-4 confirmation letter includes the individual entity’s legal name, address, EIN, and the date of issuance. It can be used to validate an individual’s EIN for several financial and business activities. 

If you need your SS-4 Confirmation Letter then you need to submit an application form with accurate, valid, and complete details to the IRS. The information that an individual entered in this form may be used to determine which federal tax returns you’re required to file. 

Individuals can submit the form SS-4 by fax, online, or by mail. If an individual doesn’t have legal residence, principal place of business, or principal office or agency in the United States or United States territories, they may call 267-941-1099 from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. (Eastern time), Monday through Friday, to get an EIN. 

Who can get an IRS SS-4 confirmation letter?

Form SS-4 can be used to apply for an EIN. An EIN is a 9-digit number that is normally assigned to sole proprietors, corporations, partnerships, estates, trusts, and other entities for tax filing and reporting purposes.

The information that an individual enters in this form will assist in establishing their business tax account.

An EIN can be used for business activities only. Individuals can not use their EIN in place of their social security number (SSN) or individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN). So Anybody who wants to get an Employer Identification Number (EIN) for their business or organization purposes can apply for it by submitting a Form SS-4 to the IRS.

How can I apply for an IRS SS-4 confirmation letter?

Individuals can apply for IRS SS-4 confirmation letters online, by telephone (only for applicants who are living outside of the United States or United States territories), by fax, or by mail, depending on how soon they need to use the EIN. The steps to apply for an SS-4 confirmation letter are listed below.

  • Navigate to the https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-ss-4 website.
  • Locate the form SS-4 (Application for Employer Identification Number) button and then press it.
  • A form is displayed on the screen.
  • Enter all the required details such as the Legal name of an entity, City, state, ZIP code, Street address, Mailing address, Trade name of business, Type of entity, etc.
  • Select the reason for applying from the available options.
  • If an individual ever applied for and received an EIN then press the “Yes,” button or write the previous EIN in the required session.
  • After verifying all your entered details, Submit your form SS-4 to the IRS.
  • After reviewing your entered details in this form’s IRS will issue the SS-4 Confirmation Letter, complete with the authorized EIN for your business entity.

How long does it take to receive the SS-4 Confirmation Letter? 

After submitting the SS-4 application form to the IRS, the time it takes to receive your SS-4 Confirmation Letter can vary. It will depend on the method you used to apply for the form SS-4. When an individual submits this form online then they will receive their EIN immediately, and the confirmation letter will be available for download right away. 

Whereas if an individual submits their application form through fax, it typically takes about 4 business days to receive your EIN and confirmation letter. If an individual submits their SS-4 form by mail, it can take about 4 to 6 weeks to get their EIN and confirmation letter from the IRS.

If an individual’s entity needs to obtain an EIN, then they need to provide all of the valid required information on this form. IRS  will be unable to issue an EIN to individuals unless you provide all of the required details that apply to your entity. Keep in mind that if you provide false, wrong, or invalid information then you can be subject to penalties.

What do you need to do if changes occur in your circumstances?

As we know, keeping the Form SS-4 with current information is very important. If changes occur in individual circumstances such as an address, and phone number then It is very important to update the details that you entered in the form SS-4 and submitted to the IRS.

In this case, individuals need to use Form 8822-B to report changes about their responsible party, address, or location. Keep in mind that changes in responsible parties need to be reported to the IRS within 60 days.

But if an individual needs to update other types of information, such as the legal name of your entity, business name, and new location then they need to submit a new Form SS-4 with the updated details. 

You can also contact the IRS Business & Specialty Tax Line by calling 800-829-4933 for assistance. They can inform and guide the specific steps based on the changes you need to make.

Author

  • Makarand

    Dedicated writer for ehocstl.org, bringing finance to life through accessible, engaging articles. My goal is to simplify complex topics, inspire smart financial choices, and connect with readers through practical insights that matter.

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