Two closed binders and a pen on a conference table, How to Get an EIN in Nevada

How to Get an EIN in Nevada

Last verified: November 5, 2026

An Employer Identification Number (EIN) is a federal tax ID, and the IRS issues it free. Nevada does not issue one, and you do not need a Nevada filing to start the process, but the IRS asks LLCs and corporations to form with the Nevada Secretary of State first. The fastest route is the IRS online application, which hands you the number on screen. This page covers who needs an EIN, the three ways to apply, and the Nevada steps that follow.

Who Needs an EIN

The IRS says you need an EIN to operate a partnership, an LLC or a corporation. A sole proprietor needs one only in specific cases: you have employees, you pay certain employment, excise, or alcohol, tobacco and firearms taxes, or you withhold taxes on certain income paid to a nonresident alien. A sole proprietor with none of those can keep using a Social Security number for federal taxes (IRS: Employer ID Numbers).

Whether you want one anyway is a practical call. Whether a bank or a client asks for an EIN is their rule, not the IRS's, so ask before you apply. The application is free and takes minutes, so a sole proprietor who does not want to hand a Social Security number to every vendor has little reason to wait.

Apply After You Form Your Entity

The IRS tells people creating a corporation or LLC to form it with the secretary of state before applying for an EIN, because applying first may delay the application (IRS: Get an EIN). In Nevada that means filing your LLC articles of organization or corporation articles of incorporation first. Our Nevada LLC guide covers that filing, and you can weigh doing it yourself against paying a service in our comparison of Nevada LLC services.

Do not apply as a sole proprietor as a stand-in for an LLC you have not formed yet. The entity type on the EIN application should match the entity you actually are, and a mismatch is a problem you create for yourself later.

What to Have Ready

  • Legal name: exactly as it appears on your Nevada filing.
  • Responsible party: the person who ultimately owns or controls the entity, with a Social Security number or ITIN for the online application.
  • Addresses: your business address and a mailing address for IRS letters.
  • Entity type and business activity: what you are and what you sell or do.
  • Start date and payroll: the date the business started or was acquired, and the date of your first wage payment if you will have employees.

Step-by-Step: Apply Online

Online is the right choice for most Nevada applicants. The IRS limits it to domestic entities with a principal place of business in the United States or its territories, and you must be the responsible party or an authorized representative (IRS: Apply for an EIN online).

Step 1: Open the IRS Application

Start from the IRS page for getting an EIN. The application runs Monday to Friday from 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. Eastern, Saturday from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern, and Sunday from 6 p.m. to midnight Eastern.

Step 2: Answer in One Sitting

The session expires after 15 minutes of inactivity, and you start over if it does. Keep the details above open in another window. The IRS allows one EIN per responsible party per day, so a typo you submit cannot be fixed by applying again the same day.

Step 3: Enter the Entity and Responsible Party

Choose the entity type that matches what you filed with the Nevada Secretary of State and enter the legal name exactly as filed. Then enter the responsible party's details and the business address.

Step 4: Review and Submit

Check the name, address and entity type before you submit, because the IRS issues the number on the spot and uses what you entered.

Step 5: Save Your Confirmation

Download or print the confirmation that appears when the EIN is issued, and keep it with your formation documents. You will need the number for payroll, federal returns and most business accounts.

Apply by Fax or Mail

Use Form SS-4 if you cannot apply online, for example when the responsible party has no Social Security number or ITIN. Download Form SS-4 and read the instructions for Form SS-4 for the line-by-line rules.

  • Fax: send the form to 855-641-6935. If you include a fax number, the IRS says it will fax a cover sheet with the EIN back in about 4 business days.
  • Mail: send it to Internal Revenue Service, Attn: EIN Operation, Cincinnati, OH 45999. The IRS says to expect your EIN in about 4 weeks.
  • Phone: the Business and Specialty Tax Line is 800-829-4933, Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time.

Those figures come from the IRS page on Employer ID Numbers. If you need the number this week, online is the only route that gives it to you immediately.

Common Mistakes

  • Applying before the entity exists: the IRS advises forming the LLC or corporation first, as above.
  • Typing a name that differs from the Secretary of State record: match your filing exactly, including "LLC".
  • Applying twice for the same business: one entity gets one EIN. If you lose the number, look through your IRS confirmation, bank records and past tax filings, or call the Business and Specialty Tax Line above.
  • Paying for an EIN: the IRS states that you never have to pay a fee for one and warns about websites that charge for it.
  • Forgetting to report a new responsible party: the IRS requires changes in responsible parties to be reported within 60 days on Form 8822-B.

What Comes Next in Nevada

The EIN is the federal step. These are the Nevada steps that follow, and they are where first-time owners most often go wrong.

  • State business license: the Nevada Secretary of State issues it, not the Department of Taxation, under NRS 76.100. Renewal runs with the annual list, covered in our annual list and license renewal guide and our Nevada business license guide.
  • Sales tax permit: if you sell taxable goods, register with the Nevada Department of Taxation. The Department's start and run a business page lists the sales tax permit fee as $15 per location. If you plan to resell goods, see our resale certificate guide.
  • Employees: the same Department of Taxation page says registering with the Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation also registers you for the Modified Business Tax. The agency's own site is not reachable from our servers, so confirm the current registration steps with the agency before you hire.
  • State income tax: Nevada has none, per the Department of Taxation, so your EIN mostly matters for federal filings and payroll. Which federal return you file depends on your structure; see the IRS page on business structures.

Where to Get Help

The Nevada Small Business Development Center offers business advising. For an unusual ownership setup, such as several owners or a foreign owner without a Social Security number, ask a Nevada CPA or attorney, because the right entity type and responsible party are judgment calls this page cannot make for you.

Disclaimer

This article is general information, not legal or tax advice. Confirm anything specific to your situation with the IRS, the named Nevada agency or a licensed professional.

Sources

Keep exploring: related Nevada guides