EIN (Employer Identification Number)
An EIN is a US Employer Identification Number - a federal tax ID issued by the IRS that a business needs to hire employees, open a bank account, and file US taxes; the US counterpart to a German tax number.
Any German company forming a US entity (an LLC or corporation) will need an EIN almost immediately: US banks require it to open a business account, and it identifies the business to the IRS. Non-US founders without a US Social Security Number can still obtain an EIN - typically by filing Form SS-4 directly with the IRS. The EIN is to a US business roughly what the Steuernummer / tax number is to a German one.
Related providers: Accounting & Tax
See also: Steuernummer (German tax number), Inc. / Corporation
Frequently asked questions
- Can a German founder without an SSN get an EIN?
- Yes. A non-US person can apply for an EIN for their US entity, usually by submitting Form SS-4 to the IRS (by fax or mail, since the instant online tool requires a US tax ID for the responsible party).
- Is an EIN the same as a German Steuernummer?
- They serve a similar purpose - a tax ID for a business - but in different systems. The EIN is the US federal employer/tax identifier; the Steuernummer (and USt-IdNr) are the German equivalents.