Walks through the IRS Form SS-4 EIN application, flags the trip-wires that cause IRS rejections, and outputs a ready-to-submit form. Live tool fills the form; the snapshot shows the answer matrix for the trickiest fields.
LLC, sole prop, partnership, or corp. Most US LLCs answer 'Limited Liability Company' on line 9a and check the box for the appropriate member count.
Must be a natural person with SSN, ITIN, or (for some non-resident scenarios) just a passport identifier when filing by fax. Cannot be an entity in most cases.
US-resident with SSN: online (instant). Non-resident or entity without SSN: by fax to the IRS (5-7 days).
Pre-filled SS-4 ready to sign and submit. Anonymousllc.co handles the actual submission as a $99 service if you'd rather not.
Flat $99 EIN service: we prepare SS-4, fax to IRS Cincinnati on your behalf, and deliver the CP-575 confirmation. Works for non-residents without SSN. 5-7 business days.
Buy EIN Acquisition - $99Static snapshot pulled from current state filing fees, statutes, and pricing data. Updates when source data changes.
| Field | SMLLC, US-resident | SMLLC, non-resident | Multi-member LLC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Line 8a (LLC?) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Line 8b (members) | 1 | 1 | 2+ |
| Line 8c (US-organized?) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Line 9a (entity) | Single-Member LLC (may be left blank, see instructions) | Single-Member LLC | Partnership (default) or Corporation (if elected) |
| Line 7b (responsible party ID) | SSN | ITIN or 'Foreign' | SSN/ITIN of one member |
| Filing channel | Online (instant) | Fax SS-4 to IRS Cincinnati (5-7 days) | Online if responsible party has SSN |
| Third-party designee | Optional | Recommended - Anonymousllc.co files for you | Optional |
The most common rejection causes: (a) responsible party field claims 'N/A' instead of writing 'Foreign' when ITIN not yet issued, (b) member count mismatch between Line 8b and Line 9a, (c) checking the wrong box for tax classification on Line 9a. Anonymousllc.co's $99 EIN service handles all three correctly.
Non-resident founders without an SSN file Form SS-4 by fax to IRS Cincinnati, not online. The responsible party field accepts the word "Foreign" or an ITIN when one has been issued, and IRS Cincinnati processes the fax within 5-7 business days. The online EIN assistant is closed to applicants who lack an SSN or ITIN, which is why the fax channel exists. The IRS returns the CP-575 EIN confirmation letter by mail, or by fax-back when the applicant requests it on the form. This is the exact path Anonymousllc.co runs for non-resident owners at $99. The service prepares the SS-4, faxes it, tracks the confirmation, and delivers the EIN letter, so a founder without a US tax ID still opens a US bank account.
The responsible party is the natural person who controls, manages, or directs the entity and its funds. It must be a human, not another company, in almost every LLC case. For a single-member LLC the responsible party is the sole member. For a multi-member LLC it is the managing member or manager. The form requires that person's true legal name and their SSN, ITIN, or a "Foreign" designation when no US tax ID exists. A formation provider's address serves as a mailing address, but the provider is not the responsible party. The IRS wants the person who actually controls the entity, and misstating this is a frequent rejection cause.
The three most common rejection causes are the wrong tax-classification box on Line 9a, a member count that conflicts between Line 8b and Line 9a, and a missing or mis-entered responsible party identifier. Each rejection adds 4-6 weeks. Writing "N/A" in the responsible party field instead of "Foreign" when no ITIN has been issued is a specific trap for non-residents. A stale mailing address and the wrong "reason for applying" choice also trigger IRS correspondence that delays the EIN. Because a fax rejection restarts the 5-7 day clock and can push the timeline past a month, the helper flags each of these fields before the SS-4 is submitted. The $99 service handles all three correctly on the first pass.
A US-resident responsible party with an SSN files online and receives the EIN instantly. A non-resident or an applicant without an SSN files by fax to IRS Cincinnati and waits 5-7 business days. The mail channel takes 4-6 weeks. The instant online channel issues the EIN at the end of a single session, which is why US-based single-member owners rarely use fax. The fax channel is the workhorse for non-residents because it is the only route that accepts a "Foreign" responsible party. Anonymousllc.co obtains the EIN 5-7 business days after filing and sequences it right after the state accepts the formation, so banking, which starts after the EIN, lands about 8-10 days later through Mercury, Relay, and Bluevine.
An EIN identifies the business entity; an ITIN identifies an individual. The LLC uses the EIN for banking and tax filings, while an owner needs an ITIN only when they must file a personal US return. EIN stands for Employer Identification Number and is issued to the entity by the IRS at $99 through the service. ITIN stands for Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, is issued to a person via Form W-7 at $299, and applies when a personal filing obligation exists. Most non-resident owners need the EIN immediately to open a bank account and add an ITIN later if a 1040-NR obligation arises. The two are separate applications and are not interchangeable.
US banks require the EIN to identify the business for tax reporting and to satisfy customer due-diligence rules. Without the EIN and an operating agreement, a bank will not open a business account. The EIN ties the account to the entity rather than to the owner's personal tax identity, which keeps the LLC's finances separate and supports the liability shield. Banks pair the EIN with the formation documents and the operating agreement to verify the entity is real and properly organized. Anonymousllc.co obtains the EIN first, then submits 4-5 US bank applications through Mercury, Relay, and Bluevine, with bank approval landing about 8-10 days after the EIN issues.
Line 9a asks for the entity's federal tax classification. A single-member LLC that has not elected corporate treatment is a disregarded entity, and the SS-4 instructions direct the applicant away from checking "Corporation" for that default case. A multi-member LLC defaults to partnership on Line 9a unless it has elected corporate or S-corp treatment. Checking "Corporation" without an actual election is the classic Line 9a error that produces an EIN attached to the wrong tax status. The field matrix in the snapshot above shows the correct entries for a US single-member LLC, a non-resident single-member LLC, and a multi-member LLC, which is where most applicants go wrong.
Anonymousllc.co prepares Form SS-4, files it by fax to IRS Cincinnati, tracks the confirmation, and delivers the EIN letter, all for $99 flat. Every formation package already includes the EIN, so the standalone price applies to existing entities. The service names a valid responsible party, selects the correct Line 9a classification, and enters "Foreign" where a non-resident has no ITIN, avoiding the rejections that add weeks. It confirms the EIN before handing off to the banking step. Because the EIN issues 5-7 business days after filing, a customer who orders formation and EIN together moves straight into the 4-5 bank applications without a separate wait or a second intake.
5-minute WhatsApp intake. 5-10 day turnaround.