The Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN) is a nine-digit tax identification number for businesses and other entities in the United States. While the FEIN is essential for tax reporting, hiring employees, and opening business bank accounts, no simple, universal public database exists for looking up a company’s number. Locating this number requires utilizing several distinct indirect methods because the number is generally treated as confidential information.
What is an FEIN and Why Is It Difficult to Find?
The FEIN serves as the business equivalent of an individual’s Social Security Number, used by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to track an entity’s tax obligations. Businesses must obtain this number before hiring employees, filing certain tax returns, or establishing a corporate bank account. This number is a foundational piece of a business’s legal identity, ensuring compliance with federal regulations.
The FEIN is treated with strict confidentiality because it functions as a taxpayer identifier. Federal law generally prohibits the IRS from publicly disclosing a taxpayer’s return information, including the FEIN. This confidentiality protects businesses from potential identity theft or misuse of sensitive tax data. Consequently, the FEIN is not published in a searchable directory, forcing interested parties to rely on secondary sources for verification.
Indirect Methods for Finding an FEIN
The lack of a direct public registry means finding an FEIN for a private business often involves utilizing specific disclosure requirements or third-party data collection. These strategies focus on documents and agencies that may possess the number for legal or commercial reasons.
Requesting Documentation Directly
The most direct approach is to request the number from the company itself, often by asking for a completed IRS Form W-9. This form is used by a business to provide its Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), which is the FEIN, to another party. The requesting party typically needs this form to comply with federal tax reporting requirements, such as issuing a Form 1099. Explaining the need for tax compliance often provides sufficient justification for the business to share the document.
Reviewing Public Filings
Searching certain state-level regulatory documents can occasionally yield the required identification number. Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) filings, for example, are public records filed with state agencies to perfect a security interest in business property. While the FEIN is not universally required, it may be included on these lien documents to clearly identify the debtor business. Similarly, real estate transaction documents or local permit applications sometimes contain the FEIN, depending on the specific state or municipality’s filing rules.
Checking Business Credit Reporting Agencies
Commercial credit reporting services frequently use the FEIN as a primary identifier to match a business to its credit file. Agencies like Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) or Experian maintain extensive databases on millions of companies. While these reports are proprietary and require a fee, purchasing a commercial credit report often provides the FEIN alongside credit scores and payment history. The D&B system uses a separate D-U-N-S Number to link a business to its credit profile, but the underlying FEIN is often captured and reported within the full file.
How to Find FEINs for Non-Profit Organizations
Non-profit organizations, particularly those recognized under section 501(c)(3), are subject to distinct public disclosure requirements that make their FEIN easier to locate. These entities must file an annual financial disclosure document known as IRS Form 990. The law mandates that Form 990 be made available for public inspection, and the FEIN is prominently listed on the first page.
The easiest method for accessing this information is through specialized public search tools that aggregate these filings. Resources like GuideStar allow users to search for non-profits and access copies of their Form 990s. The IRS also maintains the Tax Exempt Organization Search tool, which confirms tax-exempt status and provides direct access to the organization’s Form 990. This mandated transparency overrides general IRS confidentiality rules, making the process straightforward compared to finding the FEIN for a private company.
Locating FEINs for Publicly Traded Companies
Finding the FEIN for a publicly traded company is reliable due to mandated regulatory transparency. These companies must submit extensive financial and corporate disclosures to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The primary repository for this information is the SEC’s Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval (EDGAR) database.
The company’s FEIN is consistently listed near the top of its major filings, such as the annual report on Form 10-K, the quarterly report on Form 10-Q, and the current report on Form 8-K. Searching the EDGAR database by company name or ticker symbol provides immediate access to these documents. The FEIN is often displayed directly under the Company Information section on the entity landing page, making this process quick and efficient.
Alternatives to Using the FEIN for Verification
When the FEIN remains elusive, several alternative identifiers can serve a similar function for verifying a business’s identity and legitimacy. One common alternative is the D-U-N-S Number, a unique nine-digit identifier assigned by Dun & Bradstreet. This number links a business to its commercial credit file, which is often used by vendors, partners, and lenders to assess financial stability.
Another useful identifier is the state business registration number, assigned when a company registers its legal entity with the state’s Secretary of State office. This number can be used to search public state records to confirm the company’s legal status, address, and officers. Additionally, many states issue their own state tax identification numbers, which are distinct from the federal FEIN but can be used for verification within that state’s jurisdiction.