How to Get an EIN for a Utah Business
Short answer: An EIN (Employer Identification Number) is issued directly by the IRS, completely free, and if you apply online, you can get one immediately upon approval — the whole application generally takes around 15 minutes. There's no Utah-specific process for this; it's a federal number, the same regardless of which state your business is in.
Who this guide is for
Anyone forming a Utah business — an LLC, corporation, or a sole proprietorship that's hiring employees — who needs an EIN and wants to do it directly rather than paying a third party.
What you need before applying
- Your LLC or corporation already formed with the state (if applicable) — you generally need your entity's legal name and formation details before applying.
- The name, mailing address, and physical address of the business.
- The name and Social Security Number or ITIN of the "responsible party" — generally the person who ultimately owns or controls the business.
How to apply
The IRS's online EIN application is the fastest, and it's completely free directly from the IRS — no service fee at all. It's available on weekdays during specific hours (generally 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Eastern time), and needs to be completed in a single session rather than saved and resumed. If approved, you receive your EIN immediately at the end of the application.
You don't need to pay a third-party service for this
Plenty of formation and legal-services companies offer to "get your EIN for you" for a fee — but since the application itself is free and takes about 15 minutes directly through the IRS, there's rarely a good reason to pay someone else to do it unless you specifically want to avoid handling the application yourself for some other reason.
What an EIN is actually used for
- Opening a business bank account (most banks require one)
- Filing federal (and often state) business tax returns
- Hiring employees and handling payroll tax obligations
- Applying for business licenses and permits in many cases
When a sole proprietorship needs one (and when it doesn't)
A sole proprietorship with no employees can often use the owner's Social Security Number instead of a separate EIN — but many owners get one anyway, partly to avoid giving out their SSN for business purposes, and because many banks require an EIN to open a dedicated business account regardless of entity type.
Frequently asked questions
Does my Utah LLC need an EIN even if it has no employees? A single-member LLC with no employees may not be strictly required to have one for federal tax purposes, but most banks still require an EIN to open a business account, and an EIN keeps your business and personal identification separate — most owners get one regardless.
Can I apply for an EIN before my Utah LLC is officially formed? Generally, you need your Certificate of Organization approved first, since the EIN application asks for your legal business name and formation details tied to your actual state filing.
What if I lose or forget my EIN after receiving it? You can generally recover it by checking prior tax filings, your EIN confirmation notice, or by contacting the IRS directly — it isn't something the state of Utah tracks or can help you retrieve.