An EIN (Employer Identification Number) is issued by the IRS, while an LLC is formed by a state government — these are two completely independent processes. Registering an LLC does not automatically generate an EIN; it must be applied for separately. An EIN is subsequently used for opening a business bank account, federal tax filings, employee and payroll taxes, and various commercial service and payment platform reviews. It is not a business license, not US residency status, and not an ITIN — these concepts should not be confused with one another.
Get Your Information Together Before Applying
Assuming the LLC registration is complete and you have the state approval documents, organize the following before starting the EIN application: the LLC's legal name, state of formation, formation date, Registered Agent information, company address, who the Responsible Party is, and how the LLC will be classified for tax purposes. This information gets used repeatedly when filling out Form SS-4, and having it organized in advance prevents a lot of back-and-forth.
Determine Your Application Path First
US residents with an SSN or qualifying ITIN whose business has a principal place of business in the US can use the IRS online application system — free, submitted immediately, and the EIN confirmation page can be downloaded on the spot. For Chinese, Hong Kong, or other non-US residents with no SSN or ITIN and no US principal place of business, the IRS online system is closed. The online application explicitly requires the Responsible Party to have a valid SSN, ITIN, or qualifying US tax number — it's not possible to work around this requirement. The correct path in this situation is Form SS-4, submitted through the international application channel by fax, mail, or qualifying international phone call.
Who Is the Responsible Party — One of the Most Commonly Filled Incorrectly
Lines 7a through 7b of Form SS-4 ask for the Responsible Party — the person who actually controls the company's assets, funds, or operations. For a single-member LLC, this is typically the owner themselves. For a multi-member LLC, it depends on who actually exercises control. The IRS explicitly requires the Responsible Party to generally be a real individual, not another entity. Don't enter Bizee's name, and don't enter the Registered Agent company's name — these roles are completely different from the Responsible Party. This mix-up is one of the most common errors.
What to Do Without an SSN or ITIN
This is what non-US residents most need to understand clearly. Some commercial service websites suggest "apply for ITIN first, then apply for EIN" — but this is not required. According to IRS Form SS-4 instructions, international applicants who lack an SSN or ITIN and don't qualify for either can simply write "foreign" or "N/A" on Line 7b. There's no need to first obtain an ITIN and then circle back to the EIN application. This direct international path is an official IRS process — don't be misled by service provider websites into adding an unnecessary step.
How to Submit Form SS-4 via International Fax
Download Form SS-4 from the IRS website and fill it out accurately. For applicants located outside the US with no US principal place of business, the IRS's published international fax number is 304-707-9471. Fax the completed form along with a cover page that clearly states your name, return contact information, and phone number. A response typically comes within around 4 business days.
One detail the original didn't make clear: what the IRS returns by fax is a confirmation page with the EIN number, which can be used immediately for purposes like bank account applications. However, this fax confirmation is not the official CP-575 confirmation letter. The formal CP-575 is mailed separately to the address provided on the application, typically arriving four to six weeks later. Both documents should be retained — receiving the faxed page doesn't mean the process is complete.
Fields Most Commonly Filled Incorrectly
Legal Name (Line 1) must match the state-approved LLC documents exactly. If the company is "ABC Trading LLC," it must be entered in full — not "ABC Trading," and not a brand name substituted for the legal name. If the brand name differs from the legal name, the brand or DBA name goes in Trade Name (Line 2).
Mailing Address (Lines 4a–4b) is where the IRS will contact you and send tax documents. If using a US commercial address or virtual mailbox service, confirm that the service explicitly supports business communications and receiving IRS correspondence — not all virtual address services can serve this purpose.
Street Address (Lines 5a–5b) is not necessarily the same as the mailing address. If the physical address is outside the US, fill in the city, province/state, postal code, and country according to the requirements. A P.O. Box cannot be used as a physical address. Don't fabricate a fake US address to make the company "look American" — it's meaningless and can create complications in subsequent reviews.
Line 8 covers LLC-specific details including whether the entity is an LLC, the number of members, and tax classification follow-up questions. Single-member LLCs and multi-member LLCs have different default federal tax treatment: a single-member LLC without a specific tax election is generally treated as a "disregarded entity"; a multi-member LLC defaults to partnership treatment unless an election is made; LLCs electing corporate taxation involve separate classification rules. Don't copy a SS-4 sample form found online, especially for non-US resident-owned single-member LLCs, which may have specific information reporting requirements. Have a CPA or tax professional confirm the correct classification before filling this in.
Reason for Applying (Line 10) — for a newly formed company, "Started new business" is the most common and accurate selection.
Date Business Started (Line 11) — enter the date the company was officially formed or actually began operations. Don't enter a future date.
Closing Month of Accounting Year (Line 12) — many businesses choose December, but this isn't universal. The right answer depends on your tax classification and business situation. If uncertain, consult a tax advisor.
Self-Apply or Pay Bizee to File
The IRS application itself is free. Bizee offers a paid EIN filing service at whatever price appears at checkout. If the SS-4 form is readable and the company structure is straightforward, self-applying is the least expensive option and keeps full control in your hands. If this is a first-time US company registration and the process feels unfamiliar, paying for a service can save effort and reduce the risk of errors that cause delays. One important clarification regardless of approach: the EIN is issued by the IRS whether self-filed or filed through Bizee. Bizee only facilitates submission. The official document received is IRS-issued EIN confirmation (such as CP-575) — there's no such thing as a "Bizee tax number."
Once the EIN Arrives, Manage the Documents Properly
Download the EIN confirmation PDF immediately and create both cloud and local backups. Organize a dedicated company document folder containing the Articles of Organization, Operating Agreement, EIN Confirmation, Registered Agent documentation, and state government filing records in one place. These documents will likely be required when applying for a bank account, Stripe, PayPal, Mercury, Airwallex, business credit cards, and some e-commerce platform reviews. Having them organized in advance is far easier than searching for them under pressure.
EIN and ITIN Are Not the Same
An EIN is an entity-level tax identification number issued by the IRS for business taxes, account opening, employee payroll, and commercial credit. An ITIN is an individual-level tax identification number, also issued by the IRS, primarily for personal tax purposes. These serve completely different functions. Not having an SSN doesn't prevent owning an LLC; owning an LLC doesn't require having an EIN before registration; having an EIN doesn't require first obtaining an ITIN. For international applicants without an SSN or ITIN, the IRS directly provides the SS-4 international channel path for EIN applications — there's no fixed prerequisite chain between these concepts.
Common Errors to Avoid
Don't enter a fake SSN on the form — applicants without one should write "foreign" or "N/A" as appropriate. The company name must match the state-approved LLC documents exactly, without variation. Don't enter the Registered Agent company's name as the Responsible Party — they are entirely different roles. Don't apply for multiple EINs for the same entity — confirm whether the company already has an EIN before applying. The IRS explicitly discourages duplicate applications. After receiving the EIN, don't misplace the documents — they'll be needed for bank accounts, tax filing, and other purposes, and should be kept permanently.
EIN Is One Step in the Process, Not the Finish Line
After obtaining an EIN, the next steps for a cross-border e-commerce operation are: organize company document records, apply for a business bank or financial account, apply for payment services, connect Shopify or WooCommerce, and establish accounting and tax records. Don't rush to start collecting payments immediately after receiving the EIN without addressing these steps. More importantly: a US single-member LLC held by a non-US resident may have federal tax filing obligations, information reporting requirements (such as Form 5472 paired with a Pro Forma Form 1120), state-level obligations, sales tax requirements, and annual report obligations. The specific requirements depend on ownership structure, LLC tax classification, US business activity, income sources, and state. Receiving an EIN does not mean US tax compliance is complete — they are completely separate matters. For specific determinations, engage a CPA or tax attorney.