🇺🇸 Where to Fax Form SS-4 for an EIN, With or Without an SSN
📅 Updated October 2026 · 🌍 Send from any country
✦ Quick Answer
Fax Form SS-4 to 855-641-6935 if you are a domestic applicant. If you have no legal residence or principal business in the United States, fax 304-707-9471 when you are outside the US, or 855-215-1627 when you are inside it; international applicants can also call 267-941-1099. By fax, the EIN generally comes within 4 business days. Select United States, type the 10 digits, and pay $2.99 for up to 3 pages. Delivery usually takes a few minutes, you get a confirmation email with the number, page count and time, and you are refunded automatically if it fails.
Fax Form SS-4 to the IRS, $2.99
The Form SS-4 Fax Numbers
These come from the IRS Instructions for Form SS-4. Pick the row that matches the applicant, then fax that number.
| Applicant | Fax number |
|---|
| Domestic applicant (legal residence, principal business or principal office in the US) | 855-641-6935 |
| No legal residence or principal business in the US, sending from outside the US | 304-707-9471 |
| No legal residence or principal business in the US, sending from within the US | 855-215-1627 |
By fax, the IRS says you generally get the EIN within 4 business days. The 304 number is not toll-free, which is normal; on OverseasFax every US number costs the same. For other IRS forms, our guide to how to fax the IRS lists each number.
Why You Cannot Apply Online Without an SSN
The IRS online EIN application requires a responsible party with an SSN, EIN or ITIN. A foreign founder with no US presence usually has none of those, so there is no online option. That leaves fax, mail, or the international phone line. Fax is the one that gives you a written record of exactly what you sent and when.
Fax Form SS-4 to the IRS, $2.99
The Phone Option for International Applicants
International applicants can call the IRS at 267-941-1099. It is not toll-free, and it is for international applicants only. The IRS no longer issues EINs by telephone for domestic taxpayers, so a business in the US applies online or by fax to 855-641-6935.
Use one method only. If you fax the form, do not also call or mail it, because more than one application for the same entity can end in two EINs that have to be untangled.
The rule: one entity, one application, one method. Fax the signed SS-4 to the number for your row, then wait the 4 business days before doing anything else.
Getting the EIN Back
Form SS-4 has a line for the applicant's fax number. OverseasFax only sends faxes, so if you want the reply by fax you need a number that can receive. Our sister service GetAFax.com gives you a US fax number for 24 hours for $5, with anything received delivered to your email. Plan the timing: the number is active for 24 hours, and the EIN generally comes within 4 business days.
Other choices: a fax number at your registered agent or a US contact who will forward it promptly, or leaving the fax line blank and waiting for the IRS letter by mail. Keep whatever the IRS sends you, because banks and payment platforms often ask for it.
Fax Form SS-4 to the IRS, $2.99
Download the current Form SS-4 from IRS.gov and complete it for the entity. Use an address where you reliably receive mail; the form has separate lines for the mailing address and the street address. Line 7b asks for the responsible party's SSN, ITIN or EIN, and the Form SS-4 instructions explain what to enter when the responsible party has none of them. Read that paragraph before you sign.
Form the entity first in most cases, since the form asks for details such as its legal name and type. Sign and date the form, then scan it at 300 DPI or higher. The mailing address for each group of applicants is in the instructions if you would rather mail it.
All three SS-4 numbers are US numbers. Select United States and type the 10 digits with no leading 1 and no spaces: 3047079471 from abroad, 8556416935 for a domestic applicant. Our guide to faxing a US number covers the format.
A cover page is optional. If you use one, keep it to one page: the entity's legal name, "Form SS-4, EIN application", the page count, your email and the return fax number you wrote on the form. Form SS-4 is a single page, so a form plus cover page is $2.99, inside the 3 pages included. Extra pages are $0.99 each. If the fax cannot be delivered, the money goes back to your card automatically.
Fax Form SS-4 to the IRS, $2.99
Applying From Outside the United States
Most people who search for this live abroad and are forming a US LLC. OverseasFax runs in any browser, so you can send from any country, from a phone or laptop, with no fax machine and no account. Once the EIN arrives, the next IRS fax for a foreign-owned single-member LLC is usually the annual Form 5472, faxed to 855-887-7737. If a US professional will deal with the IRS for you, they need a Form 2848 on file.
Why send it here
One price for the whole fax, shown before you pay, and nothing added at checkout.
Nothing is printed on your document. It arrives exactly as you uploaded it.
If it cannot be delivered, the money goes back to your card without you asking.
It works from anywhere. Send from any country, in any browser, with no account.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cost and what you get
Is there a cheaper way to fax Form SS-4?
OverseasFax charges $2.99 for up to 3 pages and $0.99 for each extra page, from the US or any other country, with no account, no subscription and nothing added at checkout. Free fax services do exist, but they usually cap the number of pages and print their own advertising on the cover page, which you do not want on an IRS form.
Can I fax Form SS-4 for free?
Free fax services generally limit you to a few pages and add their own advertising to the cover page. For an EIN application, a clean fax with a timestamped confirmation for $2.99 is the safer choice.
How many pages is a Form SS-4 fax?
Usually 1 or 2 pages: the signed form plus an optional cover page. That is $2.99, since up to 3 pages are included.
Which countries can I fax the IRS from with OverseasFax?
Any country. The destination is a US number, so the price is $2.99 for up to 3 pages and $0.99 per extra page wherever you are.
Sending a fax
How do I get an EIN for my LLC if I don't have a Social Security Number?
Fax Form SS-4 to the IRS. The online application needs a responsible party with an SSN, EIN or ITIN, so without one you fax or call. From outside the US with no US residence or principal business, the fax number is 304-707-9471, and the EIN generally comes within 4 business days.
I'm in Germany starting a Wyoming LLC. How do I send Form SS-4 to the IRS?
Fax it to 304-707-9471, the number for applicants outside the US with no US residence or principal business. Sign the form, scan it to PDF, select United States on OverseasFax, type 3047079471 and pay $2.99 for up to 3 pages. You can also call 267-941-1099 instead.
Can I fax Form SS-4 from my phone without a fax machine?
Yes. OverseasFax runs in any phone browser. Upload the scanned form, select United States, type the 10-digit IRS number with no leading 1, and pay. No app, no account and no fax machine.
What address do I use on Form SS-4 if my business address is outside the United States?
Use an address where you reliably receive mail, which can be outside the US. The form has separate lines for the mailing address and the street address, and the Form SS-4 instructions explain each one.
What do I put on Form SS-4 line 7b if I have no SSN or ITIN?
Follow the line 7b paragraph in the current Form SS-4 instructions, which explains what to enter when the responsible party has no SSN, ITIN or EIN. Read it before you sign, and never make up a number for that line.
Can I get an EIN without forming a US LLC first?
Form the entity first in most cases, because Form SS-4 asks for details of the entity such as its legal name and type. Ask your formation service or tax professional if you are unsure about the timing.
Can I fax the SS-4 for a corporation or partnership from abroad too?
Yes. Form SS-4 is used for many entity types, and the fax number depends on where the applicant is based, not the entity type: 304-707-9471 from outside the US with no US residence or principal business, or 855-641-6935 for a domestic applicant.
What resolution should my scanned SS-4 be?
300 DPI or higher in black and white is a safe choice, so every line and the signature stay readable after fax compression.
What happens if I apply for an EIN twice by mistake?
You can end up with two EINs for the same entity, which is a mess to untangle. Use one application method only: if you faxed, wait the 4 business days rather than also calling or mailing.
Where do I mail Form SS-4?
To the mailing address the Form SS-4 instructions give for your group of applicants. Fax is faster: by fax the EIN generally comes within 4 business days.
Fax numbers and format
What is the SS-4 fax number for a US business?
855-641-6935, the fax number for domestic applicants in the Form SS-4 instructions. Select United States on OverseasFax and type 8556416935.
What is the IRS fax number for Form SS-4 from outside the US?
304-707-9471, for applicants with no legal residence or principal business in the United States who are sending from outside the US, per the Form SS-4 instructions. If you are physically inside the US, use 855-215-1627 instead.
Where do I fax Form SS-4 if I am a foreign owner visiting the United States?
855-215-1627. That is the number for applicants with no legal residence or principal business in the US who are sending from within the US. Once you are back outside the US, the number is 304-707-9471.
Is 304-707-9471 the right IRS number for international EIN applications?
Yes, for applicants with no legal residence or principal business in the US who send from outside the United States. It is not a toll-free number, which is normal; on OverseasFax you pay the same $2.99 for up to 3 pages either way.
Do the Form SS-4 fax numbers change, and how do I verify the current one?
They can. Open the current Instructions for Form SS-4 at irs.gov/instructions/iss4 and check the number for your applicant group before you send. As of October 2026 they are 855-641-6935 for domestic applicants, and 855-215-1627 or 304-707-9471 for applicants with no US residence or principal business.
Do I type the 1 before the SS-4 fax number?
No. Select United States and type the 10 digits only, for example 3047079471. The country code is added for you, and an extra 1 makes 11 digits, which fails.
Can I apply for an EIN online as a non-US resident?
Not without an SSN, EIN or ITIN for the responsible party. The online application requires one, so with no US presence there is no online option. You fax Form SS-4 to 304-707-9471 from outside the US, or call 267-941-1099.
Can I call the IRS to get an EIN from abroad instead of faxing?
Yes, if you are an international applicant: call 267-941-1099, which is not toll-free. The IRS no longer issues EINs by phone for domestic taxpayers. Faxing gives you a written record of what you sent and when.
Can I get an EIN by phone if my business is in the US?
No. The IRS no longer issues EINs by telephone for domestic taxpayers. Domestic applicants apply online or fax Form SS-4 to 855-641-6935.
Receiving a reply
Does the IRS fax my EIN back to me, and do I need my own fax number?
It can, if you write a fax number on the form where it asks for one, and you need a number that can receive. OverseasFax only sends. Our sister service GetAFax.com gives you a US fax number for 24 hours for $5 with faxes delivered to your email, or you can leave the fax line blank and wait for the IRS letter by mail.
Can I receive the EIN fax on GetAFax if it takes 4 business days?
Yes, but plan the timing: a GetAFax.com number is active for 24 hours for $5, while the EIN generally comes within 4 business days. If you cannot time it, list a fax number that is always on, such as a US contact's, or leave the line blank and wait for the letter.
Can my registered agent receive the EIN fax for me?
Yes, if they have a fax number and agree to forward it, you can write their number in the fax line of the form. Make sure they forward it promptly, because you will need the EIN for banking.
Delivery, proof and safety
How long does it take to get an EIN by fax from the IRS?
Generally within 4 business days, according to the Form SS-4 instructions. The fax itself usually reaches the IRS within a few minutes of sending, and your confirmation email shows the exact time.
How do I get proof the IRS received my SS-4?
The clearest sign is the EIN itself arriving. Until then, your OverseasFax confirmation email is your dated record that the fax went through, with the destination number, page count and time. Keep it until the EIN arrives.
What happens if my SS-4 fax fails to deliver?
You are refunded automatically and can resend right away. Check that you selected United States and typed 10 digits with no leading 1; if the line was busy, try again a little later.
Is it safe to fax a form with my personal details through OverseasFax?
The fax goes point to point to the IRS number you enter and the file is deleted from our servers once it has gone. Nothing is printed on your document and there is no account. The main risk is a wrong number, so match it to the current Form SS-4 instructions.
More questions
How do I get a foreign EIN number?
A foreign person or foreign-owned entity gets an EIN by faxing Form SS-4 to 304-707-9471 from outside the US, or by calling 267-941-1099. There is no separate foreign version: it is the same kind of EIN any US entity gets.
What is the IRS SS-4 letter?
People often mean the IRS notice that confirms a new EIN after Form SS-4 is processed. Keep whatever the IRS sends you with the EIN, by fax or by mail, because banks and payment platforms often ask for it.
Can I use my new EIN before the confirmation letter arrives?
Once the IRS has assigned the EIN and sent it to you, that is your number. Some banks and platforms ask for the IRS letter itself, so keep whatever the IRS sends you, by fax or by mail.
Do I need an ITIN before I can get an EIN?
No, not for the fax or phone route. Without an SSN, EIN or ITIN you cannot use the online application, so you fax Form SS-4 or, as an international applicant, call 267-941-1099.
Do I need an EIN before filing Form 5472?
Yes. The LLC's EIN goes on Form 5472 and the pro forma Form 1120, which are faxed to 855-887-7737. Get the EIN first; our Form 5472 guide covers the filing and the $25,000 penalty for not filing.
Does getting an EIN mean I owe US taxes?
No. An EIN is an identification number, not a tax bill. What you owe depends on your activities. A foreign-owned single-member LLC does have an annual Form 5472 filing, which carries a $25,000 penalty if missed.
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