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How to verify EIN in United States?

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EIN Search on Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts website​

EIN (Federal Employer's Identification Number) number search option is available for free on the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts website. You can find the EIN search here. This tool allows you to search for a company by its 11-digit Comptroller's Taxpayer Number or the 9-digit Federal Employer's Identification Number. You can also search for a company by its name in this page.

EIN Search
EIN Search

Example: 11334179840, 12726029916, 32055994043

A successful verification of the EIN on the EIN lookup tool on Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts website will return the following details

  • Name
  • Taxpayers ID
  • Zip
  • Mailing Address
  • Right to Transact Business in Texas
  • State of Formation
  • Effective SOS Registration Date
  • Texas SOS File Number
  • Registered Agent Name
  • Registered Office Street Address
Successful EIN Verification
Successful EIN Verification
Active EIN Verification details
EIN Verification Advanced Details
note

The Texas Comptroller portal covers only entities registered in Texas. For entities in other states, see the FAQ section below for alternative verification methods.

For more details on US tax identifiers, see our United States Tax ID Guide.

Frequently Asked Questions​

Why is there no official IRS public EIN lookup tool, and what alternatives exist?​

The IRS does not provide a public EIN verification database to protect taxpayer privacy. Available alternatives depend on entity type:

  • Public companies: EINs appear on SEC filings, searchable via EDGAR at sec.gov
  • Nonprofits: IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search at apps.irs.gov/app/eos/ and ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer
  • State-registered entities: Many US states list registered businesses via state comptroller/secretary of state portals (Texas is one of the most comprehensive)
  • W-9 process: The IRS-recommended method for B2B EIN verification — request a completed Form W-9 from the payee, which certifies their EIN under penalty of perjury
[1] [2]

The Texas Comptroller portal only covers Texas — how do I verify an EIN for a company registered in another US state?​

Other states have varying public business lookup tools: California at businesssearch.sos.ca.gov; Delaware at icis.corp.delaware.gov; New York at apps.dos.ny.gov/publicInquiry/. However, not all states include the federal EIN in public records. The most reliable cross-state approach is requesting a Form W-9 from the business. For 1099 reporting, the IRS TIN Matching Program (via IRS e-Services) lets authorized payers verify whether a name+EIN combination matches IRS records before filing. [1]

What is the IRS TIN Matching Program, and who can use it?​

The IRS TIN Matching Program allows authorized payers (those required to file Form 1099) to verify name/EIN combinations against IRS records. Available at irs.gov/e-services, it offers: Interactive TIN Matching (up to 25 combinations, instant); Bulk TIN Matching (up to 100,000 combinations, within 24 hours). Access requires IRS e-Services registration. It is not available to the general public — only to entities with a legal need to file information returns. [1]

I received a W-9 from a contractor — is the EIN on the form verified, or could they have provided a wrong number?​

A W-9 is a self-certification — the payee certifies their EIN under penalty of perjury, but you cannot independently confirm accuracy from the form alone. If the EIN does not match IRS records and you file a 1099 with an incorrect number, you may receive IRS backup withholding B-Notices requiring you to withhold 24% from future payments to that payee. To avoid this, use the IRS TIN Matching Program before filing the first 1099. If you receive a B-Notice, solicit a new W-9 and begin backup withholding until the discrepancy is resolved. [1]

What is the EIN format, and are there any checksum patterns that identify the issuing state?​

An EIN is a 9-digit number formatted as XX-XXXXXXX (two-digit prefix, hyphen, seven digits). The prefix historically identified the IRS campus that issued the EIN, but since 2001 the IRS centralized online issuance, so geographic prefix associations are no longer reliable. There is no checksum algorithm for EINs — a correctly formatted XX-XXXXXXX number cannot be validated offline. Common issues: (1) SSNs (identically formatted) submitted where EINs are required; (2) leading zeros in the second segment dropped by numeric-only fields. [1]

How can I verify the EIN of a US nonprofit organization?​

US tax-exempt nonprofits must file annual Form 990 returns, which are publicly available:

  1. IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search at apps.irs.gov/app/eos/ — search by name or EIN, returns exemption status and recent Form 990 filings
  2. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer at projects.propublica.org/nonprofits — user-friendly interface with financial summaries and downloadable 990 PDFs

These confirm the EIN is associated with a legitimate IRS-recognized tax-exempt organization. [1]

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