Do You Need an EIN for Paying a Nanny or Household Employee?
The short answer, when exactly you need one, and how to get it free, for 2026.
By the Easy Guides Editorial Team
Yes. Here's exactly when you need an EIN for this, and how to get one free.
Do you need an EIN for this?
If you pay a household employee, a nanny, housekeeper, or in-home caregiver, cash wages over the annual threshold (about $2,800 for 2026), you're a household employer and need an EIN. You use it to report and pay the 'nanny taxes' (Social Security, Medicare, and unemployment) on Schedule H with your personal return. Your personal SSN can't be used for employment tax reporting.
How to get your EIN, free, in about 15 minutes
However you answer above, getting an EIN is free. Apply directly on the IRS website and you'll have your number immediately, never pay a third-party site that charges $100, $300 for a free government service. See how to apply and why the paid sites are a scam.
Common questions
Do I need an EIN to pay a nanny?
Yes, if you pay a household employee more than the annual threshold (about $2,800 in 2026). You need an EIN to report the nanny taxes on Schedule H, your SSN can't be used for payroll reporting.
Is a nanny an employee or a contractor?
Almost always an employee, not a contractor, because you control how and when the work is done. That's why you (not the nanny) owe employment taxes and need an EIN, a W-9/1099 arrangement is usually incorrect for household workers.
Is the household-employer EIN free?
Yes, free from the IRS, issued immediately online. You'll use it every year on Schedule H.