How to Verify a Vendor's EIN

Before you pay them. Before you file a 1099. The TIN Matching service and how to use it.

By the Easy Guides Editorial Team

Why you might need to verify a vendor's EIN

If you are paying a contractor or vendor more than $600 in a year, you need to file a 1099-NEC for them. The 1099 has the vendor's name and TIN (their EIN or SSN). If the name and TIN do not match IRS records, the IRS may issue you a backup-withholding notice.

Verifying the vendor's EIN before you pay them protects both of you.

Step 1: Get a W-9 from them

Before you pay any new contractor or vendor, ask them to fill out a Form W-9. The W-9 gives you their legal name, business structure, and TIN (which may be an SSN or EIN).

Without a W-9, you are required to backup-withhold 24% of every payment. With a properly-filled W-9, you can pay the full amount.

Full instructions on what a W-9 should contain on W-9 Easy Guide.

Step 2: Use the IRS TIN Matching service

The IRS offers a free service called e-Services TIN Matching. It lets you submit a name and TIN and confirms whether they match IRS records.

How to use TIN Matching
Eligibility
You must be required to file information returns (1099s) and have an IRS e-Services account.
Setup
Register at IRS.gov. The setup process can take a few weeks (the IRS mails an activation code).
Cost
Free.
Result
"Match," "No match," or "Invalid." If "no match," ask the vendor to recheck their W-9.

Step 3 (alternative): Look the EIN up if it is public

For some entities, the EIN is publicly available:

  • Public companies: SEC filings (10-K, 10-Q) include the EIN. EDGAR is the SEC database.
  • Nonprofits: Form 990 includes the EIN. ProPublica's Nonprofit Explorer or Candid (formerly GuideStar) is the easy lookup.
  • Government entities: Often listed in public records.

For private companies, there is no public lookup. The W-9 is your only path.

What to do if the TIN does not match

If TIN Matching returns "no match," the most common cause is the vendor wrote down the wrong name. For example:

  • An LLC where the EIN is for the LLC but the W-9 lists the owner's name (or vice versa)
  • An S corp where the W-9 lists the DBA instead of the legal name
  • A typo in either the name or the TIN

Ask the vendor for a corrected W-9. The most common fix is matching the name on the W-9 to exactly what the IRS has registered for that EIN.

Backup withholding when verification fails

If you have a TIN mismatch and the vendor has not corrected it within a reasonable time, you are required to start backup withholding at 24% on payments to them. The IRS calls this a "B-notice."

Backup withholding is a serious headache for the vendor (it is often the wake-up call that gets them to fix the W-9). It is also a compliance burden for you. Verifying TINs upfront is the simpler path.

Common questions

How do I verify an EIN?

For your own business, match it against your IRS confirmation letter or a filed return. For another business, ask them for a completed W-9, which is the standard way to collect and confirm a tax ID.

Is there a public EIN lookup?

Not a general one. Nonprofit EINs are searchable through the IRS tax-exempt organization tool, and public companies list theirs in SEC filings, but private business EINs are not public.

What if a vendor gives me a wrong EIN?

Ask for a corrected W-9 before you pay. A name and tax ID that do not match IRS records trigger a mismatch notice and can force you into 24% backup withholding on their payments.

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