What is a Texas EIN number?
A Texas EIN number is the 9-digit Employer Identification Number the IRS assigns to a business registered in Texas. It is a federal number, not a state number. The IRS issues it for $0 through Form SS-4.
The number prints in a 2-digit and 7-digit format separated by a hyphen, like 12-3456789. The IRS runs no separate series for Texas. The same 18-field Form SS-4 produces the EIN for a Houston freight broker, an Austin software studio, and a Lubbock farm supply store, and the same form produces one in the other 49 states.
Texas businesses carry 2 numbers, and confusing them is the most expensive mistake on this page. The IRS issues the 9-digit EIN. The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts issues an 11-digit Texas taxpayer number for franchise tax and sales tax. A bank asks for the first. The franchise tax report asks for the second.
An EIN never expires and never renews. That puts the cost in year 2 at $0 and the cost in year 10 at $0. A Texas entity keeps the same EIN through address changes, county moves, registered agent changes, and every bank it ever opens.
How do you get an EIN number in Texas?
You get an EIN number in Texas by filing Form SS-4 with the IRS: free online at irs.gov in 15 minutes if you have an SSN, or by fax to 855-641-6935 if you do not. The IRS fee is $0.
Register the entity with Texas first. The IRS issues EINs to entities that legally exist, and line 11 asks for a state approval date. The Texas Secretary of State runs that registration. A Certificate of Formation for a Texas LLC on Form 205 costs $300. The same certificate for a for-profit corporation on Form 201 costs $300. A Texas nonprofit corporation on Form 202 costs $25.
The 5 steps, in order
- File the Certificate of Formation with Texas first. The Texas Secretary of State approves the entity. Form 205 for an LLC costs $300. Form 201 for a for-profit corporation costs $300.
- Copy the legal name off the Texas approval (line 1). Line 1 of Form SS-4 must match the Secretary of State record character for character, including LLC or L.L.C.
- Pick the county for line 6 (1 of 254). Line 6 takes a county and a state. Texas holds 254 counties, more than any other state, so the answer is one county name plus Texas.
- Answer line 7a and line 7b (2 fields). Line 7a takes one person who controls the funds. Line 7b takes their SSN, their ITIN, or the word Foreign.
- File the form (15 minutes online, or by fax). File at irs.gov in 15 minutes with an SSN, or fax to 855-641-6935 from a Texas address and 855-215-1627 from abroad.
Sources: IRS Form SS-4 and its instructions; Texas Secretary of State, business filing fee schedule. Verified July 2026.
Keep the Texas approval document open while you fill the form. Line 1 and line 11 both copy straight off it. Preparation is not the slow part of a Texas EIN application. IRS processing is, and the processing time depends entirely on which of the 2 routes above applies to you.
The Texas Secretary of State charges $25 per document for expedited handling of the formation filing. That $25 speeds up the state step, and it changes the IRS step by 0 days. The 2 queues are separate.
Is a Texas EIN number the same as a Texas taxpayer number?
No. The EIN is a 9-digit federal number issued by the IRS for $0. The Texas taxpayer number is an 11-digit state number issued by the Texas Comptroller for franchise tax and sales tax. Most Texas businesses hold both.
| Number | Issued by | Digits | Fee | Covers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EIN | IRS (federal) | 9 | $0 | Federal returns, payroll, US bank accounts |
| Texas taxpayer number | Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts | 11 | $0 | Franchise tax, sales and use tax |
| Texas file number | Texas Secretary of State | 10 | $300 with the LLC filing | Legal existence of the entity |
Sources: IRS; Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts; Texas Secretary of State. Verified July 2026.
The order matters, and Texas punishes getting it wrong with a second trip. The Secretary of State registration comes first, the federal EIN comes second, and the Comptroller account comes third, because the Texas sales and use tax permit application asks for the federal EIN. Apply for the state permit before the EIN exists and the application stops at that field.
A Texas sales and use tax permit costs $0 from the Comptroller. That $0 is a separate $0 from the IRS $0. Neither one substitutes for the other, and neither number appears on the other agency's records automatically.
The wider comparison of federal and state identifiers sits on the state tax id vs ein page, which covers how the pairing works in every state.
Which Texas county goes on line 6 of Form SS-4?
Line 6 takes the county of the principal business location, then the state. Texas holds 254 counties, the most of any state, so the answer is 1 county name plus Texas. A city name on line 6 causes delay.
This is the field Texas applicants get wrong most, because the largest Texas cities carry names nothing like their counties. San Antonio sits in Bexar County. Austin sits in Travis County. Dallas is one of the few where the city name and the county name match. The IRS reads line 6 as a county, and it does not translate a city into one for you.
The 10 largest Texas cities and their line 6 counties
| City on your address | County for line 6 | Line 6 entry |
|---|---|---|
| Houston | Harris | Harris, Texas |
| San Antonio | Bexar | Bexar, Texas |
| Dallas | Dallas | Dallas, Texas |
| Austin | Travis | Travis, Texas |
| Fort Worth | Tarrant | Tarrant, Texas |
| El Paso | El Paso | El Paso, Texas |
| Arlington | Tarrant | Tarrant, Texas |
| Corpus Christi | Nueces | Nueces, Texas |
| Plano | Collin | Collin, Texas |
| Lubbock | Lubbock | Lubbock, Texas |
Sources: IRS Form SS-4 instructions for line 6; Texas Secretary of State county records. Verified July 2026.
Applicants with no Texas office still complete line 6. Use the county named on the Texas registered agent address in your Certificate of Formation. An owner living overseas enters a Texas county the same way an owner in Fort Worth does, because line 6 describes the entity and not the person.
Two more Texas entries carry state information. Line 9b takes Texas for a corporation incorporated there. Line 11 takes the date the Secretary of State approved the Certificate of Formation, printed on the approval itself.
How does a Texas LLC get an EIN number?
A Texas LLC gets an EIN by filing Form SS-4 after the Secretary of State approves its Certificate of Formation. Line 8a is checked yes, line 8b takes the member count, and line 8c is checked yes.
The number on line 8b decides federal tax treatment for the life of the company. 1 member defaults to a disregarded entity. 2 or more members default to a partnership. A Texas LLC that wants corporate treatment files a separate election after the EIN arrives, because the election form carries the EIN in its header.
A single-member Texas LLC owned by a person outside the United States files Form 5472 with a pro forma Form 1120 every year. Form 5472 requires the EIN. That is why the EIN comes before the first tax season, not after it.
The Texas LLC calendar and its fees
| Item | Filed with | Deadline | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate of Formation, LLC (Form 205) | Texas Secretary of State | Before the EIN application | $300 |
| Certificate of Formation, corporation (Form 201) | Texas Secretary of State | Before the EIN application | $300 |
| Certificate of Formation, nonprofit (Form 202) | Texas Secretary of State | Before the EIN application | $25 |
| Assumed name certificate (Form 503) | Texas Secretary of State | Before trading under a DBA | $25 |
| Foreign LLC registration (Form 304) | Texas Secretary of State | Before doing business in Texas | $750 |
| EIN application (Form SS-4) | IRS | After state approval | $0 |
| Franchise tax report and Public Information Report | Texas Comptroller | May 15 each year | $0 under the threshold |
Sources: Texas Secretary of State filing fee schedule; Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Verified July 2026.
The EIN sits outside that calendar. It costs $0 to obtain, $0 to keep, and it carries no annual deadline of its own. Every recurring date in the table belongs to Texas, and the single federal line in it is the only $0 that repeats forever.
The full walkthrough of the LLC route sits on the EIN for LLC page, and the field rules behind every answer are on the Form SS-4 checklist.
How do you get a Texas EIN number without an SSN?
Enter the word Foreign on line 7b of Form SS-4. The IRS issues EINs to responsible parties who hold no SSN and no ITIN. The application moves from the online tool to the fax line, and no passport is required.
| Channel | Number | Who uses it |
|---|---|---|
| IRS fax, US-based entity | 855-641-6935 | The Texas entity has a US business address |
| IRS fax, international | 855-215-1627 | The Texas entity has no US business address |
| IRS international phone line | 267-941-1099 | International applicants calling the IRS directly |
Source: IRS, verified July 2026.
Line 7b is the field that decides the route. The IRS online assistant validates the responsible party against SSN and ITIN records, so an applicant holding neither stops at that screen. The paper form runs no such check. One word on line 7b opens the fax route.
Line 7a still takes a person. Texas law requires every LLC to name a registered agent, and that agent is not the responsible party. A registered agent entered on line 7a fails the application. Name the individual who controls the entity and its money.
Lines 5a and 5b stay blank when there is no US street address. Line 4a accepts a foreign mailing address with the country written out, and that is where the CP-575 goes. Line 6 stays a Texas county throughout.
The full no-SSN walkthrough sits on the apply for EIN without SSN page, and the non-resident master guide is EIN for foreigners.
Does the Texas franchise tax affect your EIN number?
No. The franchise tax is a Texas Comptroller obligation filed under the 11-digit Texas taxpayer number. The EIN is federal and costs $0. The Comptroller account is opened using the EIN, then reports run separately.
Texas charges 0% personal income tax. The state raises business revenue through the franchise tax instead, which is why a Texas entity that owes no income tax still files something every May 15. Knowing the difference stops the most common Texas panic: an EIN holder who believes a federal number triggered a state bill.
| Texas figure | Value | What it applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Personal income tax rate | 0% | Individuals in Texas |
| Franchise tax no-tax-due threshold | $2.47 million | Annualized total revenue |
| Franchise tax rate, most entities | 0.75% | Taxable margin above the threshold |
| Franchise tax rate, retail and wholesale | 0.375% | Taxable margin above the threshold |
| EZ computation rate | 0.331% | An optional simplified calculation |
| Franchise tax report due date | May 15 | Every year the entity exists |
| State sales tax rate | 6.25% | Taxable sales in Texas |
| Maximum local sales tax add-on | 2% | City, county, and district rates |
| Maximum combined sales tax rate | 8.25% | State plus local, capped |
| Sales and use tax permit fee | $0 | Registering with the Comptroller |
Source: Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Verified July 2026.
Every number in that table is a Texas number. Not one of them changes the EIN application, which asks 18 questions and charges $0 in Texas, in Florida, and in the other 48 states. The EIN sits above state lines, which is why an entity that moves from Travis County to Harris County keeps the same 9 digits.
How long does a Texas EIN number take?
A Texas EIN takes 15 minutes online with an SSN, 4 business days by fax, and 4 weeks by mail. Formation state changes IRS processing by 0 days. einnumber.co files within 5 business days, or 24 hours on Fast.
| Method | Time to EIN | SSN required | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| IRS online assistant | 15 minutes | Yes | $0 |
| IRS fax, Form SS-4 | 4 business days | No | $0 |
| IRS mail, Form SS-4 | 4 weeks | No | $0 |
| IRS international phone | During the call | No | $0 |
| einnumber.co Standard | 12–14 business days total | No | $67 |
| einnumber.co Fast | Under a week | No | $97 |
Source: IRS Form SS-4 instructions, verified July 2026. Business days are Monday to Friday, excluding US federal holidays.
One Texas detail changes the clock on your desk. The IRS online assistant runs Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Eastern. Most of Texas sits in the Central time zone, so the window opens at 6 a.m. and closes at 9 p.m. in Houston, Dallas, and Austin. El Paso sits in the Mountain zone, where the same window reads 5 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The session ends after 15 minutes of inactivity and restarts from the first screen, so keep the Texas Certificate of Formation open before you begin. Fax carries no tracking number and no status page. That gap is what the $67 buys: we file by fax within 5 business days of your completed details, and on Fast we file within 24 hours and make the IRS call for $97, or the filing is free.
The full method-by-method breakdown sits on the how long does it take to get an EIN page.
What does Form SS-4 ask a Texas applicant on each line?
Form SS-4 asks the same 18 numbered fields of every applicant. Texas changes 4 answers: the legal name on line 1, the county on line 6, the state approval date on line 11, and Texas on line 9b for corporations.
| Line | What it asks | The Texas answer |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Legal name of entity | The exact name on the Texas Secretary of State record, character for character, including the entity suffix. |
| 2 | Trade name (DBA) | A Texas assumed name filed on Form 503 for $25 goes here. An assumed name never receives its own EIN. |
| 4a, 4b | Mailing address | Where the IRS mails the CP-575. A foreign mailing address is accepted, with the country written out in full. |
| 5a, 5b | Street address | Complete these 2 lines only when the physical Texas street address differs from line 4. A P.O. box fails on line 5a. |
| 6 | County and state of the principal business | One of the 254 Texas counties, then Texas. Houston is a city; Harris is the county the IRS asks for. |
| 7a | Responsible party | One human being who controls the entity and its funds. A Texas registered agent on line 7a triggers rejection. |
| 7b | SSN, ITIN, or EIN of the responsible party | An SSN or ITIN when the responsible party holds one. The word Foreign when the responsible party holds neither. |
| 8a, 8b, 8c | LLC questions | A Texas LLC checks yes on 8a, enters its member count on 8b, and checks yes on 8c because it was organized in the United States. |
| 9a, 9b | Type of entity | One box on 9a. A Texas corporation enters Texas on line 9b as the state of incorporation. |
| 10 | Reason for applying | Started a new business, or banking purpose when the EIN opens a US business bank account. |
| 11 | Date the business started | The date the Texas Secretary of State approved the Certificate of Formation, not the date you signed it. |
| 13 | Highest number of employees in the next 12 months | A number in all 3 boxes: agricultural, household, other. Enter 0 in each box when you hire nobody. |
| 16, 17 | Principal activity and merchandise | One box on line 16 and a specific description on line 17. Oilfield equipment repair is specific. Services is not. |
| 18 | Prior EIN | Answer yes only when the entity on line 1 already holds an EIN. A second EIN opens 2 tax accounts under 1 company. |
Source: IRS Form SS-4 and its instructions, verified July 2026.
The 5 mistakes that reject Texas applications
Line 1 does not match the Secretary of State record. One character decides it. LLC and L.L.C. read as 2 different entities to the IRS.
Line 6 names a city instead of a county. San Antonio is a city. Bexar is the county. Line 6 takes 1 of Texas's 254 counties.
Line 7a names the Texas registered agent. Texas requires a registered agent. The IRS requires the person who controls the funds. Those are 2 different roles.
Line 11 predates the Texas approval. Use the approval date printed by the Secretary of State, not the date the certificate was signed.
Line 13 is blank. All 3 boxes need a number. Enter 0 for agricultural, household, and other when you hire nobody.
The IRS reports a rejection by mail, not by email. A rejected fax filing burns weeks before the notice reaches you, and a rejected filing from outside the United States burns longer. Reading line 1 back against the Texas record before you file removes the first failure on this list of 5 and costs 0 minutes of processing time.
Formed in a different state instead? The template holds everywhere, because the EIN application is federal. Only the line 6 county and the line 9b state change. The florida ein number page runs the same walkthrough against Florida's 67 counties.
How much does a Texas EIN number cost?
A Texas EIN number costs $0. The IRS charges nothing for Form SS-4 and nothing for the EIN, through every filing method. An EIN costs $0 in year 2 and every year after, because an EIN never renews.
| Filed by | Price | Filing guarantee in writing | Year 2+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yourself, direct to the IRS | $0 | None | $0 |
| einnumber.co Standard | $67 | Filed by fax within 5 business days or the filing is free | $0 |
| einnumber.co Fast | $97 | Filed and the IRS call made within 24 hours, guaranteed — or the filing is free | $0 |
| Northwest | $200 | Not stated | $0 |
| ZenBusiness | $99 | Not stated | $0 |
| Rocket Lawyer | $59.99 | Not stated | $0 |
Competitor prices verified July 2026. Northwest reflects the no-SSN rate.
Read this before paying anyone, including us. Holding an SSN means the IRS issues your Texas EIN at irs.gov in 15 minutes for $0. The $67 exists for the applicants the online tool blocks: a paper form, a fax line with no tracking, and 18 fields that have to be right the first time.
Note what the $67 does not cover. It does not cover the $300 Texas Certificate of Formation, the $25 assumed name certificate, or the $750 foreign LLC registration. Those are Texas Secretary of State fees. The $67 covers the federal EIN filing and the filing guarantee, and nothing else is added to it.
The honest version of the price question lives on the free EIN number page, which lays out every route the IRS operates and what each one actually costs. When you are ready, apply for your EIN number online.