A business sales tax number is more commonly known as an EIN (employer identification number). This is a federal tax identification number assigned to a business by the Internal Revenue Service. It identifies the business for several purposes, including charging sales tax for goods and services provided by the company. Looking up a business tax number may be as easy as an Internet search. In some cases, more effort is involved to find the information.
EIN Finder is a resource for looking up a business sales tax number. The website provides three free EIN searches and charges a fee for additional searches. The site allows you to search by company name, state and zip code or by industry code.
Call the company directly and ask for the business sales tax number or EIN. Most companies will provide you with this information or direct you to the place where you can find it. If the business is a sole proprietorship or small business, it may be using a Social Security number for federal identification. In this case, the business may not provide you with this information.
For public companies, search the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) website. Public companies must file registration information with the SEC, and this information lists their EIN. Go to http://www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml to search for company filings and download documents.
Write down as much information as you can about the business you wish to search. Information may include the business name, state where the business (or the corporate headquarters) is located, whether it is a publicly held company or a private company and whether or not it is a nonprofit business. The company's website is an excellent source to gather this information.
Call the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for assistance; the number is (800) 829-4933. Explain why you are looking for a business sales tax number, and an IRS representative may be able to help you. They have the information on EINs for all businesses and may be able to provide you with the information over the phone.
For nonprofit businesses, use the GuideStar database to look up information. Search http://www2.guidestar.org for the name of the organization. The site will provide you with financial information, including EINs. GuideStar provides their database of information at no charge.
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