Part I: SSN, EIN or ITIN?
Part I asks for a taxpayer identification number in one box, and the answer follows from the name on Line 1. Get the pair wrong and the IRS cannot match your 1099 to a taxpayer.
One box, nine digits, and whose number goes in it
- What it asks for
- The taxpayer identification number of the person or entity on Line 1
- How many boxes
- One. Never both
- Individuals
- SSN, or ITIN for a resident alien not eligible for an SSN
- Entities
- EIN
- Sole proprietors
- SSN preferred; EIN acceptable
- Disregarded single-member LLC
- The owner’s number, never the LLC’s own EIN
- Digits
- All three types have nine digits
The three kinds of taxpayer identification number
| SSN | EIN | ITIN | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Social Security number | Employer identification number | Individual taxpayer identification number |
| Format | 000-00-0000 | 00-0000000 | 9XX-XX-XXXX, always starting with 9 |
| Issued by | Social Security Administration | IRS | IRS |
| Identifies | An individual | An entity, or a sole proprietor acting as an employer | An individual not eligible for an SSN |
| Who holds one | Citizens and authorized residents | Corporations, partnerships, LLCs, trusts, estates, employers | Resident and nonresident aliens with a U.S. filing obligation |
| Cost | Free | Free from the IRS | Free, but requires documentation |
| W-9 box | SSN box | EIN box | SSN box |
| How to get one | SSA | IRS online application | Form W-7 |
Which number belongs in Part I
| Line 1 shows | Part I entry |
|---|---|
| An individual with no EIN | Their SSN |
| A sole proprietor with an EIN | Their SSN (preferred) or their EIN |
| A resident alien without an SSN | Their ITIN, in the SSN box |
| The owner of a disregarded single-member LLC | The owner’s SSN or EIN |
| An LLC taxed as a corporation or partnership | The LLC’s EIN |
| A corporation | The corporation’s EIN |
| A partnership | The partnership’s EIN |
| A trust or estate with its own EIN | That EIN |
| A grantor whose trust reports under them | The grantor’s SSN |
Do not enter the EIN of a disregarded entity, and do not enter a number in both boxes. Both instructions are printed on the Rev. March 2024 form itself, in bold, a few lines above the space you are filling in. Why the first rule exists
Should a freelancer get an EIN?
You are not required to. Plenty of people invoice for decades on an SSN alone and never have a problem. But every client who pays you keeps a copy of your W-9, that copy lives in an accounts payable system you will never see, and if the number on it is your SSN then each of those systems is holding the nine digits that open credit in your name. Ten clients, ten copies. An EIN is free, takes about ten minutes on IRS.gov, and gives you a different number to hand over. It does not change how you are taxed, what you file, or the name on Line 1, and your 1099s arrive exactly as they did before.
| Using your SSN | Using an EIN | |
|---|---|---|
| Setup | None | Free, roughly ten minutes |
| Line 1 | Your own name | Still your own name; an EIN does not change that |
| Exposure | Every client holds your SSN | Clients hold a number that is not your SSN |
| Name matching | Matched against SSA records | Matched against the name on your EIN application |
| Hiring later | You will need an EIN anyway | Already have it |
| Business banking | Some banks require an EIN | Satisfied |
When you apply, the EIN is issued in a name. If you applied as Jordan Alvarez, Line 1 must read Jordan Alvarez. If the IRS has the EIN under Alvarez Studio, that is the string it matches, and pairing it with your personal name on Line 1 reproduces the mismatch you were trying to avoid. TIN matching
For a joint account, a custodial account, a trust or an estate, the choice of whose number goes here is settled by the IRS table reproduced at what name and number to give the requester. The two cases that generate the most questions have pages of their own: a jointly held account takes one number and one signature, and a UTMA or custodial account takes the child’s.
If you do not have a TIN yet
Apply immediately
An EIN is issued online in minutes. An SSN or ITIN takes longer, and an ITIN application on Form W-7 requires supporting documents and processing time on top of that.
Write "Applied For" in Part I
Complete the rest of the form normally, write Applied For in the Part I space, and sign Part II. The form is valid; it simply lacks a number for now.
Understand how narrow the 60-day rule is
The form gives you 60 days to supply a TIN before withholding starts only for interest and dividend payments and certain payments on readily tradable instruments. It says so explicitly: the 60-day rule does not apply to other types of payments. For nonemployee compensation and ordinary business payments you will be subject to 24% backup withholding on all such payments until you provide the number.
Send a completed W-9 the day the number arrives
Do not wait to be asked. Any withholding already taken appears on your 1099 as federal income tax withheld and is credited on your return, but stopping it early is better than reclaiming it later.
Keeping your TIN safe
- Use an EIN rather than your SSN wherever a payer will accept it.
- Send W-9s through a secure channel rather than as a plain email attachment.
- Verify who is asking. A W-9 request from someone who owes you no money is a red flag.
- Keep a log of who holds your TIN, so you know the exposure if a payer suffers a breach.
- Consider an IRS Identity Protection PIN, which stops somebody else filing a return with your SSN.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use my EIN instead of my SSN on a W-9?
As a sole proprietor, yes. Either is acceptable, though the IRS prefers the SSN because Line 1 carries your individual name. Keep the same choice with the same payer year to year.
Is an EIN free?
Yes. Apply directly on IRS.gov and it costs nothing, usually issued immediately. Third-party services charge a fee for the same result.
What do I write if I have applied for a TIN but not received it?
Write "Applied For" in the Part I space, sign the form, and give it to the requester. The 60-day grace period applies only to interest and dividend payments and certain readily tradable instruments. For every other payment type, including nonemployee compensation, backup withholding applies until the number reaches the requester.
Which box does an ITIN go in?
The SSN box. An ITIN is formatted like an SSN and always begins with 9.
Can two entities share an EIN?
An EIN identifies one taxpayer, so no. Each corporation, partnership, trust or estate needs its own.
General information, not tax advice. This page explains a federal tax form in plain English. It is not legal, tax, or accounting advice, and W9Form.org is not affiliated with the IRS. Verify everything against the official Form W-9 page on IRS.gov and speak to a licensed professional about your own situation. How we source and review these pages.