Employer Identification Number (EIN)
Your business's federal tax ID — issued by the IRS. Required for business bank accounts, tax filings, hiring, and establishing your pilot car business as a legitimate entity.
Free
Fee
No cost to apply
Instant
Processing
Issued immediately
Permanent
Validity
Never expires
15 min
Session
Complete in one sitting
What You'll Use Your EIN For
Go to the IRS EIN Page
Open your browser and go to the IRS page for Employer Identification Numbers.
- ●URL: irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/get-an-employer-identification-number
- ●Scroll to the section titled 'Apply for an EIN Online'
- ●Click the 'Apply Online Now' button
IRS — Get an Employer Identification Number
Acknowledge the IRS Disclaimer
The IRS requires you to acknowledge their terms before starting the application.
- ●You'll see a page with an IRS disclaimer
- ●Read the notice about session timeouts and browser requirements
- ●Click 'Begin Application' to proceed
IRS Disclaimer
The IRS online EIN application has a 15-minute session timeout. If you're not ready with your info, it will reset and you'll start over. Have your SSN and business details ready before you begin.
Choose Your Entity Type
Select the business structure that matches your pilot car business.
- ●Sole Proprietor — if you operate under your own name without an LLC
- ●LLC — if you've registered as a Limited Liability Company
- ●Corporation — if you've incorporated
- ●Partnership — if two or more people own the business
- ●Other — for other entity types like S-Corp or non-profit
What type of legal entity is applying?
Most independent pilot car drivers start as Sole Proprietors. If you've filed LLC paperwork with your state, choose LLC.
Enter the Responsible Party Info
The IRS needs to identify the person who controls or owns the entity.
- ●For Sole Proprietors and single-member LLCs: that's YOU (the owner)
- ●Enter your full name and SSN or ITIN
- ●For multi-member LLCs or Corporations: a principal officer's name and SSN
- ●The responsible party is the individual who has a level of control over funds/assets
Identify the Responsible Party
Enter Business Details
Provide your business name and address.
- ●If Sole Proprietor without a DBA: use your personal legal name
- ●If LLC/Corporation: enter your registered business name
- ●DBA (Doing Business As) name if you have one
- ●Business physical address (no PO Boxes)
- ●Mailing address (can be different from physical)
- ●County and state where the principal business is located
Business Name & Address
Confirm Your Business Activity
Tell the IRS what your business does.
- ●Select your business activity type
- ●For pilot car businesses: choose 'Other' and describe as 'Pilot Car / Escort Vehicle Services'
- ●Or 'Transportation Services' if available
- ●Enter a brief description of your daily business activities
Business Activity
If there's no exact option for pilot car services, choose 'Other Transportation Services' or 'Transportation Support Services' — the IRS category doesn't affect your taxes, it's just for classification.
Receive Your EIN Immediately
After submitting, your EIN is issued instantly on the confirmation screen.
- ●You'll see: "Your EIN has been assigned: XX-XXXXXXX"
- ●Download and save the IRS confirmation notice (PDF)
- ●Print a copy for your records
- ●You can start using your EIN immediately for bank accounts, taxes, and vendor applications
✅ EIN Assigned Successfully!
Save the IRS confirmation PDF immediately — it's your official proof of EIN and you'll need it when opening a business bank account.
Put Your EIN to Work
Your EIN is now your business tax identity — use it everywhere.
- ●Open a business bank account (required to keep personal/business finances separate)
- ●File your annual business tax returns
- ●Apply for business credit cards
- ●Set up payroll if you hire employees or subcontractors
- ●Provide it on W-9 forms when brokers or carriers pay you
- ●Use it on state business registrations and licenses
Use Your EIN For:
Never use your EIN in place of your SSN for personal credit. Your EIN is strictly for business — it protects your personal identity.
- ✗Not saving the confirmation PDF — you'll need it to open a business bank account, and re-printing it later requires calling the IRS
- ✗Letting the 15-minute session timeout — the IRS application doesn't save your progress, so you'll start over
- ✗Choosing the wrong entity type — if you have an LLC, don't select Sole Proprietor; your EIN should match your registered structure
- ✗Using your EIN for personal credit — your EIN is for business only and won't help your personal credit score
- ✗Applying for multiple EINs — one business gets one EIN; don't reapply if you already have one
Ready to Get Your EIN?
Head to the IRS website to apply for your Employer Identification Number — it's free and issued instantly.
Apply on IRS.gov