How to Verify an EIN (and When You Can Confirm It With the IRS)
"Is this EIN real?" sounds simple, but the IRS offers no public lookup to answer it. If you pay the business and will file a 1099, you can confirm the name and EIN against IRS records; if not, you need other sources.
Updated October 28, 2026.
Step 1: Check the Format
An EIN is nine digits, usually written XX-XXXXXXX. The first two digits are a prefix the IRS assigns, and not every two-digit combination is a valid prefix. A format check catches typos, transposed digits and invented numbers before you go further. TIN Comply's free TIN Format Validator does this for a pasted list.
A valid format doesn't mean the EIN belongs to the business. It only rules out numbers that can't exist.
Key takeaways
- A format check rules out impossible numbers; it does not tell you the EIN is issued or whose it is.
- An EIN lookup returns the legal name on record for the EIN, which is how you catch a DBA or a parent company's number.
- IRS TIN Matching is the only IRS-run check of a name and TIN pair before you file, and it is available to payers for the payees they report on.
- If you are not paying the business, the business's own IRS documents (CP 575 or Letter 147C) are the IRS-grade proof.
- Keep the result and the date of every check; the record is what protects you later.
Step 2: Find the Legal Name Behind the EIN
The most common EIN problem isn't a fake number. It's a real EIN paired with the wrong name: a DBA instead of the legal name, a parent company's EIN, or a former entity's EIN after a restructuring.
An EIN lookup returns the legal name on record for the EIN from an independent database of business records, usually as a ranked list of candidates when the records disagree. Compare it with the name you were given. If they don't match, ask the business which legal entity you're dealing with.
Step 3: Confirm With the IRS, If You're the Payer
IRS TIN Matching compares a name and TIN combination against IRS records and returns a match or mismatch code. It's available to payers who file information returns such as Form 1099, for the payees they report on. That makes it the right tool when you're onboarding a vendor or contractor you'll pay and report, and it is the only IRS-run check of a name and TIN pair before you file.
It is not a general-purpose lookup. If you aren't paying the business, such as a customer, a prospect or a counterparty you're vetting, IRS TIN Matching isn't the tool. Use an EIN lookup and the business's own documents instead.
The result comes back as a code. For an EIN, these are the ones you will see:
| Code | Meaning | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Name and EIN match IRS records | Proceed |
| 1 | TIN missing or not nine digits | Fix the data and resubmit |
| 2 | TIN not currently issued | The number does not exist in IRS records; get a corrected W-9 |
| 3 | Name and TIN do not match IRS records | Look up the legal name on record and request a corrected W-9 |
| 7 | Matched on EIN when the TIN type was unknown | Match; record the TIN type as EIN |
| 8 | Matched on both SSN and EIN when the TIN type was unknown | Match; confirm the entity type with the payee |
Interactive requests take up to 25 name and TIN pairs at a time; a bulk file takes up to 100,000, with results usually within 24 hours.
Step 4: Ask the Business for Its Own Proof
When the business itself can provide documentation, two IRS documents settle the question:
- The EIN assignment notice the IRS issued when the EIN was created
- An EIN verification letter (147C), which a business can request from the IRS for its own EIN if it lost the original notice
Only the business can request these for itself. A W-9 signed by the business is its certification of its name and TIN, and it's the document you keep on file as a payer.
What Each Method Does and Doesn't Prove
| Method | Confirms | Does not confirm |
|---|---|---|
| Format check | Nine digits with a prefix the IRS uses | That the EIN was ever issued, or to whom |
| EIN lookup | The legal name on record for the EIN | That the IRS will accept the pair on a 1099 |
| IRS TIN Matching | The name and EIN agree with IRS records (code 0) | That the business is active, or that it is safe to pay |
| CP 575 or Letter 147C | The IRS issued this EIN to this name | That nothing has changed since the letter was issued |
| Signed W-9 | The payee certified its name and TIN under penalties of perjury, which is what you rely on as a payer | That the certification is accurate |
Which Method Fits Which Situation
| Situation | Best method |
|---|---|
| Vendor or contractor you'll pay and report | W-9, then IRS TIN Matching |
| Customer, prospect or counterparty | EIN lookup and the business's documents |
| Name and EIN don't agree | EIN lookup to find the legal name, then a corrected W-9 |
| Public company | EIN lookup and its SEC filings |
| Nonprofit | EIN lookup and the IRS exempt organization search |
| The business needs proof of its own EIN | IRS assignment notice or 147C letter |
When the EIN Doesn't Verify
- Recheck the digits against the W-9 or source document
- Look up the legal name for the EIN you were given
- Ask the business to confirm its legal name and EIN on a new W-9
- Re-run the check after the correction
- Keep a record of every step for your audit trail
See What Happens If a Vendor Provides the Wrong EIN? for the 1099 consequences if a bad EIN gets through.
How TIN Comply Helps
- IRS TIN Matching to confirm name and EIN pairs for payees, in real time, in bulk or by API
- EIN & Company Lookup to find the legal name behind an EIN from millions of business records
- Every result logged with a timestamp, and every validation included with every plan
For when to use each, see EIN Discovery vs. TIN Matching.
Start a free trial and verify your vendor EINs before your next payment run.
Bottom Line
Verifying an EIN means confirming that the number exists and belongs to the business in front of you. Check the format, look up the legal name, and if you're the payer, confirm the pair with IRS TIN Matching.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or tax advice.