What does the Employer Identification Number (EIN) consist of?

The Employer Identification Number (EIN) is formatted as two digits, followed by a hyphen, and then followed by nine additional digits. This 11-digit number is used by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to identify businesses for tax purposes.

The two-digit portion represents the IRS district where the business is located, while the nine digits that follow uniquely identify the business itself within that district. This structure helps in organizing and managing tax filings and information for businesses across the country.