Employer Identification Number

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An Employer Identification Number (EIN) is a nine-digit federal tax identification number issued by the IRS. It is mainly used to identify businesses and certain other organizations for tax-related purposes. Businesses may also need an EIN for hiring employees, opening a business bank account, or handling federal tax filings.

If you want to understand the eligibility requirements, common uses, and application process in more detail, this EIN guide is a useful reference.

 

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Employer Identification Number (EIN) – UK equivalent

An EIN is a US IRS identifier, so UK businesses don’t apply for one unless they’re dealing with US tax/admin (for example, a UK Ltd trading in the US, opening a US bank/brokerage account, or completing certain US forms). For day-to-day UK trading, the “equivalents” are different IDs depending on what you’re doing.

In the UK you’ll usually use:

• Company Registration Number (CRN) – issued by Companies House when a Ltd company is incorporated.
• UTR (Unique Taxpayer Reference) – issued by HMRC for Corporation Tax (Ltd) or Self Assessment (sole trader/partners).
• PAYE reference – issued by HMRC if you register as an employer to run payroll.
• VAT number – if VAT-registered.

Practical examples:

• Opening a UK business bank account: typically CRN + proof of directors/PSC; sometimes UTR helps but isn’t always required.
• Hiring staff: you register for PAYE with HMRC and get an employer PAYE reference (and Accounts Office reference).
• Filing taxes: Ltd uses its Corporation Tax UTR; sole traders/partners use their Self Assessment UTR.

If the question is “what do I put on a form asking for EIN?”, it depends on the form and country. Some US forms accept “Foreign TIN” (often your UTR) or “N/A”. If you share the exact form and why it’s being requested, people can point you to the right entry and whether you actually need a US EIN.