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An EIN is an IRS tax identifier; a D-U-N-S Number is a business identifier issued by Dun & Bradstreet (D&B). They serve different purposes and cannot replace one another. For new U.S. federal registrations and awards, the identifier is now the SAM.gov-generated Unique Entity Identifier (UEI), not a D-U-N-S Number.
What is the difference between a D-U-N-S Number and an EIN?
| Question | EIN | D-U-N-S Number |
|---|---|---|
| Who issues it? | The Internal Revenue Service (IRS). | Dun & Bradstreet (D&B). |
| What does it identify? | A taxpayer or eligible entity for federal tax filing and reporting. | A business organization and its name and address information; it can be specific to a physical site. |
| How long is it? | Nine digits, according to the IRS. | Nine digits, according to D&B’s D-U-N-S Number Guide. |
| When might it be requested? | For tax obligations such as employment taxes, or when an organization’s structure or filing duties require one. | When a private lender, grantmaker, supplier, or other organization specifically asks for it. |
| Current federal awards and registration? | Not the federal entity identifier. | Replaced for SAM.gov’s official federal identification process by the UEI in April 2022. |
The practical rule is to use the identifier requested by the relevant authority. For tax administration, follow IRS guidance. For federal registration or awards, follow current SAM.gov instructions. For a private transaction, check the lender’s, grantmaker’s, supplier’s, or platform’s current requirements.
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When do you need an EIN?
The IRS assigns an EIN, a unique nine-digit tax ID, for tax filing and reporting. It also establishes the entity’s business tax account based on the information supplied with the application. Common reasons to need one include:
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- Operating as a corporation or partnership.
- Filing certain employment or excise tax returns.
- Applying for tax-exempt status: IRS guidance says an organization needs an EIN even if it has no employees.
These are common triggers, not a rule that every business must obtain an EIN. Requirements depend on the entity’s legal structure and tax circumstances. A sole proprietor or LLC, for example, should check the IRS rules that apply to its specific situation. An EIN is also not a state sales-tax exemption number. The IRS Instructions for Form SS-4 describe additional cases in which banking or state-tax purposes may lead someone to request an EIN even if it is not required for federal tax purposes.
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How to apply for an EIN
- Start at the IRS EIN application page and check whether you are eligible to use the online tool.
- Apply directly through the IRS. There is no fee for a direct application; if an online application is approved, the EIN may be issued immediately.
- If the online tool is not available to you, follow the IRS instructions for other application routes, including fax or mail. Certain applicants outside the United States use additional telephone procedures.
Use IRS.gov rather than a commercial intermediary charging to submit an EIN application on your behalf.
When do you need a D-U-N-S Number?
D&B provides the D-U-N-S Number as a business identifier. Its guide says the number is site-specific: separate physical locations, such as a branch, division, or headquarters, may have different numbers. So do not assume that one D-U-N-S Number necessarily represents every location of a company.
A private lender, grant program, supplier, or other organization may ask for a D-U-N-S Number. D&B describes possible use in loan and grant contexts, but that does not make it a universal business requirement. Ask the organization requesting it which identifier it currently accepts and whether it needs a number for the company as a whole or for a particular location.
What identifier does the federal government use now?
SAM.gov stopped using the proprietary D-U-N-S Number as its official federal identifier in April 2022. Federal guidance says the replacement is the Unique Entity Identifier (UEI), generated in SAM.gov and used in connection with federal registration and awards. If you are applying for a federal grant or seeking federal contracting or vendor status, follow the current SAM.gov process rather than an older checklist that says you must obtain a D-U-N-S Number.
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This change applies to the federal registration and award process; it does not mean that D-U-N-S Numbers have disappeared from private or other non-federal uses. D&B’s government-use guidance also discusses the transition, while the federal Grant Programs Resource Guide describes the UEI for federal applications and recipients.
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