Minnesota Tax ID (EIN) Number Application Guide

Registering a Tax ID (EIN) Number in Minnesota? Apply online and receive your Tax ID Number in under an hour by using this Minnesota Tax ID Application Guide. Most find it surprising to find that you are required to prepare identifying information about each of your partners, even if you own a Corporation, Trust, Non-Profit, Partnership, Estate or multi-member LLC. This simple Tax ID guide will help you through when applying for your official Tax ID (EIN) Number in Minnesota.


Steps to Obtain your Tax ID (EIN) Number in Minnesota:

  1. Prepare Required Information
  2. Apply for a Minnesota Tax ID Online
  3. Apply for a Minnesota Tax ID by Phone, Mail or Fax
  4. Do I Need a Minnesota Tax ID Number?
  5. How Do You Apply for a State Tax ID Number?
  6. How Do I Get a Minnesota State Tax ID Number?

1. Prepare Required Information

No matter which application method you choose, you’ll need to answer several questions about your business, including some specifics about your business’s founding members before you get your tax ID. If you want to complete the application as quickly as possible, it’s important to gather this information before you begin the application.

You’ll need to get the full names and legal addresses of all your business partners, including yourself. You’ll also need to obtain their social security numbers (SSNs). Then, because the tax ID application will register your business with the federal government, you’ll need to make sure your business’s name is finalized.

2. Apply for a Minnesota Tax ID Online

The easiest, fastest, and most convenient way to apply for your tax ID is applying online. Traditional methods like applying over the phone, by mail, and by fax, are available, but if you use them, you might be stuck waiting 4 to 6 weeks to receive your tax ID by mail.

Instead, applying online is much more convenient, since you can access it using practically any digital device. The application form itself is simple and intuitive, which means if you’ve gathered the necessary information in advance, you should be able to complete it in 5 minutes or less. But best of all, once you complete the online application, you’ll receive your tax ID via email in an hour or less.

Applying for your tax ID online is universally better, and is recommended for every type of business. When you get your tax ID faster, you can start your business faster, and begin generating revenue sooner.


3. Apply for a Minnesota Tax ID by Phone, Mail or Fax

Even though applying for a tax ID online is better in nearly every conceivable way, there are traditional application methods available as well. If you fill out a paper application, you can send it in via mail or fax. You can also answer questions about your business over the phone in an interview with a live representative. These methods tend to be less convenient, but more importantly, they take longer for you to obtain your tax ID. In most cases, you’ll end up waiting 4 to 6 weeks instead of the single hour it takes to get a tax ID online.

4. Do I Need a Minnesota Tax ID Number?

It’s easy to get confused about which tax ID numbers your business needs, since there are two distinct types of tax ID to consider, and the requirements for each of them are distinct.

Let’s start by talking about the federal tax ID number, often called an employer identification number (EIN), or simply a “tax ID.” This is a 9-digit, unique identifying number assigned to your business when you register with the federal government. You’ll need one if you’re hiring any employees, or if your business has multiple partners, such as if you’re in a partnership, corporation, or LLC. You’ll need a federal tax ID if you’re building business credit, applying for a business bank account, or applying for a business license or permit as well.

Your Minnesota state tax ID number is a 7-digit, unique identifying number assigned to your business when you register with the state government of Minnesota. You’ll need one under several conditions, including if you plan on hiring employees in the state of Minnesota, if you sell taxable goods and services in Minnesota, or if you’re going to owe excise taxes on regulated goods.

5. How Do You Apply for a State Tax ID Number?

Most businesses will end up needing both a federal tax ID number and a state tax ID number. The requirements for state tax ID numbers, including how to apply for a state tax ID number, will depend on the state in which your business is founded. Usually, the application process for a state tax ID number is similar to the federal tax ID number application.

In the state of Minnesota, you’ll first need to get a federal tax ID number. The best way to apply for this number is to apply online; assuming you’ve gathered the right pieces of information on your company in advance, you should be able to get your tax ID in less than an hour. Once you have that, you’ll have the choice of applying online, or applying via one of several traditional methods. Again, the best method is applying online.

In any case, you’ll need to answer several questions about your business, including details on your founding members. Though applying online is faster, you may still wait up to 4 to 6 weeks to receive your state tax ID.

6. How Do I Get a Minnesota State Tax ID Number?

Remember, your business will need a Minnesota state tax ID number if you’re hiring employees in the state of Minnesota, if you’re selling taxable goods and services in Minnesota, if you’ll owe excise taxes, or if your business belongs to one of several required categories. In short, nearly all Minnesota businesses will need a Minnesota state tax ID.

The first step to getting a Minnesota state tax ID number is getting your federal tax ID number. You can get this number in less than an hour if you’re prepared with the right information and you follow the online application process. With your federal tax ID number in hand, you can apply for your Minnesota state tax ID number online, answering many of the same questions about your business and partners. From there, you’ll receive your state tax ID in 4 to 6 weeks.