How to get an EIN in Connecticut comes down to one free, 15-minute filing with the IRS, and as of 2026 it’s issued the same day you apply online. The EIN itself costs nothing from the IRS; the real Connecticut work starts afterward, when you register your state tax accounts through the DRS myconneCT portal.
Getting a Connecticut EIN: What to Do First
A Connecticut EIN is just a free federal number from the IRS; there’s no separate state-issued version, so you apply once with the IRS and then register your state tax accounts with Connecticut’s Department of Revenue Services.
- Cost: $0 from the IRS; third-party sites charge $150 to $300 for the same number
- Apply: online through the IRS EIN Assistant for same-day approval, usually in about 15 minutes
- No SSN: fax or mail Form SS-4, or call 267-941-1099 if you are an international applicant who qualifies for phone application
- Connecticut step: register at DRS via myconneCT using Form REG-1 for your Connecticut Tax Registration Number; add the $100 Sales and Use Tax Permit if you sell taxable goods
- Who needs one: LLCs with employees, multiple members, or a corporate election, plus most single-member LLCs
Does Your Connecticut LLC Need an EIN Before Registering With DRS?
Here’s the thing: the IRS doesn’t require every LLC to hold an EIN, but Connecticut’s Department of Revenue Services effectively does once you register for state taxes. DRS tells any non-sole-proprietor to get one first.
| Business type | EIN required? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Single-member LLC, no employees | Not federally | Disregarded entity; still needed for DRS registration or a bank account |
| Single-member LLC with employees | Yes | Payroll and Connecticut withholding both require it |
| Multi-member LLC | Yes | Taxed as a partnership by default |
| LLC taxed as an S or C corporation | Yes | The election doesn’t replace the EIN |
| Sole proprietor | Only with employees | Otherwise the owner’s Social Security number works |
| Partnership | Yes | Required for every partnership |
A single-member LLC with no employees is a disregarded entity, so the IRS won’t force a number on it. Most owners get one anyway, since banks and myconneCT both ask. A clear Connecticut operating agreement settles who controls the company first.
How to Get an EIN in Connecticut, Step by Step
Most owners finish online in about 15 minutes once the LLC’s approved. These steps follow the IRS EIN Assistant, the fastest route with an SSN or ITIN.
- Confirm the LLC is approved: apply only after the Connecticut Secretary of the State registers your Certificate of Organization, so your CP 575 name matches. Not filed yet? Form your Connecticut LLC first.
- Open the IRS EIN Assistant: it’s available Monday to Friday, 6am to 1am ET, plus weekends, and must finish in one sitting, timing out after 15 minutes idle.
- Choose the entity type: the screen that trips people up; single-member and multi-member LLCs are classified differently, and a wrong pick forces a refile.
- Match the names: the legal name mirrors the Certificate of Organization; a DBA goes in the trade-name field.
- Name the responsible party: a natural person with an SSN or ITIN, never the LLC, unless a government entity applies.
- Submit and save: download the CP 575 the moment it appears, because the IRS won’t resend it.
Connecticut EIN Approval (EIN Confirmation Letter): Save Your CP 575 Before State Registrations
When the IRS approves your Connecticut EIN online, the confirmation letter is called the CP 575. This is the official IRS notice that proves the EIN belongs to your LLC, and it should match the legal name on your Connecticut Certificate of Organization.
Download and save the CP 575 before closing the IRS EIN Assistant. The IRS will not reissue the same confirmation letter later, so keep a PDF copy with your formation records, operating agreement, bank documents, and tax registration paperwork.
You’ll use the EIN from this letter when registering with the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services through myconneCT, including Form REG-1 for your Connecticut Tax Registration Number. If your LLC sells taxable goods or services, you’ll also use it when applying for the $100 Sales and Use Tax Permit.
Do not confuse the federal EIN on your CP 575 with Connecticut’s separate state account numbers. Your Connecticut Tax Registration Number comes from DRS, your DOL Employer Account Number comes from ReEmployCT, and CT Paid Leave has its own employer registration process if you hire workers.
“The entity-classification screen causes the most refiles I see: someone forms a two-member Connecticut LLC, clicks sole proprietor out of habit, and the EIN comes back wrong. Keep the Certificate of Organization open in another tab and match it field for field. And the responsible party is always a real person, never the LLC.”
Paper works too. No SSN or ITIN? Fax Form SS-4 (about four business days) or mail it (about four weeks).
Any site charging $150 to $300 for a “Connecticut EIN” resells a free federal service; compare honest Connecticut LLC formation services first. One catch: the IRS issues one EIN per responsible party per day.
Want help keeping your Connecticut LLC and EIN details aligned?
The IRS EIN is free if you apply directly, but the application still needs to match your approved Connecticut LLC record. Northwest Registered Agent can help with Connecticut LLC formation, registered agent service, and EIN filing support if you want a guided workflow that keeps the legal name, owner structure, tax classification, and responsible party details consistent from the start.
What to Have Ready From Your Connecticut Certificate of Organization
Gathering these first beats the 15-minute timeout, and most of it’s already on your Connecticut formation paperwork.
- The approved legal name, exactly as it reads on the Certificate of Organization
- Your Secretary of the State filing record and formation date
- The responsible party’s name and SSN or ITIN
- Your federal tax classification: single-member, multi-member, or a corporate election
- The reason for applying and the business mailing address
A quick check your name on the Connecticut business registry keeps the application aligned with the state record, so it won’t bounce on a name mismatch. And how long Connecticut LLC approval takes depends on your filing method.
EIN vs Your Connecticut Tax Registration Number, Sales Permit, and DOL EAN
This is where owners confuse the EIN with the state’s numbers, and Connecticut hands out more than most. The EIN is federal; the rest come from two separate Connecticut agencies.
| Number or account | Issued by | What it’s for |
|---|---|---|
| Federal EIN | IRS | Federal taxes, payroll, bank accounts, and the state registrations below |
| Connecticut Tax Registration Number | DRS (myconneCT) | State tax accounts such as withholding and sales/use tax |
| Sales and Use Tax Permit | DRS (myconneCT) | Authorization to collect Connecticut’s 6.35% sales tax |
| DOL Employer Account Number (EAN) | Connecticut DOL (ReEmployCT) | Unemployment insurance and quarterly wage reporting |
| CT Paid Leave account | CT Paid Leave Authority | Employee-funded paid leave contributions |
A business can hold a valid Connecticut Tax Registration Number and still lack the DOL account it needs. The EIN identifies the company to the IRS, but it won’t register you with DRS or DOL, and it doesn’t double as either state number.
Registering With myconneCT, ReEmployCT, and CT Paid Leave After Your EIN
Your EIN unlocks the state registrations that run a business here. Which apply depends on whether you sell taxable goods, hire employees, or both.
DRS withholding account through myconneCT
Connecticut employers withhold state income tax and register with the Department of Revenue Services through myconneCT, using Form REG-1. That returns your Connecticut Tax Registration Number, and you file Forms CT-941 and CT-W3 against it.
The $100 Sales and Use Tax Permit
Selling taxable goods or services means a Sales and Use Tax Permit, also through myconneCT. It costs $100, the statewide rate is 6.35%, and there’s no local sales tax to layer on top.
DRS requires the permit regardless of volume, so a one-day craft fair, flea market, or contractor job counts; sales tax returns go on Form OS-114.
A separate permit covers each location. Out-of-state sellers register only after passing both $100,000 in Connecticut receipts and 200 retail sales in the year ending September 30; in-state sellers don’t hit that test. Budget it beside what forming a Connecticut LLC costs.
“Connecticut owners mix up the DRS number and the DOL number, and DRS flat-out warns you not to put the Department of Labor account on its forms. I’ve watched a withholding return bounce over it. So keep it straight: DRS Tax Registration Number for taxes, DOL Employer Account Number for unemployment.”
Unemployment insurance through ReEmployCT
Hire in Connecticut and you’ll register with the Department of Labor through ReEmployCT, which issues a DOL Employer Account Number. Liability starts at $1,500 in wages in a quarter, or one worker across 20 weeks. For 2026, the taxable wage base is $27,000 and the new-employer rate is 1.90%.
CT Paid Leave, the layer most pages skip
Connecticut also runs a separate paid-leave program, and most employers with even one employee register with the CT Paid Leave Authority. It’s employee-funded at 0.5% of wages, deducted and remitted quarterly, separate from DRS and DOL.
Whichever account you open, myconneCT asks for your EIN first, so have it ready. Once your accounts are live, your LLC still has to file your Connecticut annual report to stay in good standing.
Connecticut EIN and DRS Registration Mistakes to Avoid
A few mistakes recur on Connecticut applications, and most cost time, not money. Several trace back to how the state splits its tax accounts, and they’re easy to dodge.
- Picking the wrong entity classification on Form SS-4
- Naming the LLC or a nominee, rather than a natural person, as the responsible party
- Treating the Connecticut Business Entity Tax as a live cost
- Assuming the Sales and Use Tax Permit is free, or only for large retailers
- Putting the DOL Employer Account Number on DRS forms
- Skipping CT Paid Leave registration after the first hire
- Confusing the optional CT-PET election with Form CT-1065/CT-1120SI, which every Connecticut pass-through entity must file
“Every year someone asks how to pay Connecticut’s Business Entity Tax, and the answer is the same: it’s gone, ended for periods after December 31, 2018. Old blog posts keep the $250 tax alive online, but don’t budget for it, and don’t trust a page that still lists it.”
Replacing a Lost EIN or Updating Your Connecticut LLC’s Records
Losing the CP 575 isn’t a crisis: the number still exists, and you can recover it without calling the IRS.
Check old tax returns, bank paperwork, or a payroll filing, where the EIN appears. If those come up empty, the IRS issues Letter 147C, since it won’t reprint the CP 575. The same methods that let you look up an EIN by company name work for your own number.
Some changes force a new EIN; others don’t. Converting a sole proprietorship to an LLC, or adding members to a single-member LLC, usually needs a fresh number. A name or address change doesn’t: that’s Form 8822-B, with Form 8832 to adjust classification. Keep your Connecticut registered agent details current, since that’s where state notices land.
Connecticut EIN Frequently Asked Questions
These Connecticut EIN answers reflect current IRS and Connecticut rules as of 2026.
Is a Connecticut EIN different from a federal EIN?
No. There’s no separate state-issued EIN; “Connecticut EIN” just means a federal EIN used here. The state’s own numbers come later from DRS and the Department of Labor.
Is the EIN really free when the sales tax permit isn’t?
Yes. The IRS issues the EIN at no cost, while Connecticut’s Sales and Use Tax Permit carries a separate $100 DRS fee.
What’s the difference between an EIN and a Connecticut Tax Registration Number?
The EIN is federal, for the IRS. The Connecticut Tax Registration Number comes from DRS through myconneCT and covers withholding and sales-tax accounts.
Can a foreign owner get an EIN for a Connecticut LLC without an SSN?
Yes. The online tool requires the responsible party to have an SSN, ITIN, or EIN, so a foreign owner without one applies by fax or mail with Form SS-4 instead. The 267-941-1099 phone line is only for applicants based outside the U.S.
Do I need a sales tax permit for a single craft fair or flea market?
Yes. DRS requires the Sales and Use Tax Permit for taxable sales at temporary events, even for one day, no matter the volume.
Does Connecticut still have a Business Entity Tax?
No. The $250 Business Entity Tax ended for tax periods beginning after December 31, 2018, so a Connecticut LLC formed today owes nothing under it.
- IRS: Employer Identification Number
- IRS: Instructions for Form SS-4
- Connecticut DRS: Register Your Business
- Connecticut DRS: Sales and Use Tax Information
- Connecticut DRS: New Employer Withholding Information
- Connecticut DOL: How Do I Register for Unemployment Tax
- CT Paid Leave: For Businesses and Employers
- Business.CT.gov: Get an EIN
Looking for an overview? See Connecticut LLC Services
Get Your Connecticut EIN with Harbor Compliance
Harbor Compliance helps Connecticut LLC owners apply for an EIN correctly, prepare for DRS registration, and avoid common tax-account mix-ups as their business gets started.
