Understanding EIN Processing Times Until January 16, 2025: What You Need to Know

As of January 2025, there have been NEW updates to the processing times for obtaining a foreign grantor 98 Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). For those planning to apply for an EIN, particularly foreign grantor 98 EINs, it’s important to know the latest guidelines to manage your expectations and planning.

If you plan on getting a 98 EIN from us or have already ordered one, please read this blog post to stay up to date!

What’s New?

Typically, the processing times to get a standard delivery 98 EIN is 3 to 5 business days with express being delivered in a 24 to 48 hour time frame. However, this is no longer an option until January 16th.

Why? Because the IRS has announced that their system for processing EINs will be temporarily down for three weeks, with normal operations resuming by January 16, 2025. During this time:

Applications must be faxed to the IRS.
It will take 7 business days to receive an fully functional 98 EIN.
Provisional EINs can be used to open bank accounts but may not be used for electronic payments until January 16. This means, if you do not want to wait the 7 business days, then your 98 EIN will be quite limited. (We do not recommend this option if you want to fully utilize your EIN).

Standard Delivery for EINs

For all other EIN applications, the standard delivery time is now also 7 business days when faxed. This new timeline applies across the board to ensure consistency during the temporary system downtime. We kindly ask for your patience as these changes are implemented.

Tips for a Smooth Application Process

To ensure you receive your EIN within the updated timelines, follow these best practices:

Fax Your Application: Ensure your Form SS-4 is complete and accurate before faxing.
Monitor IRS Communications: Stay updated in case the IRS requires further details or announces changes.
Plan Ahead: If your EIN is needed urgently, submit your application as soon as possible to account for processing times and understand that express EINs at this time are not possible until after January 16th.

For these reasons, our express 98 EINs are not available at this time until after January 16th.

Final Thoughts

While the temporary system downtime may cause some delays, the IRS’s new fax-based system ensures you can still obtain a provisional EIN within 7 business days. We appreciate your understanding and patience during this transitional period.