Do you need an ITIN?
Probably not. The ITIN is the single most over-sold item in this industry, usually bundled by services that know founders have heard the acronym and assume it is a prerequisite. It is not a prerequisite for forming an LLC, obtaining an EIN, or opening Stripe.
The essentials
Verified July 28, 2026
- What it is
- A 9-digit personal tax IDAlways begins with the digit 9. For individuals who must file or be reported to the IRS but are not eligible for a Social Security Number.
- Needed to form an LLC?
- NoNone of the 50 US states impose a citizenship, residency or taxpayer-ID requirement on LLC members.
- Needed to get an EIN?
- NoThe IRS Form SS-4 instructions allow a responsible party without an SSN or ITIN to apply.
- Applied for using
- Form W-7Generally filed with a US federal tax return, with limited exceptions. RazorFile charges $0 for this because we do not offer it.
What's included
- Nothing — RazorFile does not obtain ITINs, and we would rather say so than sell you one you may not need
What's not included
- ITIN applications, which are the work of a Certifying Acceptance Agent or an accountant filing your return
- Any promise that an ITIN unlocks banking or Stripe, because it generally does not
- Advice on whether you personally have a US filing obligation, which is a question for a tax professional
Paying for an ITIN before establishing that you need one
The sequence founders are usually sold is backwards. Services bundle an ITIN into a formation package on the reasoning that a non-US person needs a US tax number. In practice the LLC needs an EIN, which is the entity's number, and an EIN can be obtained without an SSN or ITIN — the IRS Form SS-4 instructions provide for exactly that case. The ITIN is a personal number, and you generally need one only when you personally have a US filing or reporting obligation. That may arise, but it is a conclusion an accountant reaches from your facts, not a box to tick at formation. Establish the obligation first; the number follows it.
EIN and ITIN are not the same thing
An EIN identifies the entity to the IRS and is obtained on Form SS-4 at no charge. An ITIN identifies an individual who has a US filing or reporting obligation but cannot get a Social Security Number, and is obtained on Form W-7. Both are 9-digit numbers, which is part of why they get confused. Your LLC needs the first. Whether you personally need the second depends on your own position — most commonly it arises when you have to file a US personal return, or when a payer must report a payment to you. Conflating the two is how founders end up buying both when they needed one.
You do not need an ITIN to get an EIN
This is the point worth taking away. The IRS instructions for Form SS-4 accommodate a responsible party without an SSN or ITIN, which is precisely the non-US founder's situation. The EIN itself costs $0 from the IRS, and we handle it within the $249 Growth plan. Any service telling you an ITIN must come first, or charging $300 or more to bundle one, is either mistaken or selling the ITIN. Our EIN page sets out how the application actually works.
How to get one if you do need it
Form W-7, generally submitted with a US federal tax return, with limited exceptions where a return is not required. Because identity documents have to be certified, most applicants work with an IRS Certifying Acceptance Agent or an accountant handling the return anyway. That is deliberately not us — we file companies, and pointing you to the right professional serves you better than adding a line item. For contrast, the EIN your LLC actually needs is also 9 digits, is applied for on Form SS-4, and costs $0 from the IRS.
Worth knowing
We do not offer ITIN services and this page exists to save you money rather than take it. Whether you have a US personal filing obligation is a tax question, and it depends on facts we cannot see. If someone has told you an ITIN is mandatory to form a company or open Stripe, ask them which rule requires it.
Common questions
Do I need an ITIN to open a US LLC?
No. No US state imposes a citizenship, residency or taxpayer-identification requirement on LLC members. You need a Registered Agent in the state of formation; you do not need a personal US tax number.
Do I need an ITIN to get an EIN?
No. The IRS Form SS-4 instructions provide for a responsible party who has neither an SSN nor an ITIN, which is the situation almost every founder we work with is in. Services that sell an ITIN as a prerequisite to the EIN have the order wrong.
Will an ITIN get me a US bank account?
Generally not by itself. Banks and neobanks decide on their own criteria, and the binding constraint for most founders is the provider's country policy rather than a missing tax number — Mercury's published prohibited list excludes several countries we serve regardless of what documents you hold.
When do I actually need one?
When you personally have a US filing or reporting obligation and are not eligible for an SSN — for example if you must file a US personal return, or a payer has to report a payment to you. An accountant who has seen your situation should tell you that; it is not a formation-time decision.
Form your US LLC with RazorFile
Wyoming filing, Registered Agent and EIN guidance from $249 plus the state fee. Filed in one to three business days.
RazorFile files companies. We are not a law firm or tax advisor, and nothing on this page is legal or tax advice.