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Pre-Licensing Foundations ~20 min

How to Get an EIN for Your California Home Care Agency

An EIN is your business tax number. You need it to hire workers and run payroll. It is free from the IRS. The CDSS forms do not ask for it.

First, form your business

The IRS says to form your LLC or corporation with the state first. If you don't, your EIN may be delayed.

Path 1: Your formation service may get it for you

Did a service form your LLC? Check your package. Some services get the EIN for you.

Path 2: Get it yourself (free)

Go to the IRS online EIN tool. It is free. The IRS warns about websites that charge for an EIN.

The tool is not open all the time. Hours are Eastern Time:
  • Mon–Fri: 6:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. (next day)
  • Sat: 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
  • Sun: 6:00 p.m. to midnight

You can get only 1 EIN per responsible party per day.

Save your letter right away

At the end, you can download your EIN confirmation letter. Save the PDF before you close the page. Your bank may ask for it.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • 1Paying a website to get an EIN. The IRS tool is free.
  • 2Closing the page before you save your confirmation letter.
  • 3Applying before the state approves your LLC. The IRS says this can delay your EIN.

Tips

  • When the IRS form asks for the "Reason for applying," select "Started a new business."
  • Save the letter in your business papers folder. Your bank may ask for it.
  • If you also purchased our LLC formation service, your EIN may already be included — check your dashboard.

What You Need to Do

  1. 1
    Check if your formation service (e.g., Bizee) already generated this for you
  2. 2
    If not, complete the free IRS Online Application
  3. 3
    Download and save your EIN confirmation letter right away
  4. 4
    Enter your 9-digit EIN below
  5. 5
    Upload your EIN confirmation letter to your Document Vault below

Information You Will Need

Have these details ready before you sit down to fill this out:

Federal EIN (Employer Identification Number)

Your 9-digit federal tax ID.

Required

Documents Needed

  • IRS EIN Confirmation Letter
    PDF · Max 5MB

Official Resources

Want us to handle this for you?

Our licensing team knows this form inside and out. We fill out every form, check every box, and submit the whole packet to CDSS on your behalf. You just answer a few simple questions.

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John Helmy

Researched and reviewed by

John Helmy, Founder of HomeCareAtlas

Building tools and resources to help home care agency owners navigate licensing, compliance, and growth.