FEIN Overview
Federal Employer Identification Numbers (FEINs) are issued to partnerships, corporations, non-profit organizations, and to other business entities by the IRS. These ID numbers can be obtained from the IRS. Generally, businesses will need a new FEIN when their ownership or structure has changed, but the IRS can help you determine that. Toast Payroll cannot change your FEIN.
FEINs are inputted into Toast Payroll during the onboarding process. Customers cannot go live with Toast Payroll without an FEIN.
FEINs vs. Other Identification Numbers
An FEIN is issued in the following format: XX-XXXXXXX. In contrast, social security numbers (SSNs) are issued as XXX-XX-XXXX. Both of these numbers are taxpayer identification numbers. Toast Payroll requires that each business entity has an FEIN; other similar numbers (e.g. SSNs, ITINs) cannot be used in its place.
States and localities also issue taxpayer identification numbers, commonly referred to as Employer Identification Numbers (EINs). These can be different from your FEIN, but sometimes may match. Learn more about state account numbers by reading Toast Payroll: Get Help With State Tax Account Numbers.
Locate Your FEIN
HR+ users can locate an FEIN in Toast Payroll by navigating to Settings > Payroll > Tax Accounts. Select an FEIN from the left-most drop-down menu or use the All and/or Active fields to help filter down to it. Select the View details button to open up a screen with your FEIN's federal tax account details.
Each FEIN is associated with state tax account(s) in each state that the business operates. These consist of an unemployment tax account and a withholding account where applicable (states without income tax will not have a withholding account). To determine if Toast Payroll is missing any state tax account information, refer to the Tax Center accessible via Taxes. Completing all tasks on this page each quarter is critical to avoid potential penalties or fees upon quarterly/annual tax filings.
NEW! Update Your FEIN Details
By navigating to Settings > Payroll > Tax Accounts and selecting View details for the selected FEIN, you can select Edit to update your DBA name, street address, and tax contact information for the FEINs in your database. This allows you to maintain visibility into what Toast Payroll has on-file and update your information at any time you need to.
Note: If your FEIN and/or legal name is incorrect, alert Toast Payroll immediately to correct it and determine any subsequent steps. Federal Employer Identification Numbers (FEINs) and legal business names cannot be edited by customers in Toast Payroll. Additionally, if you think any other non-editable fields are incorrect, contact us.
Note: If you'd like a new FEIN, begin by filling out the New FEIN/Pay Group Request form and sending it to us via the blue support dot in the lower-right corner of any Toast Payroll page. A Sales rep will contact you soon to continue this process.
This content is for informational purposes and is not intended as legal, tax, HR or any other professional advice. Please contact an attorney or other professional for advice.