Why is the IRS website saying that it can't provide me an EIN?
This article assumes that you are eligible to apply for an EIN online.
When applying online, you might receive a message saying that the IRS is unable to provide you an EIN. That generally means their online assistant can’t issue you an EIN based on the information in the submitted application or for another reason. Usually the message also mentions a reference number (sometimes referred to as an error code) that can help you learn more about what went wrong. For your convenience, we’ve written an article about what each reference number means and what you should do next. You can either refer to these articles using the chart below, or you can call the IRS at 800-829-4933 and get information yourself.