Form W-9

Requesting your Tax ID Number

Form W-9 is the IRS form used by a company to request your taxpayer identification number. You may get a blank Form W-9 to fill out if you or your company are hired to provide services to another company. Most often, Form W-9 is sent to independent contractors, consultants, and other self-employed workers.

Filling out a W-9 is pretty straightforward. Just provide your name and Social Security Number, or the name and Employer Identification Number of your business.

By submitting a W-9, you are certifying that the tax id number you are providing is correct and accurate. You also need to certify whether or not you are subject to backup withholding. Most taxpayers are exempt from backup withholding. The IRS might require backup withholding, however, if your name and tax identification number that you provide on the W-9 don't match with the IRS records.

You can obtain a blank Form W-9 (PDF) to give to independent contractors you hire or to type and print out if you need to give one to your employer.