Are all schools required to have a tax ID number?

Every school is required to have a tax ID number, because the federal government sees all schools as business entities. Tax ID numbers are also called Employer Identification Numbers (EINs) and are nine digits long.

EINs are needed when schools or other organizations file tax forms or open bank accounts. A school can apply for an EIN online, and the IRS provides the EIN immediately after the school representative completes the online application. Schools can have several EINs--for example, one federal and one state tax ID. An EIN is not classified, and schools should make it available to anyone who asks. The EIN is often printed on tax forms the school issues to its employees.