What Is a Company Registration Number?
In the United States there is no single national company registration number. A US business is identified by the number its state Secretary of State assigns at formation (the entity or file number) plus a federal Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the IRS. Other countries do issue one national number.
What a company registration number means in the US
Short answer: the US has no national business registry, so there is no single "company registration number." Two identifiers do the work:
| Number | Who issues it | What it's for | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| State entity or file number | The Secretary of State (or equivalent) where the company is registered | Your legal existence as an entity; good standing, filings, service of process | Varies by state — often 7–12 digits, sometimes letters |
| EIN | IRS | Tax identity; also used by banks, payroll and vendors as a business ID | 9 digits, formatted 12-3456789 |
If someone asks for your "company registration number" and you're incorporated, they almost always mean one of these two. Sole proprietors without an LLC may have neither — in that case, say so and offer your EIN or a business licence number instead.
How to find your own numbers
Your state entity or file number
- Search your state's business database. Every Secretary of State runs a free business entity search. Search your legal name, not your brand name, and the record shows the entity number, formation date and status.
- Read your formation documents. The number is printed on your articles of incorporation or organization, the formation certificate and your annual report receipt.
- Check your registered agent's records or any filing confirmation email from the state.
- Look at a state-issued licence — a sales tax permit or professional licence often lists the entity number.
Your EIN
- IRS Notice CP 575 is the letter that assigns your EIN; it's issued once and cannot be reissued.
- Letter 147C is the replacement confirmation. Call the IRS Business and Specialty Tax Line (800-829-4933) and ask for a 147C letter, or request an entity transcript if you need filing history.
- Business Tax Account. Eligible users can download a digital CP575 confirmation notice online, which the IRS accepts in place of the original.
- Your records: a filed tax return, payroll paperwork, bank account documents or any W-9 you've completed.
Never send a copy of a full tax return to a vendor that only asked for a registration number. A confirmation letter, a screenshot of your state record or your EIN alone is normally enough.
Finding another company's number
- State business search: free public record, with the entity number, officers, registered agent and filing history.
- UK Companies House: free search returning the company number, incorporation date, directors and filed accounts.
- Canada: provincial corporate registries for the incorporation number; the CRA business number (BN) is not public in the same way.
- Australia: ASIC Connect and the ABN Lookup service are both free and public.
- India: the MCA master-data search returns a company's CIN and status.
This matters when you're vetting a supplier, checking that a contract counterparty exists, or confirming a company is in good standing before you pay an invoice.
Registration numbers outside the US
| Country | Number | Issued by | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Company registration number (CRN) | Companies House | 8 characters, zero-padded — 8 digits for England and Wales, SC for Scotland, NI for Northern Ireland, OC for LLPs, FC for overseas companies |
| Canada | Business number (BN) | Canada Revenue Agency | 9 digits, often shown with program suffixes such as RC0001 |
| Australia | ACN and ABN | ACN from ASIC; ABN from the ATO | ACN is 9 digits; ABN is 11 digits. Most companies hold both |
| India | Corporate Identification Number (CIN) | Registrar of Companies, Ministry of Corporate Affairs | 21 alphanumeric characters, encoding listing status, industry, state and year of incorporation |
So a UK vendor's "company number" is one eight-character code, while a US vendor's is a state number plus a federal EIN. Ask which one they mean before you send anything.
Why businesses ask for your number
- Identity and anti-fraud checks. A registration number matches a certificate to a real filing.
- Invoicing and payment. Purchase orders and vendor onboarding usually need a tax ID.
- Regulated services. Bank accounts, payment processing, insurance and some licences require entity details.
- Directory and publication listings. Business services such as press release distribution ask for a registration number or EIN to confirm the submitting organisation is traceable, which protects the news network from fake announcements.
- Contracts and due diligence. It confirms you're dealing with an entity, not a personal name.
When we place an order, we ask for your company name, website and contact details so our editors can verify the announcement and reach you with questions. If you'd rather not send a registration number, your entity name and website are normally enough — see how ordering works. Company details also appear at the end of a release in the boilerplate; our corporate backgrounder guide covers what to put there.
Our editors write your press release, publish it across our network of news sites, and send you a report with every live link. One-time price, live within 5 business days.
Start My Order — From $195 See pricing »FAQ
Is an EIN the same as a company registration number?
No. An EIN is a federal tax ID issued by the IRS. A company registration number is issued by the state where you formed the entity. US companies have both; many vendors only need one.
What is a registered business number?
Usually the same thing — the number your business was registered under, either the state entity number or a national company number outside the US. Ask the requester which registry they mean.
Do I need a company registration number to send a press release?
No. We ask for your company name, website and a contact, so our editors can verify the news and write the release. There's no registration number requirement.
What if I'm a sole proprietor with no registration?
Say so. Your name, business name, website and a contact email are enough for most vendors and publications.