Single-member LLC W-9: the rules feel backwards (here's why)
Most W-9 tools get this wrong. The IRS treats your single-member LLC as if it doesn't exist for tax purposes — and that changes every line of the form.
The thing nobody tells you about single-member LLCs
Your single-member LLC exists for legal purposes. It gives you limited liability protection. It lets you open a business bank account, sign contracts in the LLC's name, build something that looks and feels like a separate business.
But for federal tax purposes, the IRS treats your single-member LLC as if it doesn't exist.
The IRS calls this a "disregarded entity." Your LLC's income is your income. Your LLC's expenses go on your Schedule C. You file taxes as yourself, not as the LLC.
This matters because the W-9 is a tax form. So even though you operate as an LLC for everything else, you fill out the W-9 as an individual.
Most people get this backwards. The instinct is to put the LLC's name on Line 1 and the LLC's EIN as the tax ID — that feels right because the LLC is what's getting paid. But that's wrong, and it can cause real problems: 1099s reported under the wrong tax ID, IRS mismatch letters, and potential backup withholding (where your client takes 24% off the top of every payment until you fix the form).
Here's how to get it right.
Line by line for single-member LLCs
Line 1 — Name
Your full legal name (the one on your tax return). NOT the LLC's name.
Line 2 — Business name
Your LLC's name goes here.
Why: Line 1 is for who pays the taxes (you, the owner). Line 2 is for the business name your client knows you by. Both go on the form, just in the right boxes.
Line 3a — Federal tax classification
Check "Individual / sole proprietor."
The "LLC" box on the W-9 is for multi-member LLCs and for LLCs that filed paperwork to be taxed as a corporation. If you didn't file Form 2553 (S-corp election) or Form 8832 (C-corp election), your LLC is disregarded — and the W-9 box you check is "Individual / sole proprietor."
Line 3b — Foreign partners checkbox
Skip. Doesn't apply to single-member LLCs.
Line 4 — Exempt payee codes
Skip unless you're claiming an exempt payee code (rare for SMLLCs). If you don't already know what an exempt payee code is, you don't have one.
Lines 5–6 — Address
Your address. Could be your home address or your LLC's business address — either works as long as the IRS can reach you there.
Line 7 — Account number
Skip unless your client gave you a vendor account number to write on the form. Most clients don't ask for this.
TIN box — Taxpayer Identification Number
Your Social Security Number (SSN).
The exception: if the IRS specifically told you in writing to use the LLC's EIN on a W-9 (this happens in some narrow situations), follow what they said. But that's rare. The default for a single-member LLC is the owner's SSN.
"But my LLC has an EIN!"
Lots of single-member LLCs have an EIN. Maybe you got one to open a business bank account, or because you wanted to hire someone, or because your state required it for a license.
Having an EIN doesn't change your federal tax classification. Your single-member LLC can have an EIN AND still be a disregarded entity. Both are true at the same time. The EIN is required for some specific purposes; the disregarded-entity classification is a separate tax thing.
The W-9 still uses your SSN, not the LLC's EIN.
One way to think about it: your LLC's EIN is like a phone number. Useful for some purposes — banks ask for it, payroll systems use it, certain forms need it. But it doesn't change who's actually paying the taxes (you, the owner).
When to NOT follow these rules
The rules above apply if you're a normal single-member LLC, taxed as a disregarded entity. That covers the vast majority of SMLLCs.
If you elected to have your LLC taxed as a corporation, the rules above don't apply. You'd know this happened because you would have filed Form 2553 (for S-corp tax status) or Form 8832 (for C-corp tax status). These elections don't happen automatically — you have to file the form.
If you elected corporate tax status, you'd:
- Put the LLC's name on Line 1 (not your name)
- Check the "LLC" box on Line 3a, with code "S" or "C"
- Use the LLC's EIN, not your SSN
If you're not sure whether you elected corporate tax status: you didn't. Filing the election is a deliberate, paper-trail act. If you can't remember signing Form 2553 or Form 8832, it didn't happen, and your LLC is disregarded by default.
Use the W-9 builder, get it right automatically
Our free W-9 tool knows the single-member LLC rules. Pick "Single-member LLC (just you)" on the first question and the form will do the right thing — your name on Line 1, your LLC's name on Line 2, the right box checked on Line 3a, and your SSN in the TIN box (with the EIN field correctly muted).
You'll see the form fill in box by box as you answer. If you're not sure about a step, the help text walks you through it.
Common questions
Can I use my SSN even though I have an EIN?
Yes. For a disregarded-entity single-member LLC, your SSN is actually the correct answer. The EIN exists for other purposes (banking, payroll), not for the W-9.
Will my client be confused that the W-9 has my name and not my LLC's?
No. They'll see the LLC name on Line 2 and know who they're paying. The IRS just needs Line 1 to match your personal tax return — that's where the income gets reported.
If a client pushes back ("I need the LLC's name on Line 1"), they're wrong. The IRS instructions for Form W-9 explicitly say single-member LLCs put the owner's name on Line 1. You can point them at the official IRS instructions if needed.
What if I'm a multi-member LLC?
Different rules. Multi-member LLCs are taxed as partnerships by default. You'd check the "LLC" box with code "P" for partnership, put the LLC's legal name on Line 1, and use the LLC's EIN as the TIN. Use our free W-9 tool and pick "Multi-member LLC or partnership" — the form will guide you through the right path.
Do I need to update my W-9 if I add members later?
Yes. The single-member rules don't apply once you have a partner. As soon as a second member joins, your LLC stops being disregarded — it becomes a partnership for tax purposes (unless you've elected corporate tax status). You'd need to send updated W-9s to your clients.
What about backup withholding?
Backup withholding is when your client takes 24% off every payment and sends it to the IRS instead of paying it to you. It can happen if your W-9 has a TIN mismatch (wrong SSN, or using your LLC's EIN when you should be using your SSN). Getting Line 1 and the TIN right the first time is the easiest way to avoid this.
What if my client already has a W-9 from me with the LLC's name on Line 1?
Send them an updated one. Most clients are happy to file the corrected version. If they've already issued you 1099s with the wrong information, that's also fixable — they can file a corrected 1099. Better to get this right than have a mismatch sitting on the IRS's books.