Your federal tax ID (EIN) is a number assigned by the IRS and used to identify your company when filing for federal taxes. You can apply online through the IRS website here.

Once you’ve obtained an EIN, complete this eligibility worksheet and create a Pay.gov account before filling out Form1023-EZ, the streamlined application for 501c3 tax exemption for a cost of $275. If your organization is too large to be eligible for the streamlined form (with gross receipts of $50K or more and $250K or more in assets), you can fill out Form 1023 here for $600. 

You may want to assemble your articles of incorporation and bylaws into a single document before filling out and submitting Form 1023.

If it’s required by your state, re-register with your state’s department of charitable solicitations on a yearly basis. Read more about what to do after you register.

Once you receive your status from the IRS, make sure to keep it by filing a Form 990 annually, if your state requires it, based on your gross receipts and total assets for that year.