Free · official IRS form, Rev. March 2024
Fill out a W-9 form online
Brands and clients ask for a W-9 before they pay you. Answer a few questions and download the official IRS form, filled in and ready to sign. It all happens in your browser: your Social Security number never leaves this device, nothing is saved, and this page runs no analytics.
For U.S. persons only. Based outside the U.S.? You need Form W-8BEN (individuals) or W-8BEN-E (businesses) instead.
You
Tax classification
Most freelancers and creators pick this, including single-member LLCs that haven't elected corporate tax treatment. Put your own name on line 1 and your business name on line 2.
Use the business's legal name on line 1 and its EIN in Part I.
Most businesses leave these as None. The codes are listed in the IRS instructions.
Part I · Taxpayer identification number
Optional
Done. Sign and date Part II, then send it to the business that asked for it, not to the IRS.
Official IRS Form W-9 (Rev. March 2024), filled in on this device. Nothing you type is uploaded or saved, and this page runs no analytics. RivitPay isn't affiliated with the IRS.
What is a W-9?
Form W-9 is how a U.S. person gives their taxpayer identification number (TIN) to a business that pays them. The TIN is usually a Social Security number (SSN) or an employer identification number (EIN). The business uses it to report what it paid you on an information return such as Form 1099-NEC. You give the W-9 to whoever asked for it. It never goes to the IRS.
Why brands and clients ask for one
For payments made in 2026, a business generally has to file a 1099-NEC when it pays a contractor $2,000 or more in a year, up from $600 before 2026. Many brands and agencies collect a W-9 from every creator and freelancer before the first payment, whatever the amount, because their payment system won't release an invoice without one. If you don't give a correct TIN, the payer may have to hold back 24% of each payment as backup withholding.
How to fill out a W-9, line by line
- Line 1: your name as it appears on your tax return. If you have a single-member LLC, this is still your own name.
- Line 2: your business name, trade name or single-member LLC name, if you have one.
- Line 3a: your federal tax classification. Most freelancers and creators check Individual/sole proprietor, and so do single-member LLCs that haven't elected to be taxed as a corporation. An LLC with more than one member checks "LLC" and enters P, or C or S if it elected corporate tax treatment.
- Line 3b: only for partnerships, trusts and estates that give the form to another partnership, trust or estate they own part of. Most people leave it blank.
- Line 4: exemption codes apply only to certain entities, such as corporations and tax-exempt organisations. Individuals leave it blank.
- Lines 5 and 6: the address where you want tax forms like your 1099 sent.
- Line 7 and the requester box: optional. Leave them blank unless the requester asks.
- Part I: your SSN or your EIN, not both. Sole proprietors can use either. A free EIN from the IRS keeps your SSN off paperwork you send to clients.
- Part II: sign and date it. This filler leaves the signature blank so you can sign by hand or with your e-signature tool.
Is it safe to send a W-9?
A W-9 carries your SSN or EIN, so treat it the way you'd treat the number itself. Send it only to a business you're actually working with, ideally through its vendor portal or a secure file link rather than as a plain email attachment. Scammers send fake W-9 requests, so check any unexpected request with a contact you already know. This page fills the form on your device: nothing you type is uploaded or saved, and there are no analytics or tracking scripts on it.
Not a U.S. person?
A W-9 is only for U.S. citizens, U.S. residents and U.S. businesses. Creators and freelancers based outside the U.S. give Form W-8BEN (individuals) or Form W-8BEN-E (businesses) instead. It tells the payer you're not a U.S. person, so it doesn't need a U.S. tax number from you to issue a 1099.
After the W-9: get paid
Once the paperwork is in, send your invoice. The free invoice generator makes a PDF or a share link in a minute, and there are ready-made UGC, influencer and contractor invoice templates. Setting money aside for tax? The quarterly tax calculator works out your estimated payments.
Frequently asked questions
What is a W-9 form used for?
A W-9 gives your name, address and taxpayer identification number (SSN or EIN) to a business that pays you, so it can report those payments to the IRS on forms such as the 1099-NEC. You give it to the business that asked for it, not to the IRS.
Do I have to sign a W-9?
Most requesters ask for a signed and dated form. The form's own instructions say that for most payments other than interest and dividends the certification doesn't have to be signed, but you must still give your correct TIN. If a client asks for a signature, sign it.
Should I put my SSN or EIN on a W-9?
Individuals usually use their SSN. Sole proprietors and single-member LLC owners can use either their SSN or an EIN, and many use a free EIN so they don't have to share their SSN. Corporations, partnerships and multi-member LLCs use their EIN.
Is it safe to fill out a W-9 online here?
This filler runs entirely in your browser. It loads the official IRS form, fills it on your device and gives you the PDF. Nothing you type is uploaded or saved, and the page has no analytics or tracking scripts.
Do I need a W-9 if I live outside the US?
No. A W-9 is only for U.S. persons. If you're not a U.S. citizen or resident, give the payer Form W-8BEN as an individual or Form W-8BEN-E as a business.