Collected later, by hand
Sellers chase the EIN by email or a separate form after the order, store it in a spreadsheet, and try to match it back to the right order — slowing down wholesale onboarding and resale-certificate handling.
EIN at checkout
For US wholesale and trade accounts, Trade Account Checkout captures a customer's EIN (Employer Identification Number) at checkout, validates the 9-digit format, and saves it to the order as a metafield — the US counterpart to the ABN field for Australia and VAT for Europe and the UK.
Install on ShopifyRequires Shopify Plus · Free plan available
Quick answer
Yes — you can capture a US EIN at the Shopify Plus checkout with a field-capture extension like Trade Account Checkout. The EIN field can be required or optional, validated against the 9-digit format (XX-XXXXXXX), saved to the order as a metafield, and used to auto-tag the order. It validates the format only — it does not verify the EIN with the IRS, and it is not tax advice. It is a field-capture extension, not a payment method.
Last updated: 16 June 2026
Why it matters
Wholesale, resale, and tax-exempt accounts often need an EIN on file — but a standard checkout has nowhere to collect it.
Sellers chase the EIN by email or a separate form after the order, store it in a spreadsheet, and try to match it back to the right order — slowing down wholesale onboarding and resale-certificate handling.
The EIN is entered at checkout, format-checked on the spot, and pinned to the order as a metafield with a trade tag — so the business identifier travels with the order it belongs to.
How it works
Four steps, no theme code, on any Shopify Plus store.
Add a field labelled “EIN” or “Federal Tax ID” with helper text explaining the format you expect.
Add a regex such as ^\d{2}-?\d{7}$ so only a valid 9-digit EIN pattern (two digits, optional hyphen, seven digits) is accepted.
The business customer types their EIN at checkout alongside their other details.
The EIN is written to the order as a pinned metafield and the order is tagged, ready for export and your accounting workflow.
Important
Trade Account Checkout validates the format of an EIN, not its status with the IRS, and it does not determine tax-exempt eligibility or calculate sales tax. This page is general information, not tax or legal advice — confirm resale, exemption, and reporting requirements with a qualified tax professional.
By region
Same checkout field, different validation — capture the right identifier for each market.
| Identifier | Region | Format | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| EIN | United States | 9 digits — XX-XXXXXXX | This page |
| ABN | Australia | 11 digits | ABN at checkout |
| VAT ID | EU & UK | Country prefix + digits | VAT numbers |
FAQ
Common questions from US B2B sellers.
An EIN (Employer Identification Number) is a 9-digit federal tax ID the IRS issues to US businesses, written as XX-XXXXXXX. Sellers often collect it for wholesale, resale, and tax-exempt accounts and for W-9 records.
Collecting it at checkout means the business identifier is captured with the order it relates to, instead of chasing it by email later and matching it back by hand. It speeds up wholesale onboarding and resale handling.
Yes. You can add a regex pattern so only a valid 9-digit EIN format is accepted at checkout. The check is on the format only.
No. The app validates the format, not the live status of the number with the IRS. It does not confirm whether a business is tax-exempt or registered.
It captures and stores the EIN as a reference on the order. It does not set tax-exempt status or apply sales-tax rules — those are configured in Shopify's tax settings and your own process.
No. It is a field-capture checkout extension, not a payment method, processor, or gateway. It records the EIN reference and never touches payment data.
Add a validated EIN field to your Shopify Plus checkout for wholesale and trade accounts.
Install on Shopify