You're standing in a checkout line or filling out a vendor application, and suddenly, you need it. That string of digits that proves a business doesn't have to pay sales tax. Or maybe you're a donor wondering if that "charity" you just found on Instagram is actually legit. Finding a tax exempt number sounds like it should be as easy as Googling a pizza place, but honestly, it's kinda messy if you don't know where to click.
People mix up terminology constantly. Are you looking for an EIN? An exempt organization status? A state-issued reseller number? They aren't the same thing.
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Let's get into the weeds. If you want to look up a tax exempt number, you have to start with the federal government because that's where the biggest database lives.
The IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search (TEOS)
The IRS is the source of truth for federal exemptions. They have a tool called the Tax Exempt Organization Search, or TEOS. It’s the digital evolution of what used to be called "Publication 78." Basically, if a nonprofit has 501(c)(3) status, they are in here.
You don't need a login. You don't need to pay a fee.
When you use TEOS, you can search by the organization's name or, if you have it, their Employer Identification Number (EIN). Searching by name is tricky. If you type in "Animal Rescue," you’re going to get five thousand hits. Try to be specific. Use the city or the exact legal name found on their paperwork.
Once you find the entity, the IRS gives you a lot more than just a number. You can see their determination letter. That’s the "golden ticket" document that proves the IRS officially recognized them as exempt. You can also see their recent Form 990 filings. These forms are wild because they show exactly how much money the nonprofit took in and—more importantly—how much they paid their top executives.
But wait. What if they aren't a nonprofit?
Resale Certificates and State-Level Lookups
This is where most people get tripped up. If you are a business owner trying to buy inventory without paying sales tax, you aren't looking for a federal 501(c)(3) status. You are looking for a state sales tax exemption number, often called a Reseller Permit or a Seller’s Permit.
The IRS doesn't handle sales tax. States do.
If you need to verify a vendor’s tax-exempt status for a purchase, you have to go to that specific state's Department of Revenue or State Board of Equalization website. For example, in California, you'd use the CDTFA (California Department of Tax and Fee Administration) online services portal. You type in the permit number they gave you, and the system spits back a "Valid" or "Invalid" status.
It’s a pass-fail grade. Simple.
Some states make this harder than others. Florida has a very straightforward "Sales and Use Tax Resale Certificate" verification tool. New York has a "Vendor Lookup" for their sales tax IDs. If you’re doing business across state lines, you might find yourself juggling twenty different browser tabs just to verify a handful of numbers. It’s tedious.
Why the EIN Isn't Always the Tax Exempt Number
Here is a bit of nuance people often miss: every tax-exempt organization has an EIN, but not every EIN belongs to a tax-exempt organization.
An EIN is just a social security number for a business. Even the local lawn care company has one. If someone gives you an EIN and says, "Here’s my tax exempt number," they might be telling the truth, or they might be confused. You still have to run that EIN through the TEOS database to see if the IRS actually granted them exempt status.
There are also "Group Exemptions." Think about a local troop of scouts or a specific church branch. They might not have their own individual IRS determination letter. Instead, they fall under a "parent" organization’s umbrella. In these cases, you’ll see a Group Exemption Number (GEN). To verify these, you usually have to look up the parent organization and then confirm the subordinate is listed in their official directory. It adds an extra layer of detective work.
Verifying a 501(c)(3) for Donors
If you are a donor, you should be skeptical.
Scams peak during disasters or the holiday season. Someone might give you a number that looks real, but it could be an EIN for a defunct corporation. Honestly, if an organization can't provide their EIN immediately upon request, that’s a red flag the size of a house.
Beyond the IRS, you can use third-party watchdogs.
- GuideStar (by Candid): They pull data directly from the IRS but make it much easier to read. You can see their "Seal of Transparency."
- Charity Navigator: They go a step further and rate the "health" of the exemption.
These sites are great because they often list the "DBA" (Doing Business As) names. A charity might be legally registered as "The Smith Foundation for Global Health" but they do all their fundraising as "Healthy Kids Now." If you search the IRS for "Healthy Kids Now," you might find nothing and think they are a fraud. GuideStar helps bridge that gap.
Common Roadblocks in the Search
Sometimes you do everything right and still find nothing. It happens.
One reason is the "automatic revocation" list. If a nonprofit fails to file their Form 990 for three years in a row, the IRS yanks their status. They stay in the database, but they’ll be flagged as revoked. You can’t claim a tax deduction for giving to them, and they shouldn't be using that number to avoid sales tax.
Another issue is timing. It takes the IRS a while to process new applications. If a charity just got its status two weeks ago, they might have a physical letter from the IRS, but they won't show up in the online look up a tax exempt number tool for several months. In that case, ask to see the physical "Determination Letter." Look for the official IRS letterhead and the specific date of the ruling.
International Exemptions
Are you trying to find a tax exempt number for a charity in Canada or the UK? The IRS tool won't help you there.
You’ll need the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) Charities Listing or the Charity Commission for England and Wales. Each country has its own gatekeeper. Most developed nations have a searchable public database because transparency is the price these organizations pay for not having to contribute to the tax pool.
Practical Steps to Get Results Now
Stop guessing and start clicking. If you need to verify a status right now, follow this sequence:
- Ask for the Paperwork: Tell the entity you need their IRS Determination Letter or their State Resale Certificate. If they are legit, they have this PDF ready to go.
- Use the EIN: Don't search by name first. Use the 9-digit EIN in the IRS TEOS tool. It eliminates the "Same Name" confusion.
- Check the Revocation List: If the name doesn't pop up in the active search, check the "Auto-Revoked" list on the same IRS site.
- Verify State Side: If this is for a sales tax exemption on a purchase, go to the Department of Revenue website for the state where the transaction is happening.
- Document Everything: Print the search result or save it as a PDF. If the IRS audits you later and asks why you didn't charge sales tax to a specific customer, "I looked it up" isn't a defense. "Here is the dated verification from your website" is a defense.
Check the expiration dates too. State-level certificates often expire every few years. A certificate from 2021 might be worthless today. Always ensure the "Effective Date" covers the current date.