W-9 Form Instructions
A brutal, no-nonsense guide to filling out IRS Form W-9 for freelancers, independent contractors, & small businesses.
If you are an independent contractor in the United States and a client pays you more than $600 in a tax year, they are required by law to issue you a 1099-NEC. To do that, they need your Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN). The W-9 is simply the standard form you use to give it to them.
Line-by-Line Guide
Line 1: Name
If you operate as a sole proprietor (which you are by default if you haven't formed an LLC or corporation), put your full legal name here, exactly as it appears on your tax return. If you have a single-member LLC and file taxes as a sole proprietor, still put your personal name here.
Line 2: Business Name (Optional)
If you have a "Doing Business As" (DBA) name or a single-member LLC, put it here. If you are just "Jane Doe" operating under your own name, leave this blank.
Line 3: Federal Tax Classification
Check the box that applies to you. For most freelancers, this is the first box: "Individual/sole proprietor or single-member LLC".
Common Mistake: The Single-Member LLC Trap
Many single-member LLC owners mistakenly check the "Limited liability company" box and enter "C" or "S" or "P". If your LLC is a disregarded entity (meaning you just file a Schedule C on your personal 1040), you must check the very first box ("Individual/sole proprietor..."), NOT the LLC box.
Part I: Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN)
If you are a standard sole proprietor without an Employer Identification Number (EIN), you must provide your Social Security Number (SSN). If you have an EIN (which you can get for free from the IRS website even as a sole proprietor to protect your SSN), use that instead.
Next Step
Ready to fill it out? You can upload a blank W-9 to our PDF Filler right now and type your answers in.