do I need a tax id if i have employees do I need a tax id if i have employees? On 2/21/2012 12:52 PM starting  . a         Retail Trade Coffee Stand with 2 employees in Eagle River, AK  , 99577, AK Anchorage Borough               v  - First you need a sales tax id number because you sell taxable items.  Then, because you are an employer you need an Federal Tax Id Number and a State Tax Id Number.  In addition, your business needs a business tax registration and a fictitious business name registration.  In lieu of registering a ficitious business name, you could become an S  or C corporation or set up an LLC.             Click Here to Submit It. Frequently Asked Questions: Q: I started a business as a partnership but never really took off. Do I still need to file an IRS return? A: If you filed for a a partnership but never started a business, you need to file a tax return anyway and just fill out the gross business income as zero. Otherwise the IRS will charge you with a penalty for non filing the return. Q: What if the independent contractor is an LLC or corporation, do I still need to send them a 1099 form? A: To be safe, yes, send everyone that does any work for you for more than $600 a 1099 form. Q: What is the threshhold before I am required to file a business tax return? Even if you made $0 dollars, you still need to file a business tax return. Q: What is an EIN Used For? A: You can use an EIN to pay employment taxes withheld and use it as a corporation, LLC or business tax ID number as a sole proprietor or partnership or you can combine any of the previous uses of an EIN. AK Tax ID Number. AK Tax ID.