How to e-sign a W-9 form, step by step

The W-9 — formally Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification — is the IRS form that every freelancer, contractor, consultant, and small business in the United States has filled out more times than they can remember. It's the document a client sends when they need to pay you, so they can later report what they paid to the IRS.

This guide walks through filling and electronically signing the W-9, including the tax-classification question that's the most common source of mistakes.

What a W-9 is for

When a US business pays an independent contractor (or various other recipients of certain income types), they generally need to report the payments to the IRS at year-end on a 1099 form. To do that, they need the recipient's name, address, and taxpayer identification number (TIN). The W-9 collects this information.

The recipient (you, if you're being asked to fill one) is also certifying:

• That the TIN you've provided is correct.
• That you're not subject to backup withholding.
• That you are a US person (citizen, resident, or US entity).
• That FATCA codes (relevant mostly to financial institutions) are correct if applicable.

The signature on the W-9 makes these certifications under penalty of perjury — meaning false statements have legal consequences.

Can a W-9 be e-signed?

Yes. The IRS accepts electronic signatures on W-9 forms. Their guidance specifically notes that requesters of W-9s can accept any electronic signature method that "complies with applicable laws", which in practice means any of the common methods — drawn signatures, typed signatures, click-to-sign, certificate-based signatures.

A drawn or typed signature on a PDF, applied with a tool like esignmypdf, is acceptable. You don't need a notary, you don't need a witness, and you don't need a paid e-signature service.

Get the current form

Use the current version of the W-9. The IRS sometimes updates it, and old versions can cause processing delays.

Download from the IRS directly: irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw9.pdf. Save it to your computer.

If your client has sent you a W-9 to fill out, use the version they sent — they may have pre-filled some fields or specifically want a particular layout. But check that the form number and revision date at the bottom match the latest version on IRS.gov.

Filling each field

Open the W-9 in esignmypdf.com/sign. The current version is an editable PDF (AcroForm) with proper fields, so clicking on each field lets you type directly.

Line 1: Name (as shown on your income tax return)

Your legal name as it appears on your tax return. If you file individually, that's your personal legal name. If you have a sole proprietorship and file Schedule C, this is still your name (the business name goes on line 2).

Line 2: Business name / disregarded entity name, if different from above

If your business operates under a name different from your legal name (a DBA, or "doing business as"), put it here. If your business name and your legal name are the same, leave blank.

Line 3: Federal tax classification

The most important and most-mistaken field. See the dedicated section below.

Line 4: Exemptions (codes)

Most individuals and small businesses leave this blank. The codes here are for specific entity types — corporations exempt from backup withholding, FATCA reporting exemptions for non-US accounts. Unless your accountant or attorney has told you a code applies, leave it blank.

Line 5: Address

The address where the requester will send your 1099 form at year-end. Use the address you actually want tax forms mailed to. If you've moved recently, use your current address even if it doesn't match the one on file with the IRS — they're not the same thing.

Line 6: City, state, ZIP code

Self-explanatory.

Line 7: List account numbers here (optional)

Optional. Some requesters ask you to put an account number, project ID, or vendor ID here. If your requester doesn't ask for anything specific, leave blank.

Part I: Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN)

For individuals and sole proprietors, this is your Social Security Number (SSN). For corporations, partnerships, LLCs (multi-member), and most other entities, it's the Employer Identification Number (EIN).

Use only one TIN on the form, not both. A common mistake is filling in both an SSN and an EIN. Pick the right one for your tax classification and put it in the corresponding section.

The tax classification question

Line 3 — federal tax classification — confuses people. The choices are:

• Individual/sole proprietor or single-member LLC. The default for most freelancers and consultants. If you file your business income on Schedule C of your personal 1040, this is you. Single-member LLCs that haven't elected to be taxed as a corporation also go here.
• C Corporation. A business that has elected to be taxed as a C corp (files Form 1120).
• S Corporation. A business that has elected S corp tax status (files Form 1120S).
• Partnership. A business with more than one owner that files Form 1065.
• Trust/estate. A trust or estate that files Form 1041.
• Limited liability company (LLC). Check this box and enter the tax classification (C/S/P) on the line provided — meaning, an LLC that's elected to be taxed as a corporation or partnership.
• Other. Anything that doesn't fit. Specify on the line provided.

Quick decision tree

• You're a freelancer with no business entity → Individual/sole proprietor.
• You have a single-member LLC, no corporate election → Individual/sole proprietor or single-member LLC.
• You have a single-member LLC taxed as S-corp (filed 2553) → LLC, enter "S".
• You have a multi-member LLC (no corporate election) → LLC, enter "P".
• You have a multi-member LLC taxed as corporation → LLC, enter "C" or "S".
• You're a C-corp → C Corporation.
• You're an S-corp (incorporated, not an LLC) → S Corporation.
• You're a partnership (no LLC wrapper) → Partnership.

If you're not sure, your accountant knows. Ask them rather than guessing — using the wrong classification can cause your 1099 to be misreported.

Part II: Signing and dating

Part II of the W-9 is the signature and date. The signature certifies the truthfulness of everything above it.

1. Click the Signatures tool

In esignmypdf, click ✒ Signatures. Choose how to sign:

• Type — type your name in a signature-style font. Acceptable to the IRS and most requesters.
• Draw — sign with mouse, trackpad, or finger.
• Upload — use an existing signature image, if you have one.

2. Place the signature on the signature line

Drag your signature onto the line at the bottom of Part II. Resize if needed so it sits cleanly within the line.

3. Fill in the date

Use the T Text tool to type today's date in the Date field. Format: MM/DD/YYYY for US convention.

4. Download

Click Download PDF. The completed and signed W-9 saves to your downloads folder.

Returning it safely

This is where W-9 mistakes get expensive. The W-9 contains your full legal name, address, and SSN or EIN — exactly what an identity thief wants. Sending it by plain email is risky.

Better options, in rough order of safety:

1. Use the requester's secure portal. Many companies have a vendor onboarding portal with file upload. This is the safest option when available.
2. Use an encrypted file-sharing service. Services like Tresorit, SpiderOak, or even password-protected ZIP files shared via separate channels.
3. Encrypt the PDF with a password and share the password through a different channel (phone, SMS, encrypted messenger). Most PDF readers can password-protect files; the password should be sent separately.
4. Use a secure email service like ProtonMail or a corporate encrypted email.
5. If you must use plain email — and sometimes that's all the requester will accept — at least be aware that your information is now potentially exposed to anyone who can see the email's path (mail servers, mail providers, the recipient's possibly-compromised inbox).

For receiving the request itself — when a client sends you a W-9 to fill out — they should ideally do so through a secure channel, but in practice that's their call.

Common mistakes

Mismatched name and TIN

The most common reason the IRS sends a "B-notice" (a name/TIN mismatch). The name on line 1 must exactly match what the IRS has on file for the SSN or EIN you've entered. For individuals, this is usually the name on your Social Security card. For businesses, it's the name the EIN was issued to.

Using the wrong tax classification

See the dedicated section above. Single-member LLCs in particular often check the wrong box.

Filling in both SSN and EIN

Pick one based on your tax classification. Individuals and sole proprietors use SSN; corporations and multi-member LLCs use EIN. Single-member LLCs can use either (typically SSN for tax simplicity, EIN if they want to keep their SSN private from the requester).

Forgetting to update after an address change

If you've moved since filing your last return, use your current address. The address on the W-9 is where the 1099 will be sent at year-end.

Signing with last year's date

Easy to do by accident if you've just rolled over to a new year. Always use today's actual date.

Returning the form to the wrong address

Double-check who's asking for the W-9 and how they want it returned. If the request came via email, verify the sender's address matches the company you expected — W-9 phishing is a real attack pattern.

Common questions

Do I need to fill out a new W-9 every year?

Generally no — the W-9 is valid until your information changes. Some requesters ask for an updated W-9 annually as a matter of process, even if your information hasn't changed; that's their policy, not an IRS requirement.

Can I refuse to provide a W-9?

You can, but the requester is generally required to withhold a percentage of your payments (currently 24% as backup withholding) and remit it to the IRS. You'd then need to claim it back on your tax return. For practical purposes, providing the W-9 is the right path.

What if I don't have an EIN and don't want to share my SSN?

You can apply for an EIN as a sole proprietor at irs.gov/ein. It's free, takes about 15 minutes, and lets you keep your SSN private. Many freelancers do this for exactly this reason.

Should I keep a copy of the signed W-9?

Yes. Save it locally. The tool doesn't store one for you — by design. Keep it with your tax documents in case there's ever a dispute about what you provided.

What's the difference between W-9 and W-4?

W-4 is for employees (filed with your employer for withholding); W-9 is for non-employees (contractors, freelancers, vendors). If you're an employee, the form is W-4 and a different process applies.

Once your W-9 is filled and signed, return it through whatever secure channel the requester provides — and keep your copy for your records.