Robinhood does not accept an ITIN. Its application requires a valid Social Security Number, and entering an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number will get you rejected at signup.{1Robinhood. What You Need to Get Started} That’s Robinhood’s own rule, not a federal one, and several other brokerages will open an account for ITIN holders.
Why Robinhood Requires an SSN
Robinhood’s support page states applicants must have “a valid Social Security Number (not a Taxpayer Identification Number).”{1Robinhood. What You Need to Get Started} The wording is deliberate. It draws a line between SSNs and every other taxpayer ID, ITINs included.
The federal rule underneath this is more permissive. The Customer Identification Program regulation for broker-dealers requires firms to collect a “taxpayer identification number” from U.S. persons.{2eCFR. 31 CFR 1023.220 – Customer Identification Programs for Broker-Dealers} An ITIN is one; the IRS issues it for exactly that purpose.{3Internal Revenue Service. Taxpayer Identification Numbers (TIN)} So the federal floor allows brokerages to accept ITINs. Robinhood chose to set a higher bar. The upshot for you: if you hold only an ITIN, your options are with other firms.
Brokerages That Do Accept ITINs
Interactive Brokers lists “Social Security Number or Tax ID number if not US citizen” among acceptable identification for account applications.{4Interactive Brokers LLC. What You Need for the Application} Charles Schwab’s international account page requires a “Tax ID Number or Social Security Number,” without restricting the tax ID to an SSN.{5Charles Schwab International. Open an Account Intro} Schwab’s international arm also asks for a passport or government ID and a recent utility bill as proof of residency.
Policies shift, and each firm has its own quirks. Call the broker before you spend time on an application and ask specifically whether they accept an ITIN — not just a “tax ID number” — for the type of account you want. Some firms will open a taxable brokerage account for an ITIN holder but won’t do the same for a retirement account like an IRA.
Getting an SSN If You’re Now Eligible
If you have an ITIN because you didn’t qualify for an SSN when you needed a taxpayer number, and your immigration status has since changed, you may qualify now. Noncitizens authorized to work in the United States by the Department of Homeland Security can generally apply for an SSN. Even without work authorization, an SSN is available if federal law requires one for a federally funded benefit, or if state or local law requires one for public assistance while you’re legally residing in the country.{6Social Security Administration. Social Security Numbers For Noncitizens}
The application is Form SS-5, filed at a Social Security office with documents proving immigration status, work authorization, age, and identity. Once you have an SSN, the IRS recommends you stop using the ITIN for tax filings and use the SSN going forward. At that point Robinhood becomes available to you along with every other U.S. brokerage.
Don’t Use a False or Borrowed SSN
This is worth stating plainly because the temptation exists. Do not use someone else’s SSN, a made-up number, or a number obtained through false information to open a brokerage account. Federal law makes false representation of a Social Security number, with intent to deceive, a felony carrying up to five years in prison and fines.{7Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 42 U.S. Code 408 – Penalties}
The practical consequences arrive faster than the criminal ones. Brokerages verify SSNs against Social Security Administration and IRS records. Mismatched name, date of birth, or number triggers a rejection or an account freeze. If the mismatch surfaces after you’ve traded, gains in the account become almost impossible to withdraw cleanly, and the brokerage is required to report suspicious activity to federal regulators. The legitimate paths — an ITIN-friendly broker, or an SSN application if you’re eligible — are far simpler than the fallout.
Tax ID Matching and Backup Withholding
Whichever brokerage you use, and whether you certify an SSN or an ITIN, the number on your W-9 has to match what the IRS has on file. If it doesn’t, or if you never provide a correct TIN, the broker must withhold 24% of your investment income — dividends, interest, and sale proceeds — and send it to the IRS.{8Internal Revenue Service. Backup Withholding}
You can recover backup withholding by filing a return and claiming it as tax already paid, but your cash sits with the government until then. Certifying a false TIN also carries a separate $500 civil penalty. Whether the number you use is an SSN with Robinhood or an ITIN with another broker, confirm it matches IRS records exactly before you submit.