When starting an electrical contracting business as an LLC, arrange the following steps in the correct order.

An electrician is forming an LLC for a new contracting business. Which of the following statements accurately describes the correct process and purpose of obtaining an Employer Identification Number (EIN)?

Match each practical scenario a new electrical contractor faces with the correct administrative action regarding business formation and their Employer Identification Number (EIN).

Two electricians forming a business partnership decide to display their newly issued Employer Identification Number (EIN) on their service vans, reasoning that this federal identification serves as their official contractor license for public validation.

A legal advisor evaluating an electrical contractor's startup timeline identifies a critical procedural flaw: the contractor applied for a federal Employer Identification Number (EIN) for their new LLC before filing any formation paperwork. The advisor intervenes, explaining that this sequence is invalid because the legal entity must first be officially established through the ____ before the IRS can accurately attach a tax identity to the business.