Do You Need a W-9 for Upwork?
Why Upwork asks for it, whether it's safe, and how to fill it out — for 2026.
By the Easy Guides Editorial Team · Updated for 2026
Upwork asks for a W-9 (your tax info) because it pays you and must report those payments to the IRS. Fill it out with your name and your SSN or EIN, and Upwork will send you a 1099-K in January. It's a standard, safe request — every legitimate platform that pays you does the same thing.
Why Upwork asks for a W-9
Upwork is the freelance marketplace. When a company pays you as a non-employee, the IRS requires it to report those payments — so it needs your legal name and taxpayer ID number (TIN) on file first. The W-9 is simply how you hand that information over. Without it, Upwork may be forced to apply backup withholding and hold back 24% of your pay.
Is it safe to give Upwork your tax info?
Yes — for a legitimate platform like Upwork, providing a W-9 is normal and expected. Two safety rules protect you: (1) only ever enter your tax info inside Upwork's own website or app (in your account or tax settings), never in reply to an email or DM asking you to “confirm your W-9” — that's a classic scam; and (2) consider using an EIN instead of your SSN to keep your Social Security number private.
SSN or EIN on your Upwork W-9?
Either works. If you use your Social Security number, the payer sees it. If you get a free EIN from the IRS and use that instead, your SSN stays private — a smart move for anyone doing regular gig or freelance work. See SSN vs EIN on a W-9.
What happens after you submit it
Once your info is on file, Upwork tracks what it pays you and sends you a 1099-K in January if you cross the reporting threshold. That income is taxable and you'll owe self-employment tax on it — our 1099 guide walks through what you'll owe and what you can deduct.