Wisconsin Payroll Tax and Registration Guide

Use this checklist to make sure you’ve covered everything required to set up your account as a Wisconsin employer so OnPay can accurately file and pay taxes on your behalf: 

OnPay handles the filing of all state and local taxes for businesses in Wisconsin, including:

If you are an existing employer who has previously run payroll in the state of Wisconsin, you likely already have the IDs and online accounts needed for OnPay to process your tax filings. 

If you are a new employer in Wisconsin, you will need to register your business with the Wisconsin Department of Revenue and Wisconsin Department of Labor. This must be completed for OnPay to be able to file and pay your Wisconsin taxes.

Withholding Tax Account Number

Existing Wisconsin Employer: 

You can find your Withholding Tax Account Number on notices received from the Wisconsin Department of Revenue. If you cannot locate this document or account number, please call the Wisconsin Department of Revenue at (608) 266-2776 to request it.

New Wisconsin Employer: Register with the Wisconsin Department of Revenue 

• Visit the One Stop Business portal and click “Start Your Business”.
• Complete their survey to determine the best way to register your business.
• You will be able to register for both Wisconsin Withholding and Unemployment Taxes

Unemployment Account Number and Tax Rate

Existing Wisconsin Employer: 

• You can find your Unemployment ID on the annual Tax Rate Notice received from the Wisconsin Department of Labor. It can also be found on your Quarterly Contribution and Wage Report. 
• Your Unemployment Tax Rate can also be found on the annual Tax Rate Notice in box 2. Your rate will be in the range of 0% to 12% with a wage base of $14,000.
• Those in the construction industry or with an annual payroll over $500,000 should review this page to find their rate. 
• If you're unsure of your rate, please call the Department of Workforce Development at 1-(414)-438-5395.

New Wisconsin Employer: Register with the Wisconsin Department of Labor

• Visit the One Stop Business portal and click “Start Your Business”.
• Complete their survey to determine the best way to register your business.
• You will be able to register for both Wisconsin Withholding and Unemployment Taxes
• If you're a new employer in Wisconsin, your rate will generally be in the range of 3.05% to 3.25% with a wage base of $14,000.

OnPay works with government entities on your behalf, reporting new hires to state labor departments, calculating tax rates, and filing financial reports. To do this effectively, you will need to grant OnPay TPA access and Power of Attorney.

Approve OnPay’s TPA access with the Department of Revenue

If your business is already registered with the Wisconsin Department of Revenue, we'll submit a request for third party access to your account. You'll need to approve OnPay's pending request for third party access in the One Stop Business portal by following these steps below.

Steps to Approve OnPay's TPA access:

1. Go to Settings, then Manage Usernames.
2. Your Settings should be:
   1. "Yes"
   2. "Administrator"
   3. "All Access"
3. Click OnPay, then Access
4. Click Account Manager, then Change
5. Click Grant access next to "withholding" and any other required accounts
6. Click Save

Be sure to give us access to file and pay within the account.

Approve OnPay’s TPA access with the Department of Workforce Development

You'll also need to grant OnPay access to your Department of Workforce Development account. To grant access:

1. 1. Log into your DWD account
   2. Click Account Access
   3. Click Generate Access Key
   4. Click Select All
   5. Click Generate Key
   6. Copy the generated key ( it's red) that appears in the top left of your screen

If you don’t know your Internet Access Code, look for it on your Wisconsin notices or letters you may have received. If you can't find it or need to create one, contact the Wisconsin Department of Labor to request it.

Grant OnPay Power of Attorney

You'll also need to grant OnPay power of attorney by following the instructions in this article.