File Colorado Payroll
Taxes Online in Minutes

Easily file Colorado payroll tax forms including new hire reports, withholding tax returns, and unemployment insurance filings — all from one secure platform.

Check Filing Requirements
Form NHR

Form NHR

Deadline: Within 20 days of hire

New Hire
Form DR 1094

Form DR 1094

Deadline: Varies based on the amount of withholding tax

Withholding
Form UITR-1/UITR-1A

Form UITR-1/UITR-1A

Deadline: Apr 30, Jul 31, Oct 31, Jan 31

UI

Colorado Payroll Filing Requirements for New Hire, Withholding, and Unemployment Insurance

Stay compliant with Colorado payroll tax filing requirements for new hire reporting, withholding tax, and unemployment insurance.

Forms Filing Requirements Filing Methods Due Date

New Hire Report

Federal law requires public (State and local) and private employers to report all newly hired or rehired employees, all temporary and seasonal employees. and all service providers (independent contractors), who are working in Colorado.

Employers who have employees working in two or more states may register as a multi-state employer and designate a single state to which new hire reports will be transmitted.
  • Online: Enter or upload your new reports through Colorado New Hire Reporting portal.
  • Fax: (303)-297-2595
  • Mail: Colorado State Directory of New Hires, PO BOX 13089, Sacramento, CA 95813-3089
Within 20 days of the employee's hire or rehire date.

W-2 Wage Withholding Tax Return
(Form DR 1094)

All employers who are required to withhold Colorado income tax from their employees' paychecks must file Form DR 1094.

This form is used to report and remit the total amount of Colorado W-2 income taxes collected during a specific filing period.

  • Electronic Filing (Recommended): Employers can file Form DR 1094 and pay electronically via the Colorado Revenue Online portal.
  • Mail: Colorado Department of Revenue, Denver CO 80261-0009
  • Quarterly: Employers withholding less than $7,000 annually must file Form DR 1094 quarterly. Returns are due by the last day of the month following the end of each quarter (April 30, July 31, October 31, and January 31).
  • Monthly: Employers withholding at least $7,000 but not more than $50,000 annually must file monthly. Returns are due by the 15th day of the following month.
  • Weekly: Employers withholding more than $50,000 must file weekly. Returns are due the following Wednesday, and the tax period end date must always be reported as the next Friday date following payroll.

Quarterly Wage Report & Premium Report
(Form UITR-1 / Form UITR-1A)

All employers liable for Colorado Unemployment Insurance (UI) premiums must file quarterly wage reports Form UITR-1 or UITR-1A.

Most employers are required to pay UI premiums if they meet one or both of the following requirements:

  • The employer paid wages of at least $1,500 in a calendar quarter during the current or previous calendar year.
  • The employer employed at least one person for any part of a day in 20 weeks during the current or previous calendar year.
  • Electronic Filing (Mandated): File Colorado Forms UITR-1 (Unemployment Insurance Tax Report) and UITR-1A (Employment and Wage Detail) online through the MyUI Employer+ portal.
  • Colorado no longer accepts paper-filed quarterly wage and premium reports.
Forms UITR-1 and UITR-1A must be filed every quarter by the last day of the month following the end of the quarter.
  • Q1: April 30
  • Q2: July 31
  • Q3: October 31
  • Q4: January 31

File Colorado Payroll Forms with Confidence

Simplify Colorado payroll tax filing with TaxBandits — securely file new hire reports, withholding tax forms, and unemployment insurance returns online.

See How to File

Colorado Annual Transmittal of State W-2 Forms (DR 1093)

Understand Colorado's annual withholding reconciliation requirements and stay compliant with year-end employer reporting obligations.

Filing Requirement Form DR 1093, Annual Transmittal of State W-2 Forms, is used to reconcile the total Colorado income tax withheld during the year with the withholding payments previously submitted to the Colorado Department of Revenue. It also serves as the annual transmittal for employee Forms W-2.
Due Date January 31st of the following year.
What to Include Total Colorado wages paid, total Colorado income tax withheld, annual withholding reconciliation totals, and copies/electronic submission of Forms W-2 issued to employees.
Filing Method Electronic filing through Revenue Online or approved payroll software is strongly encouraged and may be required for employers filing large volumes of W-2 records.
Colorado Annual Transmittal Form DR 1093

Simplify your DR 1093 filing with TaxBandits

Information Required to File

Know what information you need to file Colorado payroll forms accurately.

What to Report in New Hire?

What to Report in a New Hire?

  • Employee name
  • Address
  • Social Security Number
  • Date of birth
  • Date of hire
  • Employer Information:
    • Payroll address
    • Federal identification number (FEIN)
What to Report on Form DR 1094?

What to Report on Form DR 1094?

  • Colorado withholding account number
  • Total Colorado Tax Withheld
  • Prior Period Overpayments
  • Penalties and Interest (if any)
  • Amount Owed
What to Report on Forms UITR-1 & UITR-1A?

What to Report on Forms UITR-1 &
UITR-1A?

  • Employer account number
  • Total gross wages and taxable wages paid
  • Employee wage details
  • Number of employees and employment details
  • Unemployment premiums, adjustments, penalties, or interest due

How to File Payroll Tax Forms with the State of Colorado?

Create a free TaxBandits account and follow these simple steps to e-file your Colorado forms efficiently.

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  • Step 1: Choose the Required Form

    Select the type of form you want to file. This includes new hire reporting, quarterly withholding Form DR 1094, and unemployment insurance Forms UITR-1 & UITR-1A.

  • Step 2: Enter the Required Tax Details

    Complete the chosen form with the required information that applies to your business, such as employee wages and contribution data.

  • Step 3: Review and Transmit

    Review your form and transmit it to the appropriate state agencies through TaxBandits for a secure and approved filing.

  • Step 1: Choose the Required Form

    Select the type of form you want to file. This includes new hire reporting, quarterly withholding Form DR 1094, and unemployment insurance Forms UITR-1 & UITR-1A.

  • Step 2: Enter the Required Tax Details

    Complete the chosen form with the required information that applies to your business, such as employee wages and contribution data.

  • Step 3: Review and Transmit

    Review your form and transmit it to the appropriate state agencies through TaxBandits for a secure and approved filing.

Start e-filing with Colorado today — TaxBandits makes it quick and easy!

Colorado Payroll Tax Filing — Simple, Transparent Pricing

Pay for more than filing—accuracy, right outcome, and peace of mind.

No of Forms First Form Next 3 Forms 5-25 Forms 26-50 Forms 51-100 Forms 101-500 Forms 501-1000 Forms
New Hire Reporting $1 / Employee
Withholding Form (DR 1094) $5.95 $5.25 $4.75 $4.25 $3.75 $3.25 $3.00

Unemployment Wage Report

(UITR-1 & UITR-1A)

 $5.95 $5.25 $4.75 $4.25 $3.75 $3.25 $3.00

For high-volume filing, call us at (704) 684-4758 for customized pricing.

Penalties and Corrections for New Hire, Withholding, and Unemployment

Know the penalties and how to correct errors before they impact compliance.

Form Penalties Corrections

New Hire Report
  • Colorado imposes a civil penalty of up to $25 per unreported employee or independent contractor for failing to meet new hire reporting requirements.
  • For conspiracies between an employer and employee to avoid reporting, the penalty increases up to $500 per violation.
Use Colorado New Hire Reporting Portal: To correct or fix a rejected new hire report in Colorado, log into the Colorado New Hire Reporting Portal and use the "Employer Services Portal" to search your history and fix pending or rejected records.

Form DR 1094
  • Late-Filing (or Not-Filing) Penalty: Late filing penalty of $5 or 5% of the unpaid tax, whichever is greater, for the first month. An additional 0.5% is added for each subsequent month the return is delinquent, up to a maximum of 12%.
  • Late-Payment Penalty: The penalty is $5 or 5% of the unpaid tax, whichever is greater, for the first month it is late. For each additional month, an additional 0.5% penalty is added, up to a maximum total penalty of 12%.
Use Colorado Revenue Online portal: Use DR 1094X (Amended Colorado Income Withholding Tax Return) to amend a Colorado Form DR 1094. The method for correcting depends on whether you owe additional tax or are correcting an overpayment.
  • If you overpaid withholding tax: Claim the credit on a future Form DR 1094 filed within the same calendar year through Revenue Online or paper filing.
  • If the credit cannot be claimed within the same year: Request the refund through the annual reconciliation Form DR 1093.
  • If additional tax is due: File another Form DR 1094 for the same reporting period showing only the additional tax owed.
  • If you cannot file electronically, file the appropriate paper return reporting only the additional tax due for the period.

Form UITR-1 & UITR-1A

 Late Filing Penalty:
  • Standard Employers: $50 per quarter for any delinquent or late report.
  • New Employers: $10 per occurrence during the first four quarters of coverage.

Late Payment Penalties & Interest:

  • Interest: Charged at 1.5% per month (or any fraction of a month) on past-due premiums and penalties.
  • Delinquent Premium Penalty: Assessed if premiums are still owed by the annual computation date (June 30). This penalty equals either the total past-due premiums or 1% of the taxable payroll, whichever is less.
 Use Colorado MyUI Employer+ Portal: To amend the Colorado Unemployment Insurance Tax Report (UITR-1) and individual wage detail (UITR-1A), log in to the Colorado MyUI Employer+ portal. Colorado requires electronic filing for wage reports and adjustments, which can be completed via manual entry or by uploading a file. Learn more

Beyond State Payroll Filing: Simplifying All Your Tax Needs

At TaxBandits, we simplify more than just state payroll filings. From Form 941 to 1099, W-2, and beyond, we make tax filing easier for businesses of all sizes. Our platform streamlines federal and state compliance, saving you time and reducing errors, so you can focus on growing your business.

Let TaxBandits Make Your Colorado Payroll Filing Easy

We offer a comprehensive solution to meet all your state payroll compliance needs.

  • New Hire Reporting
  • Form DR 1094
  • Forms UITR-1 & UITR-1A

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes — effective July 1, 2021, Colorado employers must report independent contractors for whom they are required to report compensation to the IRS. They are reported the same way as regular employees: through the Colorado New Hire Reporting Center online, by fax to (303)-297-2595, or by mail to Colorado State Directory of New Hires, PO BOX 13089, Sacramento, CA 95813-3089.

Colorado employers must report newly hired and rehired employees within 20 days of the employee's hire date.

Yes. Colorado encourages employers to electronically submit reports through the Colorado State Directory of New Hires portal.

Yes. Employers who have employees working in two or more states may register as a multi-state employer and designate a single state to which new hire reports will be transmitted.

Any employer withholding Colorado income tax from employee wages must file Form DR 1094, Colorado W-2 Wage Withholding Tax Return.

Any employer who pays wages to a Colorado resident — whether they work inside or outside Colorado — or to a nonresident employee performing services in Colorado must withhold state income tax. This applies to businesses, nonprofits, and government agencies of all sizes. Even if no tax is withheld in a given period, monthly and quarterly filers must still submit a zero return, or they will receive a non-filer billing notice.

The due date to file Form DR 1094 is based on total annual Colorado withholding liability and is reassessed each January 1.

Filing Frequency Annual Withholding Filing Period Due Date
Quarterly Less than $7,000 Each calendar quarter Last day of the month following quarter close
Monthly $7,000 to $50,000 Each calendar month 15th of the following month
Weekly $50,000 or more Each week (Saturday through Friday) 3rd business day after the Friday ending the week
  • Zero tax periods: Monthly and quarterly filers must file a return even if no tax is due. Failure to file a zero return will result in non-filer billing notices.
  • Weekly year-end period: The final weekly filing period always ends December 31, regardless of what day of the week it falls on. Payment is due the 3rd business day after December 31.

Yes. Employers can electronically file Form DR 1094 and make payments through Colorado Revenue Online.

Form DR 1093 is Colorado's annual withholding reconciliation form used to reconcile yearly withholding taxes and transmit W-2 information to the Colorado Department of Revenue.

Colorado employers liable for unemployment insurance taxes must file quarterly wage and premium reports using Forms UITR-1 and UITR-1A, even if no wages were paid during the quarter.

Colorado unemployment tax and wage reports are due quarterly:

  • Q1: April 30
  • Q2: July 31
  • Q3: October 31
  • Q4: January 31

Annual Taxable Wage Base (2026): For 2026, Colorado unemployment insurance premiums apply to the first $27,200 of wages paid to each employee during the calendar year. Wages paid above this amount are not subject to additional Colorado UI premiums.

Premium Rates (2026): Colorado unemployment insurance premium rates are assigned annually by the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment based on the employer's experience rating, benefit charges, payroll history, and the health of the state unemployment trust fund.

  • New Employer Rate (2026): Generally 1.7% for most new employers
  • Experienced Employer Rates (2026): Typically range from 0.03% to 8.16%, depending on the employer's experience rating and surcharge adjustments

Colorado assesses:

  • $50 late filing penalty for each delinquent report
  • Additional $50 penalties for additional delinquent quarters
  • 1.5% monthly interest on unpaid unemployment taxes
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