File Washington Payroll Taxes Online in Minutes

Easily file Washington payroll forms, including new hire reports and unemployment insurance tax and wage reports, all from one secure platform.

Check Filing Requirements
Form DSHS 18-463

Form DSHS 18-463

Deadline: Within 20 days of hire

New Hire
Forms 5208A / 5208B

Forms 5208A / 5208B

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

UI

Washington Payroll Filing Requirements for New Hire and Unemployment Insurance

Stay compliant with Washington payroll tax filing requirements for new hire reporting and unemployment insurance.

Forms Filing Requirements Filing Methods Due Date

Form DSHS 18-463 - New Hire Report

Washington employers must report all newly hired and rehired employees to the Division of Child Support (DCS). A rehired employee is one who returns to work after a separation of at least 60 consecutive days. Employees who begin working under a new FEIN must also be reported.

Out-of-State Employers: If you move an existing employee into Washington and the employee continues working under the same FEIN, you do not need to report the employee as a new hire. If the employee begins working under a new FEIN, you must report the employee as a new hire.

Multi-State Employers: If you have employees working in more than one state, you have two options for reporting their new hires:

  • Report newly hired employees to the state where they work, or
  • Register as a multi-state employer and select one state where your employees work to report all new hires.
  • Online (Recommended): Submit through DCS Online using Secure Access Washington (SAW).
  • Fax: 800-782-0624
  • Phone: 800-562-0479

  • Mail: New Hire Reporting

    PO Box 9023
    Olympia, WA 98507-9023

Within 20 days of the employee's hire or rehire date.

Forms 5208A and 5208B – Quarterly Tax and Wage Reports

Washington employers must file Form 5208A – Tax Summary and Form 5208B – Wage Details each calendar quarter while their unemployment insurance account is active. The forms are used to report unemployment insurance tax information and employee wage details.

A report must be filed each quarter, even if you have no employees or no payroll for the reporting period.

Online (Recommended): File electronically through the Employer Account Management System (EAMS) using SecureAccess Washington (SAW).

Pay by Mail:

  • Make the check payable to the Employment Security Department.
  • Write your ESD number on the check.
  • Mail the check and tax and wage report to:

ESD - Paper Wage Reports P.O. Box 84137 Seattle, WA 98124-5437

The due date to file Form 5208A/5208B is the last day of the month following the end of each reporting quarter:

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

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Simplify Washington payroll tax filing with TaxBandits - securely file new hire reports and unemployment
insurance returns online.

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Information Required to File WA New Hire Form DSHS 18-463 and Forms 5208A & 5208B

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

What to Report in a New Hire?

What to Report in a New Hire?

  • Employee's name
  • Employee's address
  • Social Security Number (SSN)
  • Date of birth
  • Date of hire
  • Employer's name
  • Employer's address
  • Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN)
What to Report on Forms 5208A and 5208B?

What to Report on Forms 5208A and 5208B?

  • Business and account details
  • Employee names and Social Security Numbers (SSNs)
  • Total hours worked
  • Total wages paid
  • Gross, excess, and taxable wages
  • UI tax, EAF, and applicable penalties or credits

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

Create a free TaxBandits account and follow these simple steps to e-file your Washington 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 Form 18-463 and unemployment insurance tax and wage reporting through Forms 5208A and 5208B.

  • 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 Form 18-463 and unemployment insurance tax and wage reporting through Forms 5208A and 5208B.

  • 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 Washington today - TaxBandits makes it quick and easy!

Why Choose TaxBandits for Washington Payroll Filing?

Simplify payroll compliance with one platform for filing, guidance, review, and ongoing filing support.

Manage on your own File via TaxBandits

Need multiple service providers

  • Rely on different service providers to handle different filing requirements.

File everything in one place

  • Manage Washington state and federal filings on one secure platform without switching providers.

Difficult to prepare forms

  • Requires more time to gather information and complete forms manually.

Guided support from start to finish

  • Get step-by-step, AI-powered assistance throughout the
    filing process.

Prone to filing errors

  • Higher risk of filing errors due to incomplete or incorrect information.

Greater accuracy in error checks

  • Built-in validations help identify missing information and potential errors before submission.

Limited guidance on rejections

  • Deal with rejected returns without clear guidance on what needs to be corrected or how to retransmit them.

Free retransmission

  • Fix the errors and retransmit the rejected returns at no
    extra cost.

Hard to keep track of multiple businesses

  • Monitor different businesses and filing activities across multiple systems and filing services.

Centralized filing management

  • Manage all your businesses and filing activities from one secure software.

Simplify every step of your Washington payroll filing with TaxBandits

Washington Payroll Tax Filing - Simple, Transparent Pricing

Pay for more than filing - get accuracy, the 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
Form 18-463 - New Hire Reporting $1 / Employee
Forms 5208A and 5208B -
Quarterly Tax and Wage Report		 $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.

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Penalties and Corrections for New Hire and Unemployment Insurance

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

Form Penalties Corrections

Form DSHS 18-463 – New Hire Reporting
  • Late Reporting: $25 per newly hired employee for failure to report as required.
  • Conspiracy: The penalty increases to $500 when the employer and employee agree not to report the employee.

DCS Online: If a new hire report contains errors, correct the information and submit the report again through DCS Online.

Forms 5208A and 5208B - Quarterly Tax and Wage Report
  • Late Report: $25 for each late quarterly report.
  • Late Payment: 5% of the total taxes due or $10, whichever is greater, for the first month; an additional 5% or $10 for the second month; and an additional 10% or $10 for the third month.
  • Interest: 1% of the total taxes due per month until the tax is paid.

Online: Log in to EAMS through SecureAccess Washington (SAW) to make changes to your quarterly report.

Amended Report: Use Form 5208D to amend a previously filed quarterly tax and wage report. Submit the completed form by email, fax, or mail.

Email: UIfiles@esd.wa.gov

Fax: 800-794-7657

Mail: Employment Security Department, Tax Accounting, P.O. Box 9046, Olympia, WA 98507-9046

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Washington employers must report newly hired and rehired employees to the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS), Division of Child Support. This includes employees who are hired, rehired after a separation of 60 consecutive days, or begin working under a new FEIN.

You must report each newly hired or rehired employee within 20 days of the employee’s hire or rehire date. Timely reporting helps the state administer child support and other employment-related programs.

Yes. If you have employees working in more than one state, you can either report newly hired employees to the state where they work or register as a multi-state employer and select one state where your employees work to report all new hires.

You need the following information to complete the new hire report:

  • Employee's name and address
  • Social Security Number (SSN).
  • Date of hire.
  • Date of birth.
  • Employer's name and address.
  • Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN).

Washington employers with an active unemployment insurance account must file the quarterly tax and wage reports. The filing is required each quarter to report unemployment insurance tax and employee wage information, including periods when there is no payroll to report.

Forms 5208A and 5208B are used together for Washington's quarterly unemployment insurance reporting.

Form Purpose
Form 5208A – Quarterly Unemployment Insurance – Tax Summary Reports the employer's quarterly unemployment insurance tax information, including gross wages, excess wages, taxable wages, and tax due.
Form 5208B – Wage Details Reports employee-level wage information, including employee names, SSNs, wages, hours worked, and SOC codes or job titles.

The due date to file Form 5208A and Form 5208B is the last day of the month following the end of each reporting quarter.

Reporting Quarter Due Date
Q1 (January - March) April 30
Q2 (April - June) July 31
Q3 (July - September) October 31
Q4 (October - December) January 31

Have the following information ready before filing:

  • Employer Details: UBI number, EIN, ESD number, and business name.
  • Reporting Period: Quarter and year.
  • Employee Details: Employee name and SSN.
  • Wage Information: Gross wages paid during the quarter.
  • Work Details: Hours worked.
  • Job Information: SOC code or job title.
  • Tax Information: Gross wages, excess wages, taxable wages, UI tax due, and other applicable amounts.
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