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Hawaii Payroll Tax Registration

As an employer who has recently hired an employee in Hawaii, it is essential to navigate the process of payroll tax registration. This involves registering with the Hawaii Department of Taxation to fulfill your obligations as an employer and ensure compliance with the state's payroll tax requirements.

How Hawaii Payroll Registration Works

There are 2 payroll tax setup tasks you may need to complete in Hawaii to get your new hire on payroll for the first time. You can follow the guide below to help you get registered directly with the Hawaii agencies or use Mosey to do it.

Use Mosey to register for payroll tax in Hawaii.

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Hawaii Unemployment Insurance Setup

As a Hawaii employer, you must register with the Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations for Unemployment Insurance within 20 days of an employee’s first day of work. Note: Do not register prior to the employee's start date, the system doesn't accept future hire dates.

  1. Create an Online Account with the Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations

    Create an account with the Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations online system to register for and manage Unemployment Insurance.

  2. Request an Unemployment Insurance Account Number

    Fill out the online form to request a new Unemployment Insurance Account.

  3. Add Your Unemployment Insurance Account Number Into Your Payroll Software

    Once you receive your Unemployment Insurance account number, you can enter it into your payroll software so they can remit taxes on your behalf.

Hawaii Withholding Tax Setup

Employers with one or more Hawaii employees must withhold and remit employees’ personal income tax liability on earned wages. A withholding tax ID can be requested from the Hawaii Department of Taxation. It can take 2-4 days to receive a withholding tax ID when applying through Hawaii Tax Online, three to five days through Hawaii Business Express, or 3-4 weeks through mail.

  1. File the Business Application Form Online

    Register for a withholding tax ID online by going to Hawaii Tax Online clicking "Register a new business license" and selecting "BB-1 Business Application."

  2. Receive Withholding Tax ID

    It can take two to four days to receive your withholding tax ID. Once you receive it by email or in the mail, copy it into you payroll software. The format of the ID will look like WH-000-000-0000-01.

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