As an employer in Virginia, it is essential to understand the process of payroll tax registration. This involves registering with the Virginia Department of Taxation to ensure compliance with state regulations and fulfill your tax obligations as an employer.
How Virginia Payroll Registration Works
There are 2 payroll tax setup tasks you may need to complete in Virginia 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 Virginia agencies or use Mosey to do it.
Use Mosey to register for payroll tax in Virginia.
Avoid the manual work and headache of registering with state agencies yourself. Automate it with Mosey and stay compliant.
Virginia Withholding Tax Setup
Employers with employees in Virginia are required to register with Virginia Tax for an Employer Withholding Tax account. Generally, you are required to withhold state Personal Income Tax if you pay wages to at least one employee. When registering for Employer Withholding Tax you will also be able to register for Unemployment Insurance tax at the same time. Note: Virginia has Tax Reciprocity with several states, notably including DC and Maryland. If your employee resides in Maryland or DC but works in your Virginia office, they may ask you to withhold income tax for their home state instead of Virginia.
Register for an Employer Withholding Tax Account
Register online for an Employer Withholding Tax account with VATAX by logging into VATAX Online Services for Businesses portal. Note: No action required if you have an existing Employer Withholding Tax account from previous tax registrations with VATAX.
Virginia Unemployment Insurance Setup
You must register with the Virginia Employment Commission for Unemployment Insurance tax. You are generally required to pay Unemployment Insurance tax if you have at least $1,500 in quarterly payroll or have had an employee for at least 20 weeks in a calendar year. When registering for Unemployment Insurance tax you will also be able to register for Employer Withholding Tax at the same time. Note: Virginia has Tax Reciprocity with several states, notably including DC and Maryland. If your employee resides in Maryland or DC but works in your Virginia office, they may ask you to withhold income tax for their home state instead of Virginia.
Register for an Unemployment Insurance Tax Account
Register online for an Unemployment Insurance account online with the Virginia Employment Commission by logging into VATAX Online Services for Businesses portal. Note: No action required if you have an existing Unemployment Insurance account from previous tax registrations with VATAX.
