Wisconsin Payroll Tax Registration

Sep 12, 2025

If you are an employer in Wisconsin who has recently hired an employee, you will need to register for payroll tax with the Wisconsin Department of Revenue. This registration process ensures that you are in compliance with state tax laws and are able to properly withhold and remit taxes on behalf of your employees.

How Wisconsin Payroll Registration Works

There are 2 payroll tax setup tasks you may need to complete in Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin agencies or use Mosey to do it.

Wisconsin Unemployment Insurance Setup for LLP, LLC, Corporation

Wisconsin employers must register for an Unemployment Account with the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development by filling out a Preliminary Report (Form UCT-43-E).

  1. Register for an Unemployment Insurance Account Number

    Visit the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development website and register to determine your initial unemployment tax liability. Select "Create Logon ID" and complete profile, including filing the Preliminary Report (Form UTC-43-E). You should receive your account number and tax rate instantly after registering online, or in one to two weeks if registering by mail.

  2. Configure Payroll with Your Unemployment Account Number

    Upon receipt, provide your Unemployment Account Number to your payroll provider.

  3. Create an Employer Online Services Account

    Upon receipt of Unemployment Insurance Account Number and Internet Access Number, visit Employer Online Services to register to file quarterly reports and pay tax due.

Wisconsin Withholding Tax Setup for Corporation, LLC, LLP

Wisconsin employers must obtain a Withholding Account Number by filing a new Business Tax Registration (Form BTR-101) with the Wisconsin Department of Revenue.

  1. Register for a Withholding Account Number Online

    Register your business with the Wisconsin Department of Revenue to obtain your Withholding Account Number. You should receive this number in 24 hours after registering online, or three to four days if registering by mail.

  2. Configure Payroll with Your Withholding Account Number

    Upon receipt, provide your assigned Withholding Account Number to your payroll provider.

  3. Create My Tax Account Username

    Once your PIN has arrived via email (one to two business days) or physical mail (seven to 10 business days), visit My Tax Account and select "Create new username" to create a username.

Wisconsin's Payroll Registration Agencies

More from the blog

Learn how to keep your business compliant in all 50 states across payroll, HR, Secretary of State, and tax.

What Is Tax Nexus? Nexus Types & Determining Tax Nexus

Conventional wisdom holds that only death and taxes are certain. The tricky part, however, is that sometimes tax obligations aren’t certain. For multi-state business owners, determining what you owe (and where you owe it) can be complicated. Consider the following brain-teaser: A Wisconsin-based DTC pickle company grows cucumbers outside of Milwaukee, pickles them on site, and ships them to individual consumers all over the country. As the business grows, it retains the help of a New Jersey-based marketing professional and a fulfillment consultant in Michigan. Where does this business owe state taxes? In Wisconsin only? In Wisconsin, Michigan, and New Jersey? In every state where a consumer buys a pickle?

Gabrielle Sinacola | May 8, 2023

What Is a Foreign Corporation? FAQs Explained

A foreign corporation is a business entity incorporated in one jurisdiction, but doing business in another. When a business entity, like a corporation or limited liability company, operates outside its home state, it’s considered “foreign” in the states where it transacts business — even though it’s a domestic corporation in its place of origin. Let’s dive into the basics around foreign corporations. What Are the Basics of a Foreign Corporation? The concept of a foreign corporation isn’t new, but the 20th century saw a spike in foreign business due to globalization and tech advancements. With the rise of foreign corporations, international treaties surfaced to regulate their activities.

Gabrielle Sinacola | Nov 13, 2023

Employee Offboarding Checklist: The Employer's Guide

Saying goodbye is never easy. Whether an employee is moving on to new opportunities, retiring after years of dedicated service, or leaving under less favorable circumstances, how you handle their departure matters. A lot. Sure, employee offboarding—the process of formally separating an employee from an organization—gets overshadowed by its flashier counterpart, onboarding. However, it deserves just as much attention. Think about it—a rock-solid offboarding process protects your company from security risks, maintains team morale, transfers vital knowledge, and might even turn departing staff into future brand ambassadors.

Paul Boynton | Mar 31, 2025

Ready to get started?

Schedule a free consultation to see how Mosey transforms business compliance.