Arkansas registration and tax info

Gusto partners with CorpNet to help you register your business in new states. 

How it works

Once a work address has been added in a new state and a new employee has been hired and assigned a work address in that state, you can get registration assistance in Gusto. Here’s a snapshot of the process:

1. We’ll collect some basic business information from you.
2. Gusto and CorpNet will check the information for accuracy.
3. Your registration application(s) are usually submitted within 3-5 business days.
4. Check the mail for registration info—the state will typically send your tax account numbers and rates to you directly.

CorpNet can walk you through entering any info that they themselves do not enter in Gusto on your behalf.

Get started with state tax registration

1. Sign in to Gusto as an admin.
2. Click the Taxes & compliance section and select Tax setup.
3. Under “[State name] Tax Setup”, click Have us register for you.
   • The state you want to register in will only appear in this location once a work address has been added in a new state and an employee has been assigned a work address in that state.
4. Review the price, process, and estimated timeline to completion.
   • We will not charge you the registration service fee until you send us your order.
5. Click Continue.
6. Answer a couple eligibility questions.
   • Note: Gusto can only register for you if you don't yet have a state account already.
7. Click Save & continue.
8. Enter some company information.
   • We’ll pre-populate the information we already have.
9. Click Save & continue.
10. Tell us about your responsible party–this is the person who is to be held accountable for the company’s good standing and a point of contact within the organization for tax purposes.
11. Click Save & continue.
12. Enter some state-specific operational information.
13. Click Save and continue.
14. Review all information thoroughly–if any information is incorrect it may delay the process.
    • Heads up: state and local agencies may charge additional fees and increase the estimated turnaround time shown. CorpNet will let you know if that happens.
15. Check the box to acknowledge all info is accurate and you agree to the Terms of Service.
16. Click Send registration order.

After you send your order, we’ll email you with status updates and add your order total to your next monthly invoice.

Checking the status of your order

When your order is complete you’ll receive emails from both Gusto and CorpNet. They’ll detail the next steps which include:

• Reviewing registration details
• Any other state-specific instructions

Before your order is completed, you can use the link in the state registration confirmation email from Gusto to check the status of your order. 

You can also head to the Taxes & compliance and select Tax setup, scroll to the state tax setup section and click the link to Check the status of your registration.

Changing your order

To update your order, contact CorpNet at [email protected] or 1(888) 449-2638. They’re open Monday-Friday from 7am-5pm PT.

FAQs

Q: Can I run payroll for my employees before my registration is complete?

A: Not in most cases—you typically need to have a withholding account number and required tax rate(s) in Gusto before you can run payroll. 

If you’re registering in a state where there is no income tax withheld, you can use the state-specific “new employer rate” in this article until you receive your company-assigned rate from the agency.

Q: Can I use Gusto to register in a new state if I don't have a Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN) yet?

A: No–you must have a FEIN entered in Gusto to order a state tax registration.

Q: Where can I see all my tax information?

A: You can see all tax details in the following locations: 

• Gusto–head to the Taxes & compliance and select Tax setup, and scroll to the applicable state tax setup.
• CorpNet–create a CorpNet account and login at any time to review information.
• State online account–once you’ve gained access to your agency accounts, your tax details will also be available there.

Gusto’s state tax registration service does not contain tax, legal, financial, or HR advice. Since rules and regulations change over time and can vary by location, consult a lawyer, HR expert, or accountant for specific guidance.

Income tax

Register with the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration to receive your DFA Account ID. 

1. Go to the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration Arkansas Taxpayer Access Point (ATAP).
2. Click on New Business Registration under "Quick Links" to first register your business with the state and obtain a tax account ID.
3. Once you have your tax account ID, navigate back to the ATAP login page, and click Sign Up.

You should receive your DFA Account ID and deposit schedule by mail in 1-2 weeks. Please keep this time frame in mind when planning your first Arkansas payroll. If you have any questions you should call the agency at (501) 682-7290.

Unemployment tax

If you employ one or more workers in a calendar year or pay $1,000 or more to an employee in a quarter you will be liable for state unemployment tax. You will register to pay this with the Arkansas Department of Workforce Services by completing the online registration here. It should take about 5 minutes to complete, and you'll receive a confirmation via email.

Experience Rate

The AR Experience Rate appears on the Rate Notice that you receive from the Arkansas Dept. of Workforce Services. New employers should complete the employer registration process to get their new employer rate. If you're unsure, verify your rate by calling the agency at (501) 682-3798.

Click here to view state-by-state new employer rates and wage bases (not company-specific).

Employees in Texarkana

If your business has employees who live in Texarkana, Arkansas, or who live in Texarkana, Texas and work in Texarkana, Arkansas, they qualify for an exemption from Arkansas withholding tax. 

If either of these scenarios applies to your business, please have each eligible employee sign Form AR4EC(TX). You should also let the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration know that you have at least one exempt employee. Please email [email protected] the following information:

• Subject: Requesting AR-TX Exemption Forms
• Body: Hello - My business has at least one employee who qualifies for the Texarkana withholding exemption. Can you please provide me with any forms that I need, and note this exemption for the DFA records?
• Business Name:__________
• Business FEIN:___________
• Withholding Account Number:________
• Business Address:_________

Troubleshoot Department of Finance and Administration authorization issues

Some agencies require special authorization for Gusto to pay or file your taxes. To ensure successful authorization, please verify that you have added the ‘withholding’ tax type to your account. Please also make sure the following information you have entered in your Gusto account matches what is on file with the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration:

• Official company name/address
• FEIN - Federal Employment Identification Number
• Withholding ID number
• Zip Code
  • This is usually a business location zip code that's typically in Arkansas. The zip code you provide to Gusto for your Arkansas business location(s) should match what you entered on your registration form as your business location when you registered with the state.
• Last amount paid to the Department of Finance and Administration

If Gusto is having trouble gaining access to your account, please verify that the above information matches exactly what the agency has on file by calling them at (501) 683-2827 or (877) 280-2827.

If you've run payroll in Arkansas previously, you can find your Withholding Account ID (also called a DFA Account ID) on Payment Vouchers received from the Department of Finance and Administration. If you're unsure of your number you can call the agency at (501) 682-7290. 

You can find your DWS ID for unemployment tax on Rate Notices of the Quarterly Contribution and Wage Report (Form DWS-ARK-209B) received from the Arkansas Department of Workforce Services.

Click here to view state-by-state UI rates and wage bases (not company-specific).

Experience Rate: The AR Experience Rate appears on the Rate Notice that you receive from the Arkansas Dept of Workforce Services each year, and takes effect typically on January 1.

• Arkansas Annual W/H Reconciliation (AR 3MAR)
• State of Arkansas Monthly W/H Report (AR 941M)**
• Wage and Tax Statement (State W2)
• AR New Hire Report
• Arkansas Quarterly Contribution Report (AR DWS-ARK-209B)

• Arkansas Department of Finance & Administration (501) 682-7290
• Arkansas Department of Workforce Services (501) 682-2121

Some states require that you enter specific information about Gusto to grant us Third Party Access (TPA) or register—TPA is also sometimes necessary in order for us to file and pay your taxes.

If at any time an agency needs information about your payroll agent, first reference the Register a company with the state dropdown above for any state-specific information or detail that may be required.

If there is no mention of TPA in that section, you can use the information below:

• Agent name: Tomer London

• Firm Name: ZenPayroll Inc (dba: Gusto)

• FEIN: 453942850

• Email: [email protected]

• Address: 525 20th Street San Francisco, CA 94107 

• Phone: (415) 935-0230

Reminder: if state-specific codes/IDs are requested and you can not match them to the information above, check the first dropdown of the article.