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Oregon Form W-4 reminder for admins and employees
Employees can use their federal tax status and allowances for Oregon taxation. But, it's better for them to use Oregon Form W-4 to withhold state tax more accurately.
Use the dropdowns below to learn more. Use CMD + F (or CTRL + F) to search for words in the article.
To pay employees in a new state, where you’ve never operated or paid people, you must register with the state tax agencies there. This lets you pay and file the taxes you and your employees are liable for.
Watch this quick tutorial to learn more.
Registering for taxes may not be the only to-do when starting or running a business in a new state. Go to our blog for complete guides on starting and running a business in each state.
Gusto works with Middesk to help you register your business in new states.
For now, this includes: Alaska, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Wisconsin.
What you need to do
Cost and timeline
Prices vary by state. During the first few steps in Gusto, you can see the cost, process, and estimated turnaround time.
What the process looks like
Third-Party Agent (TPA) authorization reminder
Some state agencies need Gusto to have TPA access to file and pay your taxes. Usually, Middesk does not set this up, so you’ll have to do it yourself after registration.
Check the state registration articles to see if TPA is needed and how to set it up. If there's no “Authorize Gusto” section, then TPA is not needed right now.
If setting up TPA requires online agency portal access:Prices vary by state. During the first few steps in Gusto, you can see the cost, process, and estimated turnaround time.
If you have questions about answering any of the questions, try Middesk’s Help Center or contact Middesk at [email protected].
When Middesk gets your tax account information back after registering, they'll enter it in Gusto for you.
Each state and agency takes different amounts of time to process a registration. To estimate when your state tax account info will be available, check the Post Submission Questions in Middesk's help article.
Important reminder
When your order is complete, you’ll get emails from Gusto and Middesk. They’ll detail the next steps, which include:
Before your order is done, you can check the order status in your Gusto account:
Q: Can I run payroll before my registration is done?
A: Yes. You may be asked to enter tax rates and tax deposit frequencies, but can use temporary info.
Important reminders
Q: I need to change some of the registration information that was submitted, what do I do?
A: Email Middesk at [email protected].
Q: Can I use Gusto to register in a new state without a Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN)? What if my business is merging or being acquired?
A: No, you need a FEIN in Gusto to get registration help for state taxes.
If your business is merging or being acquired, Middesk cannot help with registration. You'll need to work with a tax advisor and state agencies directly.
Q: What if I'm not liable for unemployment tax yet?
A: If you want Middesk to start setting up an unemployment account number before you're liable, you can:
Q: Can Middesk help if the responsible party is international without an ITIN or SSN?
A: No. Middesk cannot help in this scenario, you'll need to register on your own.
Q: Why am I unable to enter 0% ownership for the responsible party or add a commercial owner?
A: Some states have a 1% minimum for the responsible party ownership percentage. These states include ID, KS, MN, OH, SC, DC, DE, MD, NJ, NY, and RI.
You’ll need to place registration orders directly with Middesk outside of Gusto or register directly with the agency.
Some states require an individual owner to be listed. If you’re a non-profit or unsure, contact Middesk for help at [email protected].
Q: When will my tax account information be available?
A: Each state and agency takes different amounts of time to process a registration. To estimate when your state tax account info will be available, check the Post Submission Questions in Middesk's help article.
Q: Where can I find my tax information?
A: You can find your tax info in several places:
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.
Q: Does Middesk help with giving Gusto third-party access (TPA) for tax payments?
A: Some state agencies need Gusto to have TPA access to file and pay your taxes. Usually, Middesk does not set this up, so you’ll have to do it yourself after registration.
Check the state registration articles to see if TPA is needed and how to set it up. If there's no “Authorize Gusto” section, then TPA is not needed right now.
If setting up TPA requires online agency portal access:
Q: Does Middesk help close state tax accounts?
A: No, you'll need to close the tax account yourself.
Q: Can I cancel my Middesk order?
A: At this time, we cannot support order cancellations or refunds.
Click the dropdowns below to learn how to register with state and local agencies. Do not forget to give Gusto third-party access to your accounts. This will let us keep your information current and help troubleshoot tax issues.
Click the dropdowns below to learn more.
All employers with paid employees working in Oregon must register with the Department of Revenue (DOR) for a business identification number (BIN) to report and pay Oregon payroll taxes.
Most companies in Oregon must start paying unemployment insurance tax once they have:
If you need to run payroll but do not yet meet the requirements, Gusto lets you enter the new employer rate for Oregon temporarily. Update the rate once you get it.
If you need help, watch the video from the agency on how to get a BIN on Revenue Online.
It takes the agency 2 to 10 days to review your application. You’ll find your registration confirmation and account information in your Revenue Online account
Find your BIN number
You can find your BIN in your online account a day after it’s assigned:
After a work address in Oregon is assigned to one or more employees, you can add your tax account information:
Gusto takes care of Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) contributions by withholding money from employees (and employers, if needed) and sending payments and filings to the state.
Oregon’s portal, Frances Online, helps with unemployment insurance and Paid Leave. It has replaced the old Oregon Payroll Reporting System (OPRS) and Employer Account Access (EAA) portal.
Check your tax requirements and update Gusto.
We suggest setting up a Frances Online account to track unemployment and PFML activity. This lets you see the payments Gusto makes for you.
Check that your BIN number in Gusto matches the one from the state, as we use it to make all payments and filings:
BIN numbers are usually 8 or 9 digits. If your BIN starts with “0,” leave it out when entering it into Gusto.
If you have questions about the Paid Leave program or Frances Online, check the Paid Leave Oregon Employer Toolkit or call the agency at (503) 947-1488. You’ll need your BIN number to ask about PFML.
Oregon employers must also pay the following state taxes on employee wages*. If you do not see the tax you're looking for, try the Local tax registration dropdown.
*Wages include: salary, commission, bonuses, fees, or other valuable items paid for in a transit district.
| Other OR state taxes | Additional info |
|---|---|
| Lane Transit District (LTD) Tax | Applies to most employers in the Eugene-Springfield urban area and some rural areas. |
| Oregon Statewide Transit Tax | Applies to the wages of Oregon residents. It can also apply to:
|
| Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District (TriMet) Transit Tax | Applies to most employers in the TriMet area (parts of Multnomah, Washington, and Clackamas counties). |
| Workers’ Benefit Fund (WBF) | Every employer with one or more subject workers must pay this tax.
|
You might need to register for local taxes in Oregon. If you do not see the tax you're looking for, try the Other required state taxes dropdown.
| Local tax | Additional info |
|---|---|
| Canby Transit Tax | This tax applies to businesses within the Canby Urban Growth Boundary, which includes and slightly extends beyond Canby's city limits. To register, visit the agency’s website, download the registration form, and follow the Canby Transit Tax instructions. After you get your account number, enter it in Gusto by going to the Taxes & compliance section and selecting Tax setup. |
| Eugene Community Safety Payroll Tax (CSPT) |
|
| Multnomah County Tuition-Free Preschool Program | Withholding is required for this program. You can learn more and get details in the Multnomah County “Preschool For All Personal Income Tax” dropdown of this article. |
| Portland's Metro Supportive Housing Services | This tax has two parts:
|
| Sandy Transit Tax | Paid by all businesses in Sandy. After you get your account number, enter it in Gusto by going to the Taxes & compliance section and selecting Tax setup. |
| South Clackamas tax | If your business is in South Clackamas, you’ll get a 4-digit tax ID when you register with the South Clackamas Transportation District. Enter the account number in Gusto by going to the Taxes & compliance section and selecting Tax setup. If you do not know the tax ID, call the agency at (503) 829-7000. |
| Wilsonville Transit Tax | Paid by businesses in, or doing work in, Wilsonville. The tax is based on gross payroll or self-employment earnings. After you get your account number, enter it in Gusto by going to the Taxes & compliance section and selecting Tax setup. |
If you've already registered in the state, you'll need to enter your tax account details in Gusto.
You'll need to be registered with one or more of the agencies below for Gusto to file and pay taxes for you:
If you still need to register, click the applicable dropdown above in this article.
If you've run payroll in Oregon before, you can find your business identification number (BIN) on any notice from the Department of Revenue.
Your BIN is usually 8 or 9 digits. We’ll add a leading 0 for you (required by agency), so if your number includes this, leave it off when entering it in Gusto.
If you're not sure about your number, call the agency at (503) 945-8100.
Gusto will also use your BIN for the Paid Leave program—find out more in the Register a company with state and local agencies dropdown in this article.
Your unemployment tax rate is at the top-right of the "Notice of Tax Rate" you got from the Employment Department.
If you do not know your rate, call the agency at (503) 947-1488.
Oregon employers may also need to pay state or local taxes on employee wages* where they apply. If you're required to pay a tax, we'll ask for the account number.
If you do not know the account number, or still need to register, work with the agency.
| Other OR state taxes | Additional info |
|---|---|
| Lane Transit District (LTD) Tax | Applies to most employers in the Eugene-Springfield urban area and some rural areas. |
| Oregon Statewide Transit Tax | Applies to the wages of Oregon residents. It can also apply to:
|
| Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District (TriMet) Transit Tax | Applies to most employers in the TriMet area (parts of Multnomah, Washington, and Clackamas counties). |
| Workers’ Benefit Fund (WBF) | Every employer with one or more subject workers must pay this tax.
|
| Local tax | Additional info |
|---|---|
| Canby Transit Tax | This tax applies to businesses within the Canby Urban Growth Boundary, which includes and slightly extends beyond Canby's city limits. To register, visit the agency’s website, download the registration form, and follow the Canby Transit Tax instructions. After you get your account number, enter it in Gusto by going to the Taxes & compliance section and selecting Tax setup. |
| Eugene Community Safety Payroll Tax (CSPT) |
|
| Multnomah County Tuition-Free Preschool Program | Withholding is required for this program. You can learn more and get details in the Multnomah County “Preschool For All Personal Income Tax” dropdown of this article. |
| Portland's Metro Supportive Housing Services | This tax has two parts:
|
| Sandy Transit Tax | Paid by all businesses in Sandy. After you get your account number, enter it in Gusto by going to the Taxes & compliance section and selecting Tax setup. |
| South Clackamas tax | If your business is in South Clackamas, you’ll get a 4-digit tax ID when you register with the South Clackamas Transportation District. Enter the account number in Gusto by going to the Taxes & compliance section and selecting Tax setup. If you do not know the tax ID, call the agency at (503) 829-7000. |
| Wilsonville Transit Tax | Paid by businesses in, or doing work in, Wilsonville. The tax is based on gross payroll or self-employment earnings. After you get your account number, enter it in Gusto by going to the Taxes & compliance section and selecting Tax setup. |
Once a valid Oregon address has been added in Gusto for one or more employee(s), you can add your tax account information:
In order for Gusto to keep your Oregon tax information up-to-date and help troubleshoot tax issues, we'll need you to authorize Gusto as your third-party agent (TPA) in Oregon. Gusto will become your TPA for the agencies below:
To become your third-party agent, a notarized form authorizing Gusto as your payroll provider must be submitted to the agencies—to make this easy, we’ll prepare the necessary document for you to e-sign in Gusto. Then, we’ll submit the form directly to the agencies.
The prepared document will be ready to sign once the below is completed in Gusto:
To sign the form in Gusto:
We’ll submit this to the agencies directly on your behalf—you’re all set for now.
When filling out the "Oregon Taxes - Employee Setup", there are two options:
Once you've entered the details, we'll automatically fill out the OR-W-4 form, but not Worksheet A, B, or C—the employee must fill these worksheets out on their end and keep for their records.
Learn how to find a copy of your employee's W-4s here.
According to the form's instructions, employers should fill in the "Employer use only" section, and keep the completed form with your records.
If you have employees who work in Portland Metro’s Jurisdiction or in Multnomah County, you may be impacted by two new taxes that went into effect Jan 1, 2021. They are:
Gusto-specific resources about the tax requirements and how we’ll handle each of these taxes can be found in the tax-specific dropdowns in this article. You’ll still need the instructions in this section to register for a PRO account number.
The City of Portland Revenue Division will be collecting both taxes on behalf of Multnomah County.
For the calendar year 2021, Gusto does not pay these taxes on behalf of the company or employee, so your employees will need to pay the tax(es) outside of Gusto.
Employees are encouraged to withhold the anticipated taxes themselves and should send all payments and filings to the City of Portland through their Portland Revenue Online (PRO) system (Personal Income Taxes section) by April 15, 2022.
If an employee has questions, have them consult a tax advisor.
Starting Jan 1, 2022, Gusto will begin withholding these taxes for all eligible employees and can make payments to the PRO system on behalf of employers—we'll use the company's FEIN (federal employer identification number) to submit payments and filings.
For information on how each tax will be handled in Gusto, use the tax-specific dropdowns found below in this article once you’ve registered.
Gusto will not ask for your PRO account number—instead, we'll use the company's FEIN (federal employer identification number) to submit payments and filings.
Before you get started with registration, the agency has stated that you do not need to register a business if it:
You may be stopped at any point during registration if you attempt to create a duplicate account.
For all questions, contact the agency directly at (503) 823-5157.
Steps to check the company’s registration status and/or register
Once you’ve registered, you’ll receive an account number immediately in your online account. The agency will also send a letter in the mail the following day that will contain the account number, keep this for your records.
Employers are required to withhold the Preschool For All Personal Income Tax from employees. Gusto facilitates this for employees who “opted in” to the tax withholdings or make $200,000 or more and did not opt out.
The key driver in determining withholding is based on where the employee works. Employees who work in Multnomah County* are required to complete an Opt In/Opt Out form—employers are responsible for telling their employees about the requirement.
All Metro district residents are subject to the tax, regardless of where the income is sourced. However, employers who are located outside the Metro district are not required to withhold if they have no business presence. Use the address lookup to determine resident status.
Gusto helps with this requirement by providing employees the option to fill out the county’s form in Gusto and sign it electronically.
Once employees have reviewed the form and tax tables, they’ll need to let us know what elections they’ve made for each tax. To do so, have them:
If you have not given your team access to Gusto yet, have them fill out the form, and then you'll be required to make the elections for them in Gusto. To do so:
For employees who opted in
Gusto will withhold the flat dollar amount entered on the form for each paycheck—if an amount was not provided, we’ll use the agency tax tables to withhold.
For employees earning over $200,000
For employees earning over $200,000:
For employees who opted out
No withholding is required.
Quarterly and annual filings
We’ll take care of filing returns to Portland Revenue Online (PRO).
What employees can expect on paystubs
Employees who are subject to the tax and did not opt out will see “Multnomah” on their pay stubs with the withheld tax amount(s).
Form W-2 will show:
Check out the agency’s website for FAQs and answers.
Employers are required to withhold the Portland Metro “Supportive Housing Services Program Tax” from employees subject to the taxes.
Gusto withholdds this tax for employees who:
Employees who work in Portland Metro District* are required to complete an Opt In/Opt Out form—employers are responsible for telling their employees about the requirement.
Gusto helps with this requirement by providing employees the option to fill out the county’s form in Gusto and sign it electronically.
Once employees have reviewed the form and tax tables, they’ll need to let us know what elections they’ve made for each tax. To do so, have them:
If you have not given your team access to Gusto yet, have them fill out the form, and then you'll be required to make the elections for them in Gusto. To do so:
For employees who opted in
Gusto will withhold the flat dollar amount entered on the form for each paycheck—if an amount was not provided, we’ll use the agency tax tables to withhold.
For employees earning over $200,000
Gusto will withhold the tax unless the employee has opted out on the form (or the employer has opted out on the employee’s behalf if they submitted a physical form).
For employees who opted out
No withholding is required.
Quarterly and annual filings
We’ll take care of filing returns to Portland Revenue Online (PRO).
Find FAQs and their answers here. You can also find other employer resources here.
You can view forms in Taxes & Compliance > Tax documents. Switch between the tabs to find federal, state, W-2s, and 1099s.
To see what Gusto has paid on your behalf, run the Agency Payments report.
Learn how to close or reopen tax accounts here.