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To pay employees in Florida, first register with the state’s tax agencies. Registration lets us file and pay your taxes correctly.
🎥 Watch a quick video to learn how registering in a new state works
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Gusto works with Middesk to register your business for state tax accounts when you hire employees or start working in a new state. We set up state income tax withholding and state unemployment insurance so we can run payroll and file taxes on your behalf.
We can start your registration after all of these are true:
You added a company work address in the new state.
You assigned that address to a new or existing employee.
You checked your Gusto Home page for a registration to-do.
If required, you registered with preliminary state agencies (like the Secretary of State or Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs) first and confirmed it's done.
States that require SOS registration before tax setup: Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico, and Vermont.
Middesk cannot help with registration if your business is:
A non-profit that is not a 501(c)(3)
A business that left a PEO
A business that bought another business that was already registered
A business that changed its legal entity type (for example, LLC to Corp)
A Limited Partnership (LP) or Limited Liability Partnership (LLP)
You must also:
Have a FEIN in Gusto
Not already have a tax account in that state
If you already registered with the state, Middesk will cancel the order and you will not be charged.
Included
Middesk registers your business for:
State income tax withholding
State unemployment insurance (SUI)
Not included
Middesk does not register your business for:
Local tax agency registration
Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) registration
Third-Party Agent (TPA) access
Power of Attorney (POA) authorization
Some states require TPA or POA for Gusto to file and pay taxes. In most cases, you must set this up yourself after registration. If you need to register for local taxes or PFML, or set up TPA or POA, use the state-specific article for step-by-step instructions.
The cost, steps, and timeline depend on the state. Before you submit anything in Gusto, we show you:
The price
What is included
How long registration usually takes
You are not charged until the order is marked as completed. The charge appears on your next Gusto monthly invoice.
You can also visit the Middesk Help Center to see estimated processing times for each state.
Here is what to expect when Middesk handles your registration:
You answer questions about your business, including:
Basic company info
Contact details
Addresses
Owner or officer info
State-specific details
Middesk reviews your information.
Middesk usually submits your registration within two business days.
A state agency may contact you to verify the request.
⚠️ Important: If you do not respond to a verification call or email within 3–5 business days, the order may be canceled and refunded.
After your order is marked as complete, we add the charge to your next Gusto monthly invoice.
When Middesk receives your tax account numbers, they enter them in Gusto (for most states and agencies). You will get emails from Gusto and Middesk with updates and next steps.
For most states, Middesk receives agency mail during registration and adds your tax info to Gusto. You can view this mail in a digital mailbox. After registration is complete, the agency updates its mailing address to your business address. If you need to take action, we will notify you by email or Home page to-do.
States that mail tax account info directly to your business: Alabama, Arizona, Delaware, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Washington, Washington DC, and West Virginia. When you receive the letter, check your email for instructions on how to send the info to Middesk.
You can run payroll before registration finishes. However:
Gusto cannot file or pay taxes until all tax account numbers are added.
You may receive late notices or penalties. These are your responsibility.
For unemployment tax, use your state’s new employer rate until you receive the correct one.
Note: You can cancel orders before they are sent to Middesk. Once an order is submitted to Middesk, it cannot be canceled or refunded.
If you need help with any of the registration questions, check Middesk’s Help Center.
In your web browser:
Go to Taxes & Compliance → Tax setup.
Find [State name] Tax Setup.
Click Learn more under “Let us help you register.”
Review the price, process, and timeline. We do not charge you until after your order is complete.
Click Get started on Middesk.
Review everything carefully before submitting. Mistakes can delay registration.
In the Gusto mobile app:
Open the Gusto mobile app and sign in.
In the bottom-right corner, tap More.
Select Taxes & compliance.
Scroll down to Quick links and choose Setup tax accounts.
Scroll down to [State name] tax setup. Tap Learn more.
Review the process, timeline, and pricing. We do not charge you until after your order is complete.
Tap Get started on Middesk.
Share your business information and review everything carefully before submitting. Mistakes can delay registration.
To check your Middesk registration status in Gusto:
Go to Taxes & Compliance → Tax setup.
Find the state and view the status.
Possible statuses include:
Tax registration in progress
We need more information
The state is working on your order
Your registration is complete
Your order is on hold (often due to state requirements)
You have existing tax accounts
We could not complete your registration
If you entered the wrong eligibility date, email [email protected].
Some states require Gusto to have TPA or POA on file before we can file and pay taxes. Middesk usually does not set this up.
Check the state-specific registration article to see if TPA or POA is required for your state.
If there is no TPA or POA section in the state article, it is not needed right now.
If TPA or POA requires an agency portal:
If Middesk creates the agency account during registration, you will find the login details in Gusto: go to Taxes & Compliance → Tax setup after registration.
If Middesk does not create the account but the state requires portal access, you must create the account yourself.
You can only cancel an order before it is submitted to Middesk. Once submitted, orders cannot be canceled or refunded.
To cancel your order:
Go to Taxes & Compliance, select Tax Setup, and scroll to the applicable state.
In the Finish your [state] registration order banner, select Cancel order.
Q: Do I need a FEIN to use Gusto’s registration service?
A: Yes. You must have a FEIN to register through Gusto. If your business is merging or being acquired, Middesk cannot help with registration.
Q: Why can’t I enter 0% ownership or add a commercial owner?
A: Some states require a minimum ownership percentage or an individual owner. If your situation does not meet state rules, you will need to register outside of Gusto.
Q: What if the responsible party is international without an SSN or ITIN?
A: Middesk cannot help in this case. You will need to register directly with the state.
Q: What if I’m not liable for unemployment tax yet?
A: Use today’s date or the expected liability date. Use the new employer rate until you get your company-specific rate.
Q: I need to change information I already submitted. What do I do?
A: Email [email protected].
Q: What if the tax agency contacts me?
A: Respond right away, within 3–5 business days. Missing a verification call or email can cancel your registration order.
Q: When will my tax account numbers be available?
A: Timelines vary by state. Check Middesk’s guidance for estimates.
Q: Can Middesk close my state tax accounts?
A: No. You must close accounts directly with the state.
Visit the Middesk Help Center for help with registration-specific questions.
Contact Gusto from the ( ? ) in your account for all other payroll or tax setup help.
Follow the steps below to register with the Florida Department of Revenue (DOR). We need third-party access to your FL DOR account to file and pay taxes for you. If we run into any issues, learn how to troubleshoot them here.
You’ll work with this Florida agency when registering for payroll taxes:
Florida Department of Revenue (DOR): Handles unemployment tax, called “reemployment tax” in Florida.
Note: Florida does not have state income tax for individuals.
Your company owes state unemployment insurance (SUI) tax — called reemployment tax in Florida — once either of the following is true:
You paid $1,500 or more in wages during any calendar quarter
You had at least one Florida employee working during 20 or more weeks in a calendar year
To find out if you’re liable, contact the agency at (850) 488-6800.
If you need to run payroll before you’re liable, enter Florida’s new employer rate in Gusto for now. Update the rate once you receive your assigned rate.
During registration, tell the Florida DOR when you expect to become liable. We will eventually need:
Your unemployment account number to file and pay your taxes
Your company-specific unemployment tax rate from the agency
The agency will mail you an account number and reemployment rate within three to five business days.
To register:
Go to the Florida Department of Revenue website.
Click Create User Profile to set up a username and password for the registration application.
Enter and confirm your username, email, and password.
When asked for a mailing address, enter your company’s mailing address only.
When asked, “Do you use a payroll agent (such as an accountant or bookkeeper) or firm that will maintain your payroll information?”, select No.
We do not receive mail on your behalf. Have the agency send all correspondence directly to your business. This way, you keep the original documents and can share copies when needed.
In the “Enrollment Introduction” section, when asked, “Do you wish to file returns or pay tax electronically?”:
If reemployment tax is the only tax you owe in Florida, select No. We will complete your electronic enrollment for reemployment tax.
If you have other taxes to file for your business, like sales tax, select Yes. Then complete the Enrollment section using your business’s contact info and banking information.
Complete any remaining prompts.
After you register, complete these two steps:
Give Gusto third-party authorization (TPA) so we can file and pay taxes on your behalf.
Enter your tax account information in Gusto after you add a valid Florida work address for at least one employee.
If you’ve already registered in Florida, add your tax account details to Gusto. We need this information to file and pay your taxes. You must be registered with:
Florida Department of Revenue (DOR): Handles unemployment tax, called “reemployment tax” in Florida.
Note: Florida does not have state income tax for individuals.
If you still need to register, see the “Register for Florida unemployment tax on your own” section earlier in this article.
Once you add a valid Florida work address in Gusto for at least one employee, you can enter your state tax account information.
To add your Florida tax account information:
Go to Taxes & compliance, then select Tax setup.
Find Florida Tax Setup and select Manage taxes.
Follow the instructions below for each tax type.
Important: Editing a tax account number after payments or filings have been made may create tax issues. Learn how to pull reports in Gusto that can help you correct historical tax issues related to tax account number updates.
Click Edit and enter your seven-digit reemployment account number (RT number).
Do not enter the “Florida Business Partner ID.” That is a separate account used for sales tax, which does not apply to payroll.
Your Florida Quarterly Tax Return (Form RT-6)
Cannot find your account number? Call the Florida Department of Revenue Account Management at (850) 717-6628.
Enter your reemployment rate. Your rate notice shows it as a decimal — convert it to a percentage before entering it in Gusto.
Your most recent Reemployment Tax Rate Notice (Form RT-20)
Cannot find your rate? Call the Florida Department of Revenue Account Management at (850) 717-6628.
Have you not yet received your assigned rate? Enter Florida’s new employer rate in Gusto for now. Update it once you receive your official rate.
If you cannot find your account number or rate, contact the agency at (850) 488-6800.
Some agencies require special authorization before we can pay or file your taxes. We will contact you if we cannot get the third-party access we need.
We enroll your company under our tax agent number with the Florida Department of Revenue (DOR). The information you enter in Gusto must match what’s on file with the Florida DOR:
Official company name
Mailing and filing address
Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN)
RT Number (must be active)
Reemployment rate
If you have trouble verifying the information online, contact the agency at (850) 488-6800.
If we tell you we cannot get third-party access to your reemployment account, here is what might be causing it:
Your account is inactive. An account becomes inactive if your business has no activity for eight quarters, or if you file eight consecutive zero-dollar returns.
If the account has been inactive for less than two years, reactivate it by calling the Department of Revenue at (850) 488-6800 and providing your FEIN and Reemployment account number.
You can also request reactivation on the Florida Department of Revenue website. Be sure to click Reactivate in Section 5. The agency will respond within five business days.
If your account has been inactive for more than two years, contact the agency at (850) 488-6800.
A previous service provider still has third-party access to the account. Ask your previous provider to remove their access — it blocks us from getting access.
The account number you entered in Gusto is not valid. Call the Department of Revenue at (850) 488-6800 to get the correct number.
The FEIN in Gusto does not match the one tied to your Reemployment account number. Call the Department of Revenue at (850) 488-6800 to confirm the FEIN associated with your account, then update it in Gusto if needed.
If you entered the wrong mailing address when you originally registered with the Florida Department of Revenue, you can update it at any time.
To find the address change form:
Go to the Florida Department of Revenue website.
In the main menu bar, click the General Tax tab.
Under Tax Information, click Reemployment (Unemployment Tax).
Click Additional Topics.
Click Change of Address or Business Status and select online. This takes you to the address change application.
To complete the online form:
Go to the Florida Department of Revenue address change page to request a change of business name, address, or account status.
Select Address Change as the type of change you are requesting.
Identify your tax account and enter your FEIN and current account information.
Select Reemployment Tax as the tax type.
Skip the Change your business name field.
Select Mailing Address and enter your company’s mailing address.
Skip the Change Account Status field.
Enter your contact information.
Review the required fields, then click Submit.
FL RT-6 (Florida Quarterly Contribution)
Unemployment tax
FL New Hire Report
Gusto does not file the RT-E Verify Form.
Employers with more than 25 employees must file this form themselves every year by the end of April.
You can view forms in Taxes & Compliance, then Tax documents. Switch between the tabs to find federal, state, W-2s, and 1099s.
Some forms show an asterisk (*). Forms like payment vouchers or coupons that were filed electronically may not show in your Gusto account. Sign in to the agency's portal to view filings and payments.
To see what Gusto has paid for you, run the Agency Payments report.
Florida may require you to complete Form RT-S-60614 (Independent Contractor Analysis) to verify whether a worker is properly classified as an independent contractor rather than an employee. This form is part of the Florida Department of Revenue’s reemployment tax process.
You may see this form:
During a state audit of your reemployment (unemployment) tax account
When the Florida DOR questions a worker’s classification
After adding contractors to your Florida payroll for the first time
What to do if you receive this form:
Complete the form using the worker’s details — it evaluates factors like behavioral control, financial control, and the type of working relationship.
Submit the form directly to the Florida Department of Revenue — we do not file this form on your behalf
If the DOR reclassifies the worker as an employee, add them as an employee in Gusto and adjust your tax filings
For more information, visit the Florida DOR reemployment tax page.
Revenue Agency: Florida Department of Revenue (DOR)
This agency also collects unemployment or “reemployment” insurance
Phone: (850) 717-6628
Learn how to close or reopen tax accounts.