Georgia registration and tax info

What you need to do

• Add a new work address in Gusto for a different state, and;
• Hire an employee and assign them to that address.

Cost and timeline

Prices vary by state. You can see the cost, process, and how long it takes in step four below.

What the process looks like

1. You give us some basic business information.
2. Gusto and CorpNet will check your info.
3. Your registration is usually submitted within 3–5 business days.
4. Watch for mail with your tax account numbers and rates from the state. The state usually sends your tax account numbers and rates directly to you.
   
   • Heads up: If CorpNet doesn’t enter some information into Gusto, they can show you how to do it yourself.

Third-Party Agent (TPA) authorization reminder

Some state agencies need Gusto to have TPA access to file and pay your taxes. Usually, CorpNet doesn’t 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 isn't needed right now.

Prices vary by state. You can see the cost, process, and how long it takes in step four below.

1. Sign in to Gusto as an admin.
2. Go to Taxes & compliance and click Tax setup.
3. Under “[State name] Tax Setup”, click Have us register for you.
   • The state will only show up if you’ve added a company work address there and assigned an employee to it.
4. Look at the price, process, and how long it will take.
   
   • We will not charge you until you send in your order.
5. Click Continue.
6. Answer a few questions to see if you're eligible.
   • We can only register for you if you do not already have a state account.
7. Click Save & continue.
8. Enter some company information (we'll fill in what we already know).
9. Click Save & continue.
10. Tell us who the responsible party is. This is the person in charge of the company’s tax matters and good standing. 
    • If you're a nonprofit and need help, check our FAQs below.
11. Click Save & continue.
12. Enter some state-specific operational information.
13. Click Save and continue.
14. Review all info carefully. Mistakes can delay things. 
    • Heads up: State and local agencies might add fees or take longer than expected. CorpNet will notify you if that happens.
15. Check the box to confirm all your info is correct and agree to the Terms of Service.
16. Click Send registration order.
    • We’ll email you with order updates and add the cost to your next monthly bill.

Some reminders

• You need to give Gusto third-party access (TPA) to your tax accounts. CorpNet doesn’t do this for you.
  • 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 isn't needed right now.
• Watch your mail for registration info. The state will send you your tax account numbers and rates.
  • CorpNet can help you enter tax info into Gusto, but they won’t do it for you.

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 done, use the link in the state registration email from Gusto to check your order's status.

You can also check the status in your Gusto account:

1. Click Taxes & compliance and select Tax setup.
2. Scroll to the state's headline.
3. Click Check the status of your registration.

If your order is still in progress, you can cancel from your Gusto account:

1. Click Taxes & compliance and select Tax setup.
2. Scroll to the state's headline.
3. Click Check the status of your registration.
4. On the right-side of the page, under “Changed your mind?”, click Cancel your order.
5. Let us know why you're canceling.
6. Click Cancel your order.

If you were already charged, you'll get a refund in a few business days.

If you canceled your order but would like to re-open it, contact CorpNet directly at (888) 449-2638. Or email them at [email protected].

Q: Can I run payroll before my registration is done?

A: Yes, you can usually run payroll before all state tax info is added in Gusto. You may be asked to enter tax rates and tax deposit frequencies, but can use temporary info.

Important reminders

• We cannot submit tax payments or filings until all tax account numbers are added.
• If you run payroll before finishing registration, you might get notices about late tax payments or filings. Any penalties are your responsibility.
• If you’re only registering for unemployment tax and don’t have your rate yet, use the new employer rate for your state in Gusto until you get the correct one. Update the rate once you get it.

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, CorpNet cannot help with registration. You'll need to work with a tax advisor and state agencies directly.

Q: Where can I find my tax information?

A: You can find your tax info in several places: 

• In Gusto: Go to Taxes & compliance and click Tax setup, then scroll to state tax setup.
• In CorpNet: Create an account and sign in to see your info.
• In your state’s online portal: Find your account details there.
• By mail: Some agencies send tax info by mail. If that happens, CorpNet will let you know, and you'll need to enter this info in Gusto.

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: What if I'm not liable for unemployment tax yet?

A: If you want CorpNet to start setting up an unemployment account number before you're liable, you can:

• Use today’s date as the first date the employee(s) in the new state will be paid. 
• Enter the start date of the quarter you expect to meet the liability threshold.
  • Check the state’s liability info in the Register on your own section (go to the SUI dropdown). If there’s no info, contact the state agency directly.

Q: Can CorpNet help if the responsible party is international without an ITIN or SSN?

A: CorpNet might be able to help. Contact them at [email protected] or call 1(888) 449-2638.

Q: Why can’t I 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 CorpNet 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 CorpNet for help at [email protected] or call 1(888) 449-2638.

Q: Does CorpNet 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, CorpNet doesn’t 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 isn't needed right now.

Q: Does CorpNet help close state tax accounts?

A: No, you'll need to close the tax account yourself.

• Georgia Department of Revenue (DOR) – income tax withholding
• Georgia Department of Labor (DOL) – unemployment tax

After you register, you should receive your account number and tax deposit schedule instantly.

1. Register with the Georgia Department of Revenue online.
2. Scroll to the “Registration” headline, and select Register a New Georgia Business to complete the registration process.
3. Give Gusto the authorization we'll need to file and pay this tax for you. 

Enter the tax account information in Gusto

Once a valid Georgia address has been added in Gusto for one or more employee(s), you can add your tax account information:

1. Click the Taxes & compliance section and select Tax setup.
2. Scroll to the “Georgia Tax Setup” headline and select Manage taxes.
3. Enter your withholding number and tax deposit schedule.
   • The withholding number looks like "XXXXXXX-XX"—the last two characters of the number will be upper case letters.
   • Gusto supports the following tax deposit schedules: Semi-weekly payer, monthly payer, or quarterly payer.
     • If you were assigned an annual deposit schedule, Gusto does not support it—you'll need to update your schedule with the agency to match what's used in Gusto. To update your deposit schedule to a semi-weekly payer, monthly payer, or quarterly payer:
       • Log into GTC.
       • Under “Accounts”, click on Withholding Tax.
       • Under “I want to,” click See more links for my account.
       • Click on Change Filing Frequency and select Semi-Weekly, Monthly or Quarterly, then Next.
       • Follow the remaining prompts.
   • If you edit a tax account number after payments or filings have already been made, there may be tax implications. Learn how to pull reports in Gusto that can help you correct any historical tax issues related to tax account number updates.

Most companies become liable for state unemployment insurance tax once the company has:

• Paid $1500 in wages during a calendar quarter or;
• Had at least one Georgia-employee working for any part of the week, for 20 or more different weeks during a calendar year.

If you're not yet liable, or don't have your assigned rate yet, enter the new employer rate for Georgia in Gusto in the meantime—update the rate once you receive it.

Register for unemployment tax with the Department of Labor (DOL)

Most companies* need to register online with the Department of Labor. You should receive your account number instantly after registering online—it'll be formatted as “XXXXXX-XX.”

• Important: If you're asked to provide “Service provider info”, skip the section and do not enter Gusto's details—agency communication should be sent directly to your company and not Gusto.

*Nonprofit organizations, and those going through changes in ownership, must instead complete Form DOL-1N and mail it to the agency at the address below. You should receive your account number about one month after mailing the form. 

Georgia Department of Labor, Suite 850
148 Andrew Young International Blvd.
Atlanta, GA 30303­-1751.

Enter the tax account information in Gusto—use the “total tax rate”

Once a valid Georgia work address has been added in Gusto for one or more employee(s), you can add your tax account information:

1. Click the Taxes & compliance section and select Tax setup.
2. Scroll to the “Georgia Tax Setup” headline and select Manage taxes.
3. Enter your unemployment account number and unemployment “total tax rate.”
   • The account number will be formatted as: “XXXXXX-XX.” 
     • You can find your account number (and tax rates) in the GDOL Employer Portal—sign in, and under your business's name, click DOL account number. 
       • If you do not have a DOL account set up, use this agency guide to get started. 
     • If you edit a tax account number after payments or filings have already been made, there may be tax implications. Learn how to pull reports in Gusto that can help you correct any historical tax issues related to tax account number updates.
   • The “total tax rate” should be entered in Gusto—this can be found in your GDOL Employer Portal.
     
     • If you need to update your rate, learn how here. 
     • Tax rates for the new calendar year will appear by the first business day of the new year.
     • If you don't have your assigned rate yet, enter the new employer rate for your state in Gusto in the meantime—update the rate once you receive it.

Find your withholding tax account number

If you've run payroll in GA before, you can find your withholding account number by:

• Reviewing any notice that you've received from the Department of Revenue (DOR) or;
• Find it on the agency's website.

You'll receive a withholding number that looks like "XXXXXXX-XX."

• Do not enter your non-resident withholding number, as it's a separate type of withholding tax.
• The last two characters of your withholding number must be upper case letters.

Make sure to give Gusto the authorization we'll need to file and pay this tax for you. 

Find your current tax deposit schedule

To find your current tax deposit schedule, sign in to the Georgia Tax Center.

Gusto supports the following tax deposit schedules: Semi-weekly payer, monthly payer, or quarterly payer. 

• If you were assigned an annual deposit schedule, Gusto does not support it—you'll need to update your schedule with the agency to match what's used in Gusto. To update your deposit schedule to a semi-weekly payer, monthly payer, or quarterly payer:
  • Log into GTC.
  • Under “Accounts”, click on Withholding Tax.
  • Under “I want to,” click See more links for my account.
  • Click on Change Filing Frequency and select Semi-Weekly, Monthly or Quarterly, then Next.
  • Follow the remaining prompts.

If you have any trouble finding the information, call the agency at (877) 423-6711 to confirm your withholding number and tax deposit schedule.

Unemployment account number

Businesses that have run payroll in the past can find their Department of Labor (DOL) Account Number by:

• Reviewing notices received from the DOL, or;
• Calling the agency at (404) 232-3300, or;
• Signing in to the DOL Employer Portal—sign in, and under your business's name, click DOL account number. 
  • If you do not have a DOL account set up, use this agency guide to get started.

Your account number will be formatted as “XXXXXX-XX.”

Unemployment tax rate—use the “total tax rate”

You can find your unemployment tax rate in the GDOL Employer Portal—sign in, and under your business's name, click DOL account number. 

• If you do not have a DOL account set up, use this agency guide to get started.
• Tax rates for the new calendar year will appear by the first business day of the new year.

Enter the “total tax rate” in Gusto—if you do not know your total tax rate, call the agency at (404) 232-3300 to confirm it. 

If you do not have your assigned rate yet, enter the new employer rate for Georgia in Gusto in the meantime—update the rate once you receive it.

Once a valid Georgia work address has been added in Gusto for one or more employees, you can add your tax account information:

1. Click the Taxes & compliance section and select Tax setup.
2. Scroll to the “Georgia Tax Setup” headline and select Manage taxes.
3. Enter your withholding number and tax deposit schedule.
   • The withholding number looks like “XXXXXXX-XX”—the last two characters of the number will be upper case letters.
   • Gusto supports the following tax deposit schedules: Semi-weekly payer, monthly payer, or quarterly payer.
     • If you were assigned an annual deposit schedule, Gusto does not support it—you'll need to update your schedule with the agency to match what's used in Gusto. To update your deposit schedule to a semi-weekly payer, monthly payer, or quarterly payer:
       • Log into GTC.
       • Under “Accounts”, click on Withholding Tax.
       • Under “I want to,” click See more links for my account.
       • Click on Change Filing Frequency and select Semi-Weekly, Monthly or Quarterly, then Next.
       • Follow the remaining prompts.
4. Enter your unemployment account number and unemployment “total tax rate.”
   • The account number will be formatted as: “XXXXXX-XX.” 
     • You can find your account number (and tax rates) in the GDOL Employer Portal—sign in, and under your business's name, click DOL account number. 
       • If you do not have a DOL account set up, use this agency guide to get started. 
     • If you edit a tax account number after payments or filings have already been made, there may be tax implications. Learn how to pull reports in Gusto that can help you correct any historical tax issues related to tax account number updates.
   • The “total tax rate” should be entered in Gusto—this can be found in your DOL. Tax rates for the new calendar year will appear by the first business day of the new year.
     
     • If you need to update your rate, learn how here. 
     • If you don't have your assigned rate yet, enter the new employer rate for Georgia in Gusto in the meantime—update the rate once you receive it.

The Georgia DOR requires special authorization for Gusto to pay or file your withholding income taxes. To make sure Gusto can get the authorization we need, follow the steps below.

Step one: Verify the 'Withholding tax' type is on your Georgia Tax Center account

1. Sign in to the Georgia Tax Center.
2. Click your business name.
3. Under the “Accounts” tab, make sure Withholding Tax is listed.

If “Withholding Tax” is not listed:

1. Under the “I Want To” section of your Georgia Tax Center, click See more links… 
2. Click Register New Tax Account.
3. Follow the remaining agency prompts—after review and approval, you'll get an email with your account number and information.

Step two: Verify all information in Gusto matches what the agency has on file

The information that must match is your:

• Withholding account number 
• Zip code 
• Last amount paid to the Department of Revenue

You can review and compare the information from your Georgia Tax Center, or call the agency at (877) 423-6711 to confirm your details.