Georgia registration and tax info

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.

Pricing varies by state—get started below and during step 4, you'll review the price, process, and estimated timeline to completion.

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.
    • If you're a nonprofit and run into any issues, check out our FAQ section below for more information.
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.

Check 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 check the status in your Gusto account:

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

Cancel your order

If an order is already completed, you'll need to contact CorpNet at [email protected] or 1(888) 449-2638 to cancel. They’re open Monday-Friday from 7am-5pm PT.

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

1. Head to the Taxes & compliance section 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.

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.

Q: My company is a nonprofit and I'm unable to enter 0% in the responsible party section, what do I do?

A: Some states have a 1% minimum for the responsible party ownership percentage. Those states are: ID, KS, MN, OH, SC, DC, DE, MD, NJ, NY, and RI.

Registration orders will need to be placed directly through CorpNet, outside of Gusto, or you'll need to register directly with the agency yourself.

Georgia tax agencies

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

Income tax withholding

1. Register with the Georgia Department of Revenue online.
2. Under the "Registration" headline, select Register a New Georgia Business to complete the registration process. 
3. Once registered, you should receive your account number instantly, along with your tax deposit schedule.

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 deposit schedule.
   • The withholding number looks like XXXXXXX-XX—the last two characters of the number will be upper case letters.
   • Supported deposit schedules in Gusto are: semi-weekly payer, monthly payer, or quarterly payer.
     • If you were assigned an annual deposit schedule, Gusto does not support that schedule and you'll need to update your schedule with the agency. 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.

Unemployment tax

Most companies* will be liable for state unemployment if they pay more than $1500 in a calendar quarter or have at least one employee/day in each of 20 different calendar weeks during a calendar year. 

1. Register online with the Department of Labor.
   • You should receive your account number instantly after registering online—it'll be formatted as XXXXXX-XX.
2. For new employers in GA, the Total Tax Rate is 2.7%.
   • You can enter this in your Gusto account before you confirm your company-assigend rate and receive your UI account number.

*Nonprofit organizations and those going through changes in ownership must instead complete Form DOL-1N and mail it to the agency here:

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

You should receive your account number approximately one month after mailing this form.

Entering the tax information in Gusto—enter the total tax rate

Your total tax rate can be found on the Employer UI Tax Rate Notices that's available on the GDOL Employer Portal. If you haven't set up your account in Georgia's employer portal, follow the steps in the Administrator Guide found at the bottom of this page.

Once logged in to the employer portal, on the right-hand side of the screen, click on your DOL account number (under your business name). This will load a new page where you will be able to see your new tax rates.

• Keep in mind:
  • Tax rates for the new calendar year will appear by the first business day of the new year. 
  • When entering your rate in Gusto, enter the total tax rate from your Georgia tax rate notice.

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

Third party agent (TPA) authorization is recommended

Georgia Department of Revenue – withholding tax

The Georgia DOR requires special authorization for Gusto to pay or file your taxes. To ensure successful authorization, you'll need to:

• Verify that you've added the ‘Withholding’ tax type to your account with the Georgia Tax Center and;
• Verify the following information you entered into Gusto matches what's on file with the Georgia Department of Revenue: 
  • Withholding Account Number 
  • Zip Code 
  • Last amount paid to the Department of Revenue

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.

Add your Withholding tax account on the Georgia Tax Center (if not already done)

1. Head to the Georgia Tax Center.
2. Under the "I Want To" section, click See more links… 
3. Click Register New Tax Account.

The agency site will guide you through entering your business information. Following review and approval, you will receive an email with your account number and information.

If Gusto is having trouble gaining access to your account, verify all information in Gusto matches what the agency has on file and call the agency at (877) 423-6711 to troubleshoot.

Withholding tax number and deposit schedule – Department of Revenue

If you've run payroll in GA before, you can find your withholding account number on any notice that you've received from the DOR or you can locate it on the agency's website. Keep in mind:

• You'll receive a withholding number that looks like XXXXXXX-XX.
  • Do not enter your non-resident withholding number as it's a separate withholding tax.
• The last two characters of your withholding number must be upper case letters.

Deposit schedule

To determine what your most current deposit schedule for the DOR is, you'll need to sign in to your account here. Assigned schedules that Gusto support are: semi-weekly payer, monthly payer, or quarterly payer.

Keep in mind: annual payers are not currently supported by Gusto. To update your deposit schedule to Semi-Weekly Payer, Monthly Payer, or Quarterly Payer:

1.  Log into GTC. 
2. Under Accounts, click on "Withholding Tax."
3. Under "I want to," click "See more links for my account."
4. Click on "Change Filing Frequency" and select Semi-Weekly, Monthly or Quarterly, then Next.
5. Follow the remaining prompts.

If you have trouble signing in to GTC, you can also validate your withholding number and deposit schedule by calling the agency at (877) 423-6711.

Unemployment account number and rate(s) – Department of Labor (DOL)

DOL Account Number

Businesses that have run payroll in the past can find their DOL Account Number on notices received from the DOL and will be formatted as XXXXXX-XX.

Entering the tax information in Gusto—enter the total tax rate

Your total tax rate can be found on the Employer UI Tax Rate Notices that are available on the GDOL Employer Portal.

Once logged in to the employer portal, on the right-hand side of the screen, click on your DOL account number (under your business name). This will load a new page where you will be able to see your new tax rates. Keep in mind:

• Tax rates for the new calendar year will appear by the first business day of the new year.
• When entering your rate in Gusto, enter the total tax rate from your Georgia tax rate notice.

You may also call the agency at (404) 232-3300 to get both your rate and your account number. 

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

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 deposit schedule.
   • The withholding number looks like XXXXXXX-XX—the last two characters of the number will be upper case letters.
   • Supported deposit schedules in Gusto are: semi-weekly payer, monthly payer, or quarterly payer.
     • If you were assigned an annual deposit schedule, Gusto does not support that schedule and you'll need to update your schedule with the agency. 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 rate—enter the total tax rate from your Georgia tax rate notice.

Third party agent (TPA) authorization is recommended

Georgia Department of Revenue – withholding tax

The Georgia DOR requires special authorization for Gusto to pay or file your taxes. To ensure successful authorization, you'll need to:

• Verify that you've added the ‘Withholding’ tax type to your account with the Georgia Tax Center and;
• Verify the following information you entered into Gusto matches what's on file with the Georgia Department of Revenue: 
  • Withholding Account Number 
  • Zip Code 
  • Last amount paid to the Department of Revenue

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.

Add your Withholding tax account on the Georgia Tax Center (if not already done)

1. Head to the Georgia Tax Center.
2. Under the "I Want To" section, click See more links… 
3. Click Register New Tax Account.

The agency site will guide you through entering your business information. Following review and approval, you will receive an email with your account number and information.

If Gusto is having trouble gaining access to your account, verify all information in Gusto matches what the agency has on file and call the agency at (877) 423-6711 to troubleshoot.

If you filed for the Georgia Research and Development (R&D) Tax Credit or other Georgia tax credits and you'd like to claim it in Gusto, contact our team from the Help section of your account.

Requirements

1. Send an email to us with an approval letter from the Georgia Department of Revenue which approves your calculation of the tax credit and confirming that the credit can be applied to withholding taxes. The following credits can be applied to withholding taxes: 
   • Clean Energy Property Tax Credit
   • Job Tax Credit
   • Tax Credit for Qualified Research Expenses (Form IT-RD)
   • Headquarters Job Tax Credit
   • Quality Jobs Tax Credit
   • Film Tax Credit
   • Postproduction Film Tax Credit
   • Musical Tax Credit***
2. Important: Confirm in the email that you've authorized Gusto to claim the Georgia Tax Credit on your behalf on Form G-7, your quarterly Georgia state income tax filing. 
   • Gusto needs access to your account on the Georgia DOR website–we'll initiate the access to your state account and we'll reach out if there are any problems.
     • Should there be any issues, follow the steps in this article under the headline "Troubleshoot Department of Revenue authorization issues".

Once we've entered the credit in our system it will reduce your Georgia State Withholding Tax on a per payroll basis. You can track the credits that have been applied and how much credit is still available in your Gusto account under Reports by running a Tax Credits report.

Learn more

• Georgia credits: check out this resource for business credits.
• Georgia R&D Tax Credit: check out this resource from the state.

• Quarterly Return for Monthly Payers (G-7 Monthly)**
• Quarterly Return for Quarterly Payers (G-7 Quarterly)
• Quarterly Return for Semi-Weekly Payers (G-7 S/Sch B)
• Annual Return for Annual Payers (G-7 A)
• Withholding Payment Voucher (GA-V)*
• Income Statement Transmittal (G-1003)
• Wage and Tax Statement (State W2)
• GA New Hire Report
• Employer's Quarterly Tax and Wage Report (DOL-4 Part I & II or called DOL-4N)

• Georgia Department of Revenue (877) 423-6711, option 1
• Georgia Department of Labor (855) 436-7365