Before you can pay employees, make sure you've registered for payroll in their applicable work state. This can sometimes take several weeks—the sooner you start the process, the sooner you'll have the tax account info required to pay them. Learn more about paying your first employee in a new state by watching this quick tutorial.
Gusto partners with CorpNet to help you register in the state—learn more below.
Click Register for IL income and unemployment tax on your own or Find account numbers and rate info (if you're already registered) to learn more about:
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:
CorpNet can walk you through entering any info that they themselves do not enter in Gusto on your behalf.
After you send your order, we’ll email you with status updates and add your order total to your next monthly invoice.
When your order is complete, you’ll receive emails from both Gusto and CorpNet. They’ll detail the next steps which include:
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:
If your order is still in progress, you can cancel from your Gusto account:
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, or if the business is undergoing a merger or acquisition?
A: No–you must have a FEIN entered in Gusto to order a state tax registration.
If your company is going through a merger or being acquired, CorpNet cannot assist with registration. Work with your tax advisor and state agencies directly to navigate this change and register your business.
Q: Where can I see all my tax information?
A: You can see all tax details in the following locations:
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 yet (referring to the minimum wage threshold in some states)?
A: In order for CorpNet to start the registration process for an unemployment account number before you're liable, you can:
Q: Can I register with CorpNet if the responsible party is based internationally and does not have an ITIN/SSN?
A: CorpNet may be able to assist directly—reach out to [email protected] or call 1(888) 449-2638.
Q: My company is a nonprofit—why can't I enter 0% in the responsible party section, or add a commercial owner?
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.
Some states require that an individual owner be listed on the account. If you're a non-profit and not sure how to proceed, contact CorpNet directly at [email protected] or call 1(888) 449-2638.
Q: Does CorpNet help with state tax account closures?
A: No—you'll need to close the tax account on your own.
Click the dropdowns below to learn how to register with state agencies and how to give Gusto the third-party authorization (TPA) we'll need to file and pay certain taxes on your behalf.
Register for both income tax withholding and unemployment tax through the Illinois Department of Revenue website.
Once you've registered, you’ll receive a Taxpayer ID which will consist of your FEIN plus a Sequence Number—you'll need to enter the correct Sequence Number in Gusto. Instructions for where to enter tax information in Gusto can be found below in this article.
Most companies become liable for state unemployment insurance tax once the company has:
If considered liable, you'll instantly be issued an:
Monthly wage reporting requirement—Illinois Department of Employment Security
Employers with more than 25 employees in Illinois are required to file monthly wage reports to the Illinois Department of Employment Security. Gusto files this monthly report on behalf of all of our customers, regardless of the number of employees you have.
If you need to run payroll and do not yet meet the requirements above, Gusto allows it. We just suggest you add the “New employer SUI tax rate” specific to Illinois in the meantime—you can find the new employer rates for each state in this article, along with instructions on how to update the rate once you become liable and receive your company-specific agency assigned rate.
Once a valid Illinois work address has been added in Gusto for one or more employee(s), you can add your tax account information:
Third-party authorization is required for the below agency:
You must grant Gusto access to your MyTax Illinois account in order for us to file and pay your Illinois withholding taxes.
To change these settings, click the blue link to toggle to the designations above.
If you've already registered in the state, you'll need to enter your tax account details in Gusto in order to pay employees.
You'll need to be registered with one or more of the below agencies in order for Gusto to file and pay taxes on your behalf:
If you still need to register, click the Register a company with state agencies dropdown above in this article.
Withholding Taxpayer ID
If you've run payroll in Illinois previously, you can find your Taxpayer ID:
Your Taxpayer ID will consist of your FEIN plus a Sequence Number—you'll need to enter the correct Sequence Number in Gusto.
If you're not sure of your Taxpayer ID or Sequence Number, call the agency at (800) 732-8866.
Unemployment Account Number and tax rate
Your Illinois Unemployment Account number and unemployment tax rate can be found on the "Notice of Contribution Rate" that you receive from the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) each year. You can also sign in to your online account to find the information.
Entering your Unemployment Account Number
Gusto only requires the first 7 digits of the number, do not include the 8th digit (if present).
Entering your unemployment (experience) tax rate
Enter both your experience rate and the "Fund Builder Rate" as the total tax rate in Gusto.
Third-party authorization is required for the below agency:
You must grant Gusto access to your MyTax Illinois account in order for us to file and pay your Illinois withholding taxes.
To change these settings, click the blue link to toggle to the designations above.
Once a valid Illinois address has been added in Gusto for one or more employee(s), you can add your tax account information:
Where to find the forms available in your account
Head to the Taxes & compliance section and select Tax documents.
Use the tabs on the page to toggle between federal, state, W-2, and 1099 forms.
Asterisk info—only if applicable
Filings marked with an asterisk (*) will not appear in your Tax documents tab—these are coupons, payment vouchers, or other forms that are filed electronically.
You can confirm tax payments were made by running an agency payments report.