USA State Payroll Rates + Resources: State of California: Filing Personal Income (Withholding) Tax, Unemployment & State Disability Insurance, W-2s and 1099s, and Report of Independent Contractors

Purpose

This document outlines the processes and requirements associated with submitting unemployment insurance reports and submitting unemployment insurance payments in the state of California.

Personal Income (Withholding) Tax and Unemployment & State Disability Insurance Reporting and Deposits 

State Payroll Taxes Summary


Unemployment InsuranceEmployment Training Tax (ETT)
State Disability Insurance (SDI)
Personal Income Tax (State Income Tax) (PIT)
Employer PaysNew employers pay 3.4% percent for up to three years.0.1%

Employee Pays

1.2%Refer to the California Employer’s Guide (DE 44)
Wage Limit$7,000$7,000$128,298None

For further information, see the California EDD guide 2020 Federal and State Payroll Taxes.

Payroll Tax Withholding Deposit (DE 88) Requirements for Personal Income (Withholding) Tax (PIT) and State Disability Insurance (SDI):

If Your Federal Deposit Schedule / Requirement IsAnd You Have Accumulated State PIT Withholding OfIf Pay Date IsPIT and SDI Deposit Due ByCalifornia "Deposit Schedule"
Next-DayLess than $350Any dayLast day of the following month after the end of the quarter.
Quarterly
Next-Day$350 to $500Any day
15th of the following monthMonthly
Next-DayMore than $500Any day
Next business dayNext-Day
Semi-WeeklyLess than $350Any day
Last day of the following month after the end of the quarterQuarterly
Semi-Weekly$350 to $500
Any day
15th of the following monthMonthly
Semi-WeeklyMore than $500
(1) Wed., Thurs., or Fri.
(2) Sat., Sun., Mon., or Tue.
(1) Following Wednesday
(2) Following Friday
Semi-Weekly
Monthly, Quarterly, or AnnuallyLess than $350Any day
Last day of the following month after the end of the quarter
Quarterly
Monthly, Quarterly, or Annually
$350 or moreAny day
15th of the following monthMonthly

For more information, see California Deposit Requirements.

Payroll Tax Withholding Deposit (DE 88) Requirements for Unemployment Insurance (UI & ETT)

Unemployment (UI & ETT) deposits are due quarterly:

QuartersFiling Due DatesDue Date
1st Quarter
April 1
Due April 30th
2nd Quarter
July 1
Due July 31st
3rd Quarter
October 1
Due November 2nd
4th Quarter
January 1
Due February 1

See Required Filings and Due Date: Timeliess of Forms

Reporting

Employers use the Quarterly Contribution Return and Report of Wages (DE 9) to reconcile payroll tax payments and total subject wages reported for the quarter. You must submit a DE 9 AND a Quarterly Contribution Return and Report of Wages (Continuation) (DE 9C) each quarter at the E-Services for Business web-site

These reports are due on the first day of the following month after the end of the quarter, and they must be submitted even if you had no payroll during a calendar quarter.   

QuartersFiling Due DatesDue Date
1st Quarter
April 1
Due April 30th
2nd Quarter
July 1
Due July 31st
3rd Quarter
October 1
Due November 2nd
4th Quarter
January 1
Due February 1

See Required Filings and Due Date: Timeliess of Forms

W-2s and 1099s

Federal Forms W-2

Do not send a copy of Form W-2 or Form W-2C to the State of California (the EDD or the Franchise Tax Board [FTB]). The Forms W-2 and W-2C are not filed with the state because you should already be reporting wage and withholding information to the EDD on the Quarterly Contribution Return and Report of Wages (Continuation) (DE 9C). However, you must continue to send Forms W-2 and W-2C to your employees and the Social Security Administration. 

For further details (ie. in which box the state wages, income tax, and local income tax should be reported on the W-2 and California descriptions for those boxes) see the 2021 California Employer's Guide.

 Federal Forms 1099

The California Franchise Tax Board (FTB) recommends that you file under the IRS Combined Federal/State Filing program. When you are approved and use the IRS Combined Federal/State Filing program, you only have to file once. The IRS will forward your California returns to the FTB. The following forms may be filed under this program: Forms 1099-DIV, 1099-G, 1099-INT, 1099-MISC, 1099-OID, 1099-PATR, 1099-R, and 5498. 

If you are not participating in the Combined Federal/State Filing program and:

  • File 250 or more information returns of one type: You must file directly with the FTB electronically.

  • If you file less than 250 returns electronically or on paper with the IRS: You should use the same method to file with FTB.  

  • If you file paper information returns with the IRS: Do not send a paper copy to the FTB. The IRS will forward the information to the FTB. This applies to paper filing only.  

  • Generally, the FTB’s reporting requirements are the same as the IRS reporting requirements. For specific differences, go to https://www.ftb.ca.gov/file/business/information-returns.html#How-to-file. 

California currently does not require you to file an annual reconciliation apart from the required quarterly reports. 

For further details see the 2021 California Employer's Guide.

    Report of Independent Contractor(s) (DE 542)  

    Any business or government entity that is required to file a federal Form 1099-MISC for personal services performed must also report specific information to the Employment Development Department (EDD) regarding any independent contractor providing services to you or your business. 

    Filing Options for Reporting Independent Contractors: 

    When Due: Independent contractor information must be reported to the EDD within 20 days of EITHER making payments totaling $600 or more OR entering into a contract for $600 or more with an independent contractor in any calendar year, whichever occurs first.

    This is in addition to your requirement to report the total annual payments to the Internal Revenue Service on a Form 1099-MISC after the close of the calendar year. 

    Filing an Informal Report

    If you are not able to obtain a DE 542 by the due date, you may file an informal report to avoid penalty and interest charges. Your informal report must include all the information listed in the 2021 California Employer's Guide.

    Mail or fax your independent contractor information to:

        Employment Development Department
        Document Management Group, MIC 96
        PO Box 997350
        Sacramento, CA 95899-7350
        Fax: (916) 319-4410

    If you are reporting a large number of independent contractors, we encourage you to send the information electronically. You can file online using e-Services for Business. 

    IF YOU FILE ELECTRONICALLY, DO NOT FILE A PAPER DE 542. 

    For additional information on ICR electronic filing refer to the following: