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District of Columbia New Hire Reporting Requirements (2026)

Last updated: 2026-10-12 · District of Columbia's rules were checked against the state's own site and the federal OCSE reference guide on 2026-10-12

District of Columbia employers must report every new or rehired employee to the District of Columbia Directory of New Hires (Office of the Attorney General) within 20 days after an employee is hired, rehired or returns to work (D.C. Code § 46-226.06). That matches the federal 20-day limit. Independent contractors are not reported. Besides the 7 federal data elements, District of Columbia requires 1 more item.

Deadline
20 days
same as federal
Report contractors?
No
Rehire rule
Every rehire
stricter than federal 60
Extra required data
1 item
beyond the federal 7

District of Columbia new hire reporting rules

District of Columbia new hire reporting

District of Columbia Directory of New Hires (Office of the Attorney General)

20
days

Deadline: Within 20 days after an employee is hired, rehired or returns to work (D.C. Code § 46-226.06).

Electronic filers may instead send twice-monthly transmissions 12–16 days apart. The source doesn't say business or calendar days — count calendar days to be safe.

What to report

7 federal data elements (every state)
  • Employee name
  • Employee address
  • Employee Social Security number
  • Date of hire (first day the employee performed services for pay)
  • Employer name
  • Employer address
  • Employer FEIN (same FEIN used for quarterly wage reports)

Plus District of Columbia requires:

  • Employer address where income withholding orders should be sent

Only in some cases:

  • State of hire (state where the employee works) — if reporting as a multistate employer

Optional (requested, not required):

  • Employee date of birth
  • Medical insurance available? and eligibility date
  • Employee salary/wages
  • Employer contact name and phone number

How to file

Open DC reporting site ↗

Methods: Online · File transfer · Mail · Fax

Phone
877-846-9523 (ext. 300)
Fax
877-892-6388
Mail
PO Box 457, Norwell, MA 02061

Official DC requirements page

Independent contractors

Contractors not reported

Not required.

Rehires & recalls

DC's registry FAQ uses the federal 60-day rule, but D.C. Code § 46-226.06 covers any employee who "is rehired" with no minimum gap — reporting every rehire is the safe reading.

Penalty

$25 per employee not reported, charged each calendar month until the employer complies; $500 for an employer–employee conspiracy (D.C. Code § 46-226.06(i))

When is my District of Columbia report due?

Enter the first day of paid work to get the due date (with a calendar reminder), check whether a returning worker counts as a rehire, or fill in a District of Columbia report worksheet and download it as a PDF. Everything runs in your browser; employee details are never saved.

What goes on a District of Columbia new hire report

Federal data elements (every state)

  • Employee name
  • Employee address
  • Employee Social Security number
  • Date of hire (first day the employee performed services for pay)
  • Employer name
  • Employer address
  • Employer FEIN (same FEIN used for quarterly wage reports)

Added by District of Columbia

  • Employer address where income withholding orders should be sent

Only in some cases: State of hire (state where the employee works) — if reporting as a multistate employer.

Requested but optional: Employee date of birth; Medical insurance available? and eligibility date; Employee salary/wages; Employer contact name and phone number.

Most states accept a copy of the employee's Form W-4 with the employer name, address and FEIN filled in, as long as any extra District of Columbia fields are added. Use the same FEIN you put on your quarterly wage reports.

How District of Columbia compares

  • Deadline: District of Columbia uses the federal 20-day limit, like 41 other states and DC. 9 states are stricter, with 7, 10, 14 and 15-day deadlines.
  • Contractors: 17 states require contractor reports (California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia); District of Columbia does not.
  • Rehires: Stricter than federal law: report every return to work, not only after a 60-day break.
  • Multistate employers can instead report every new hire electronically to a single state where they have employees after registering with HHS (Multistate Employer Registry).

Related for District of Columbia employers: District of Columbia payroll taxes & SUTA rate · District of Columbia payday & final paycheck rules · District of Columbia minimum wage · payroll setup checklist

District of Columbia new hire reporting FAQ

How long do I have to report a new hire in District of Columbia?

Within 20 days after an employee is hired, rehired or returns to work (D.C. Code § 46-226.06). That matches the federal 20-day limit. Employers that report electronically may instead send twice-monthly transmissions 12 to 16 days apart. The date of hire is the first day the employee performs services for pay. The state's source doesn't say business or calendar days, so count calendar days to be safe.

Do I have to report independent contractors in District of Columbia?

Not required.

Do I need to report rehired employees in District of Columbia?

DC's registry FAQ uses the federal 60-day rule, but D.C. Code § 46-226.06 covers any employee who "is rehired" with no minimum gap — reporting every rehire is the safe reading.

What information goes on a District of Columbia new hire report?

Every report needs the seven federal data elements: the employee's name, address, Social Security number and date of hire, and the employer's name, address and FEIN. District of Columbia also requires: Employer address where income withholding orders should be sent. Only in some cases: State of hire (state where the employee works) — if reporting as a multistate employer.

How do I report a new hire in District of Columbia?

Accepted methods: Online; File transfer; Mail; Fax. Reports go to the District of Columbia Directory of New Hires (Office of the Attorney General).

What is the penalty for not reporting a new hire in District of Columbia?

$25 per employee not reported, charged each calendar month until the employer complies; $500 for an employer–employee conspiracy (D.C. Code § 46-226.06(i)). Federal law caps state penalties at $25 per unreported employee, or $500 when the employer and employee conspire not to report or to file a false report. A late report is still required.

I have employees in District of Columbia and other states. Where do I report?

Report each employee to the state where they work, following that state's rules, or register with HHS as a multistate employer and send all new hire reports electronically to one state where you have employees. Multistate employers that pick District of Columbia follow District of Columbia's rules for everyone and must include each employee's state of hire.

Official Sources

Figures checked against these sources on 2026-10-12

Related Resources on This Site

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General information, not legal advice. Confirm current requirements with the District of Columbia Directory of New Hires (Office of the Attorney General) before relying on them.