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South Dakota New Hire Reporting Requirements (2026)

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

South Dakota employers must report every new or rehired employee to the South Dakota New Hire Reporting Center (Department of Labor & Regulation) within 20 days of the hire date. That matches the federal 20-day limit. Independent contractors are not reported. Besides the 7 federal data elements, South Dakota requires 1 more item.

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

South Dakota new hire reporting rules

South Dakota new hire reporting

South Dakota New Hire Reporting Center (Department of Labor & Regulation)

20
days

Deadline: Within 20 days of the hire date.

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 South Dakota requires:

  • State of hire (state where the employee works)

How to file

Open SD reporting site ↗

Methods: Online / FTP · Phone · Fax · Mail

Phone
605-626-2942
Fax
888-835-8659 or 605-626-2842
Mail
New Hire Reporting Center, P.O. Box 4700, Aberdeen, SD 57402-4700

Official SD requirements page

Independent contractors

Contractors not reported

Not required.

Rehires & recalls

Report rehired employees who haven't been paid by you for the past 30 days (SD DLR).

Penalty

$25 per violation; up to $500 per new hire for an employer–employee conspiracy (SD DLR); an intentional failure is a petty offense (SDCL 25-7A-3.3)

  • • Report the name and SSN exactly as they appear on the Social Security card. Quarterly wage reports don't count as new hire reports.

When is my South Dakota 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 South Dakota report worksheet and download it as a PDF. Everything runs in your browser; employee details are never saved.

What goes on a South Dakota 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 South Dakota

  • State of hire (state where the employee works)

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 South Dakota fields are added. Use the same FEIN you put on your quarterly wage reports.

How South Dakota compares

  • Deadline: South Dakota 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); South Dakota does not.
  • Rehires: Stricter than federal law: report a returning worker after 30 days away instead of 60.
  • 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 South Dakota employers: South Dakota payroll taxes & SUTA rate · South Dakota payday & final paycheck rules · South Dakota minimum wage · payroll setup checklist

South Dakota new hire reporting FAQ

How long do I have to report a new hire in South Dakota?

Within 20 days of the hire date. 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 South Dakota?

Not required.

Do I need to report rehired employees in South Dakota?

Report rehired employees who haven't been paid by you for the past 30 days (SD DLR).

What information goes on a South Dakota 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. South Dakota also requires: State of hire (state where the employee works).

How do I report a new hire in South Dakota?

Accepted methods: Online / FTP; Phone; Fax; Mail. Reports go to the South Dakota New Hire Reporting Center (Department of Labor & Regulation).

What is the penalty for not reporting a new hire in South Dakota?

$25 per violation; up to $500 per new hire for an employer–employee conspiracy (SD DLR); an intentional failure is a petty offense (SDCL 25-7A-3.3). 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 South Dakota 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 South Dakota follow South Dakota'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

Helpful guides

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General information, not legal advice. Confirm current requirements with the South Dakota New Hire Reporting Center (Department of Labor & Regulation) before relying on them.