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Texas New Hire Reporting Requirements (2026)

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

Texas employers must report every new or rehired employee to the Texas Office of the Attorney General — Child Support Division within 20 calendar days from the date the employee starts earning wages. That matches the federal 20-day limit. Independent contractors must be reported too. Texas asks only for the 7 federal data elements.

Deadline
20 calendar days
same as federal
Report contractors?
Yes
Rehire rule
60+ days gone
federal rule
Extra required data
None
beyond the federal 7

Texas new hire reporting rules

Texas new hire reporting

Texas Office of the Attorney General — Child Support Division

20
calendar days

Deadline: Within 20 calendar days from the date the employee starts earning wages.

Electronic filers may instead send twice-monthly transmissions 12–16 days apart.

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)

No extra required fields beyond the federal 7.

Only in some cases:

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

Optional (requested, not required):

  • Company mailing address if different from payroll address

How to file

Open TX reporting site ↗

Methods: Online (OAG Employer Portal) · File upload / FTP · Fax · Mail

Phone
800-850-6442
Fax
800-732-5015
Email
CSS-Outreach@oag.texas.gov
Mail
Central File Maintenance, P.O. Box 12048, Austin, TX 78711-2048

Official TX requirements page

Independent contractors

Contractors must be reported

Texas Family Code § 234.101 defines "employee" to include an independent contractor as defined by the IRS, plus rideshare drivers and app-based delivery workers. No dollar threshold is stated.

Rehires & recalls

Texas law (Fam. Code § 234.101): report a returning employee who was separated, or received no earnings from you, for at least 60 consecutive days.

Penalty

Up to $25 per failure to report (knowing violation); up to $500 if the result of an employer–employee conspiracy (Tex. Fam. Code § 234.105)

  • • First-time reporters should submit everyone hired in the last 90 days.

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

What goes on a Texas 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 Texas

Nothing — the seven federal elements are enough.

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

Requested but optional: Company mailing address if different from payroll address.

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

How Texas compares

  • Deadline: Texas 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: Texas is one of 17 states that require independent contractors to be reported.
  • Rehires: Uses the federal rule: report a returning worker who was gone at least 60 consecutive days.
  • 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 Texas employers: Texas payroll taxes & SUTA rate · Texas payday & final paycheck rules · Texas minimum wage · payroll setup checklist

Texas new hire reporting FAQ

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

Within 20 calendar days from the date the employee starts earning wages. 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.

Do I have to report independent contractors in Texas?

Texas Family Code § 234.101 defines "employee" to include an independent contractor as defined by the IRS, plus rideshare drivers and app-based delivery workers. No dollar threshold is stated.

Do I need to report rehired employees in Texas?

Texas law (Fam. Code § 234.101): report a returning employee who was separated, or received no earnings from you, for at least 60 consecutive days.

What information goes on a Texas 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. Texas doesn't require anything beyond those seven. 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 Texas?

Accepted methods: Online (OAG Employer Portal); File upload / FTP; Fax; Mail. Reports go to the Texas Office of the Attorney General — Child Support Division.

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

Up to $25 per failure to report (knowing violation); up to $500 if the result of an employer–employee conspiracy (Tex. Fam. Code § 234.105). 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 Texas 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 Texas follow Texas'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 Texas Office of the Attorney General — Child Support Division before relying on them.