Utah new hire reporting: what employers must do
By the FirstHire Team · Last updated Nov 2026
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Every Utah employer has to report each new or rehired employee to the Utah New Hire Registry, run by the Department of Workforce Services (DWS). It takes a few minutes per person. Here is exactly what DWS asks for and when.
The deadline: 20 days
DWS says every employer must report all newly hired or rehired employees within 20 days of their first day of work. The Form 6 instructions spell it out as 20 calendar days from the employee's first day of paid work. A rehire counts when someone comes back after being separated for at least 60 consecutive days.
What you have to report
| Employee | Employer |
|---|---|
| Name | Legal name |
| Address | Address (where child support orders should be sent) |
| Social Security number | Federal EIN (9 digits, no hyphen) |
| Date of hire or rehire | |
| Date of birth (optional) |
If the employee doesn't have an SSN yet, DWS says to wait until they do. Incomplete or unreadable reports are returned and may be penalized if not fixed. If you don't have an EIN yet, that comes first. See step 1 of how to run payroll in Utah.
Three ways to report
- Online (preferred by DWS). Go to jobs.utah.gov/ui/employer and choose "Report New Hires." Larger employers can upload files.
- Phone. Call 801-526-9235 or 1-800-222-2857, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday, to report up to three new hires per call.
- Mail or fax. Send Utah New Hire Registry Form 6, the employee's W-4 with the hire date, or a printout with all the required fields. Fax 801-526-4391, or mail to Utah New Hire Registry, P.O. Box 45247, Salt Lake City, UT 84145-0247.
A simple routine for your first report
- On the employee's first day, collect a signed W-4 and confirm their legal name, home address and Social Security number.
- Write the hire date down. DWS defines it as the first day the employee performs paid work, not the offer date.
- Have your EIN and business address ready, using the address where child support orders should be sent.
- Log in at jobs.utah.gov/ui/employer and choose "Report New Hires." Online is the method DWS prefers.
- Save a copy or screenshot of the confirmation with your payroll records.
- Set a reminder for day 15, so you're never close to the 20-day limit.
If you rehire a seasonal worker who was gone for 60 days or more, run the same routine again. DWS treats that as a rehire that must be reported.
Penalties for missing it
DWS lists a civil penalty of $25 for each failure to report within 20 days, or $500 if the failure is intentional and the result of an agreement between employer and employee not to report or to report false information.
Why the state wants it
DWS says new hire data is used for child support enforcement and to stop erroneous unemployment, workers' comp and public assistance payments. That's why the employer address should be where child support orders should go.
How it fits with the rest of your first-hire paperwork
New hire reporting is separate from your other Utah registrations. You still need:
- A Utah withholding account from the Tax Commission. Pub 14 says having Utah employees without one is a class B misdemeanor.
- A Utah DWS unemployment account, plus quarterly wage reports.
- Federal Form W-4 from the employee. Utah uses it for state withholding too.
Walk through the whole process in how to run payroll in Utah or our payroll basics guide, see every due date on the Utah payroll calendar, and price your hire with the true cost calculator.
Does payroll software handle it?
Many payroll providers offer to file new hire reports for you. Check that yours does it for Utah. Pub 14's general rule for payroll providers is that the employer stays responsible if filings are late.
Want this as a printable checklist? The $9 First Hire Kit has a Utah first-employee checklist, a payroll deadline calendar and a cost calculator spreadsheet. Everything in this guide is free either way.
FAQ
Who counts as a new hire?
Anyone you hire or rehire. DWS defines the rehire date as the first day of paid work for someone who was separated from your business for at least 60 days in a row.
What if my employee doesn't have a Social Security number yet?
DWS says to hold the report until you get the number. Reports without an SSN aren't accepted.
Can I just send a copy of the W-4?
Yes, if it includes the date of hire and all the required employer details. DWS accepts a W-4, Form 6, or a printout with the required data.
Does it cost anything to report?
No fee is listed by DWS. The cost is the penalty for not reporting: $25 per failure, or $500 if intentional.
I have workers in several states. Do I report in Utah?
State law lets multistate employers who report to one state under the federal multistate rules skip Utah reporting. DWS still strongly encourages reporting Utah employees to Utah.
Sources: Utah DWS New Hire Handbook, DWS reporting options, Utah New Hire Form 6, Utah Pub 14, IRS EIN. Checked Nov 3, 2026. Not tax or legal advice.