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PAYROLL TAX REGISTRATION

Tennessee payroll tax registration

What to set up in Tennessee before the first payroll, in date order, with each agency, online portal and deadline. Enter the first employee's start date and the first pay date to see the dates.

Facts checked on October 5, 2026 against the official sources listed at the end of this page. For employers. General information, not legal or tax advice: confirm a deadline with the agency before you rely on it.

Setup steps before the first payroll

  1. Date depends on the deadline below
    Workers' comp

    Get workers' compensation coverage if Tennessee's rule covers the business

    Deadline
    Before the employee who brings the business under the rule starts work
    Workers' comp in Tennessee (Worklio Insurance) (opens in a new tab)
    Source
    lwdsupport.tn.gov/hc/en-us/articles/204304628-How-many-employees-do-I-have-to-have-before-I-am-required-to-have-workers-compensation-insurance (opens in a new tab), checked October 6, 2026
  2. Posters

    Put up the required Tennessee and federal posters

    Deadline
    Before the first employee starts work
    Online
    www.tn.gov/workforce/general-resources/major-publications0/major-publications-redirect/posters-redirect/required-posters.html (opens in a new tab)
    Source
    www.tn.gov/workforce/general-resources/major-publications0/major-publications-redirect/posters-redirect/required-posters.html (opens in a new tab), checked October 6, 2026
  3. New hire reporting

    Report each new hire to the state new hire registry

    Deadline
    Within 20 days of the hire dateCounted here from the start date; report sooner if the employee was hired before it.
    Agency
    Tennessee New Hire Reporting Program (TDLWD) (opens in a new tab)
    Online
    tnnewhire.com (opens in a new tab)
    Source
    www.tn.gov/workforce/employers/staffing-redirect/hiring-regulations/new-hire-reporting.html (opens in a new tab), checked October 6, 2026
  4. State tax accounts

    Register the business in Employer e-Services for an unemployment account

    Deadline
    Before the first quarterly report (the last day of the month after the quarter)
    Agency
    Unemployment: Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development (Employment Security, Employer Accounts) (opens in a new tab)
    Online
    jobs4tnui.tn.gov/employer/_ (opens in a new tab)
    Source
    lwdsupport.tn.gov/hc/en-us/articles/41503856211475-Employer-Registration (opens in a new tab), checked October 6, 2026
  5. State tax accounts

    File the first quarterly unemployment tax and wage report

    Deadline
    Quarterly wage report and premiums due at the end of the month after the quarter: April 30, July 31, October 31, January 31.January 31, 2027 is a Sunday; whether Tennessee moves it to the next business day is not confirmed.
    Rates
    Tennessee payroll tax rates
    Source
    lwdsupport.tn.gov/hc/en-us/articles/360001003928-What-is-delinquent-cycle (opens in a new tab), checked October 6, 2026

Federal dates for this pay date

Federal returns follow the compliance calendar, which dates them for every employer:

A 501(c)(3) organization generally owes no FUTA tax and files no Form 940 (Form 940 instructions (opens in a new tab)).

Not confirmed: no official source settled it on the check date, so none is shown.

Not needed in Tennessee

Also in Tennessee

  • Whether any city or county taxes wages: not confirmed.

More on Tennessee

WORKLIO HCM

Hiring in a new state? We help open the accounts.

We help open state accounts when you hire somewhere new, and our registration service can register your employer tax accounts for you. After that, Worklio HCM calculates, deposits and files your payroll taxes, new-hire state reporting is automatic, and rates and rules update without you noticing.

Registration in other states

Sources

The agency page or document behind each fact, as checked.

General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm current requirements with the relevant agency or your advisor. You remain responsible for registering and for your employment taxes.

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