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Documentation Index

Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.pluvel.com/llms.txt

Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

If payroll taxes were simple, every state would use the same rules. Instead, you have 50 states with 50 different systems — different withholding rates, different unemployment programs, different wage bases, different filing schedules, and (of course) different forms. Have employees in California, Texas, and New York? That’s three separate registrations, three different unemployment rates, and three sets of quarterly filings. Pluvel handles all 50 states so you don’t need to become an expert in each one.

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Types of state payroll taxes

Tax TypeWho PaysPurpose
State Income TaxEmployee (withheld)Funds state government
State Unemployment (SUTA)EmployerFunds state unemployment benefits
State Disability (SDI)Employee or BothDisability insurance (CA, NJ, NY, etc.)
Paid Family Leave (PFL)Employee or BothFamily leave benefits (some states)
Local Income TaxEmployee (withheld)City/county taxes (some locations)

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State income tax withholding

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How it works

  1. Employee completes a state W-4 (or uses federal for states that allow it)
  2. We calculate withholding based on state tax tables
  3. Amount is deducted from each paycheck
  4. We deposit to the state and file returns

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States with no income tax

Nine states have no state income tax:
  • Alaska
  • Florida
  • Nevada
  • New Hampshire (dividends only)
  • South Dakota
  • Tennessee
  • Texas
  • Washington
  • Wyoming
For employees in these states, you only withhold federal taxes.

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Multi-state employees

If an employee works in multiple states (or lives in one, works in another):
SituationHow It’s Handled
Lives and works in same stateTax that state
Lives in State A, works in State BUsually tax work state (some exceptions)
Reciprocal agreement statesTax residence state only
Remote workersComplex—depends on state rules
We determine the correct state(s) based on employee addresses and work locations.

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Reciprocal agreements

Some neighboring states have agreements where residents only pay tax in their home state:
StateReciprocal With
PennsylvaniaIndiana, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia
VirginiaDC, Kentucky, Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia
New JerseyPennsylvania
We apply reciprocity automatically based on employee addresses.

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State unemployment (SUTA)

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How SUTA works

  1. States set a wage base (e.g., 7,000to7,000 to 56,500)
  2. Your company is assigned a rate (new employers get a standard rate)
  3. Rate adjusts based on claims history (experience rating)
  4. You pay SUTA on wages up to the wage base

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State wage bases (examples)

StateWage BaseTypical New Employer Rate
California$7,0003.4%
New York$12,5004.0%
Texas$9,0002.7%
Florida$7,0002.7%
Washington$68,5001.0%
Wage bases and rates change annually. We update them automatically each year.

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Experience rating

After you’ve been in business for a while (typically 2-3 years), your SUTA rate adjusts based on claims:
  • Fewer claims → Lower rate
  • More claims → Higher rate
You receive an annual rate notice from each state—enter your new rates in Settings → Tax → State Accounts.

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State disability and paid leave

Several states require additional withholdings:

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State Disability Insurance (SDI)

StateWho PaysRate
CaliforniaEmployee1.1% (2024)
New JerseyBothEmployee 0.27%, Employer varies
New YorkEmployee0.5% (capped)
Rhode IslandEmployee1.1%
HawaiiBothVaries
StateWho PaysBenefit
CaliforniaEmployeeFamily bonding, care
New YorkEmployeeFamily leave
New JerseyEmployeeFamily leave
WashingtonBothFamily and medical leave
MassachusettsBothPaid family and medical leave
We calculate and withhold these taxes automatically for employees in applicable states.

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Setting up state taxes

1

Register with each state

Before running payroll in a state, you need state tax accounts:
  • State withholding account number
  • State unemployment account number
  • Any additional program registrations (SDI, PFL)
2

Enter account numbers

Go to Settings → Tax → State Accounts and add each state.
3

Enter your SUTA rate

Input your assigned unemployment rate for each state.
4

Run payroll

We handle calculation, deposit, and filing automatically.

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State registration help

When you add employees in a new state, Pluvel can help with registration:
  1. We detect the new state when you add the employee
  2. You see a prompt to register or enter existing account numbers
  3. For many states, we can register you automatically
  4. For others, we provide links and instructions

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Filing state returns

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Filing schedules

Most states require quarterly filings, but schedules vary:
PatternStates (Examples)
Monthly (large employers)CA, NY (if liability exceeds threshold)
QuarterlyMost states
Annual reconciliationMany states (January/February)

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What we file

For each state where you have employees:
ReturnFrequencyContents
Withholding returnQuarterly (usually)Wages paid, tax withheld
Unemployment returnQuarterlyWages by employee, tax due
Annual reconciliationAnnualTotal wages and tax for year
Wage reportsQuarterly or AnnualEmployee-level detail
Go to Payroll → Tax Filings and filter by state to see your filing schedule.

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Common state tax issues

When an employee relocates:
  1. Update their address in Employees → [Name] → Personal Info
  2. We stop withholding for the old state
  3. We start withholding for the new state
  4. If you have no registration in the new state, we prompt you to register
Discrepancies can occur because:
  • Late payments incur penalties and interest
  • Rate changes weren’t updated in Pluvel
  • Prior period adjustments
Upload the notice to Mailroom and we’ll help reconcile.
When you receive your annual rate notice:
  1. Go to Settings → Tax → State Accounts → [State]
  2. Click Update Rate
  3. Enter the new rate and effective date
  4. Future payrolls use the new rate
Some cities and counties levy their own income taxes (Philadelphia, New York City, Ohio cities, etc.):
  1. We track local jurisdictions based on employee work addresses
  2. Local taxes are calculated and withheld automatically
  3. We file local returns where required
If you’re in a locale we don’t recognize, contact support to add it.

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State tax resources

StateAgencyPortal
CaliforniaEDDedd.ca.gov
New YorkDOLlabor.ny.gov
TexasTWCtwc.texas.gov
FloridaDORfloridarevenue.com
We provide direct links to state portals in Settings → Tax → State Accounts.

Payroll tax overview

Learn how we handle all payroll taxes.