# New hire paperwork: federal forms, state forms and deadlines

[Home](/) / [Document guides](/documents) / New hire paperwork

By [Arthur Teboul](/authors/arthur-teboul), Founder, DokuTrak. Published 2026-11-02, updated 2026-11-02.

> **In brief:** New hire paperwork is the set of forms an employer collects when someone starts: Form I-9 and Form W-4 for every employee, a state withholding certificate where the state taxes wages, and a new hire report to the state. Company forms such as direct deposit and the handbook acknowledgment come on top.

## What is the new hire paperwork?

**New hire paperwork** is every form signed, filled in or filed because a person joined the payroll. It splits into three layers. Federal forms are the same in every state. State forms depend on where the employee works. Company forms are your own policies, which the law does not dictate but which you will want signed on day one.

Only two federal forms come from the employee in every case: Form I-9, which proves identity and work authorization, and Form W-4, which tells payroll how much federal income tax to withhold ([IRS, About Form W-4, Employee’s Withholding Certificate](https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-w-4)). A third federal duty belongs to the employer alone: reporting the hire to the state directory of new hires ([HHS Administration for Children and Families, New Hire Reporting](https://www.acf.hhs.gov/css/employers/employer-responsibilities/new-hire-reporting)).

The rest is state law. Some states add a withholding certificate, a pay notice or a leave notice, and others add nothing. Check the state page for where the employee works before you build the packet.

## Who sends it, and when

The employer assembles the packet, usually HR or the office manager at a small business. The forms themselves come from their agencies: USCIS publishes Form I-9, the IRS publishes Form W-4, and the state tax or labor agency publishes its own forms. Payroll files the new hire report; the employee fills in and signs the rest.

## Where to get the new hire paperwork

1. Download the current Form I-9 (01/20/25 edition) from USCIS ([USCIS, I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification](https://www.uscis.gov/i-9)) and the current Form W-4 from the IRS. An old I-9 stack is fine only if the expiration date at the top reads 05/31/2027 ([USCIS, I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification](https://www.uscis.gov/i-9)).
2. Add the withholding certificate and notices required by the state where the employee will work.
3. Add your company forms: offer letter, direct deposit, emergency contact, handbook acknowledgment.
4. Send the packet before the start date, so the employee arrives with the forms done and the I-9 documents in hand.
5. File the new hire report and store each form where it belongs: the I-9 apart, the rest in the personnel file.

## Wrong files people send instead

- Giving an employee a Form W-9 instead of a Form W-4: the W-9 is for contractors and other payees who give a taxpayer number ([IRS, About Form W-9](https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-w-9)).
- Telling the new hire to bring a passport for the I-9 rather than sharing the full list of acceptable documents.
- Forgetting the new hire report because payroll assumed HR filed it, or the reverse.
- Storing the Form I-9 inside the personnel file, where every manager with access can read it.

## Federal forms for every new employee

These apply wherever the employee works. The table shows who completes each one and when.

- For Form I-9, the employee chooses one List A document, or one List B plus one List C document, from the [I-9 documents](/documents/i-9) lists.
- **Form W-4** is the IRS withholding certificate the employee gives the employer so it can withhold the correct federal income tax ([IRS, About Form W-4, Employee’s Withholding Certificate](https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-w-4)).

| Form | Who completes it | Deadline | Where it goes |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Form I-9, Section 1 | Employee | By the first day of work for pay ([USCIS Handbook for Employers M-274, 3.0 Completing Section 1](https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-resources/handbook-for-employers-m-274/30-completing-section-1-employee-information-and-attestation)) | Employer’s I-9 file, never mailed to USCIS |
| Form I-9, Section 2 | Employer, after examining documents | Within three business days of the start date ([USCIS Handbook for Employers M-274, 4.0 Completing Section 2](https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-resources/handbook-for-employers-m-274/40-completing-section-2-employer-review-and-verification)) | Employer’s I-9 file |
| Form W-4 | Employee | Before the first payroll | Payroll file |
| New hire report | Employer | Within 20 days of hire, or sooner if the state says so ([HHS Administration for Children and Families, New Hire Reporting](https://www.acf.hhs.gov/css/employers/employer-responsibilities/new-hire-reporting)) | State directory of new hires |
| E-Verify case, if enrolled | Employer | By the third business day after work for pay starts ([E-Verify, Verification Process](https://www.e-verify.gov/employers/verification-process)) | E-Verify |

## The new hire report: seven facts, one state

A **new hire report** is the short record an employer sends to the state so child support agencies can locate parents who owe support. Federal law sets the default deadline at 20 days after hire, and states may set a shorter one ([42 U.S.C. 653a, State Directory of New Hires](https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42/653a)).

ACF lists the seven data elements the report must carry ([HHS Administration for Children and Families, New Hire Reporting](https://www.acf.hhs.gov/css/employers/employer-responsibilities/new-hire-reporting)). Many states accept a copy of the Form W-4 with the employer fields added; check the state’s own reporting site.

- Employee’s name, address and Social Security number.
- Date of hire, meaning the first day the employee performs services for pay.
- Employer’s name, address and Federal Employer Identification Number.
- A rehire counts as a new hire after a separation of at least 60 consecutive days ([HHS Administration for Children and Families, New Hire Reporting](https://www.acf.hhs.gov/css/employers/employer-responsibilities/new-hire-reporting)).

## State forms vary by where the employee works

States add their own layer. Where wages are taxed, the employee usually completes a state withholding certificate next to the Form W-4. Some states also require a written pay notice or leave notice at hiring. A few have no state withholding form at all because they have no personal income tax.

Pick the state where the employee physically works, not where your company is registered. Our state pages list the verified items for California, Florida, Michigan, New York and Texas, with each state’s reporting office.

## Company forms that complete the packet

These come from your own policies. They are not required by federal law, but most employers collect them before the first payroll.

- Signed offer letter or employment agreement.
- Direct deposit authorization with a [voided check](/documents/voided-check) or a bank letter.
- Emergency contact form and handbook acknowledgment.
- Benefits enrollment forms, with dependent documents such as a marriage or birth certificate.
- A background check disclosure in a stand-alone document and the written authorization, both before the report is ordered ([15 U.S.C. 1681b(b)(2), Fair Credit Reporting Act](https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/1681b)).

## How long to keep new hire forms

Keep each Form I-9 for three years after the date of hire or one year after employment ends, whichever is later ([8 CFR 274a.2, Verification of identity and employment authorization](https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/8/274a.2)). Keep them in a separate binder or folder, so an inspection does not expose the rest of the personnel file.

Tax forms such as the Form W-4 follow payroll record rules, and state notices often have their own retention period. The state pages note it where the state sets one.

## The template: New hire paperwork request email

**Not advice.** This page is general information, not tax, legal or HR advice. Rules change: check the cited source and ask your own professional before you rely on it. Last reviewed October 25, 2026.

Send this a week before the start date with the forms attached. Replace the state line with the forms of the state where the employee works.

Subject: Your new hire paperwork for [start date]: please return by [date]

```text
Hi [Client name],

We are glad you are joining us on [start date]. Please complete and return these by [date]:

- Form I-9, Section 1 (attached). On day one, bring original documents of your choice from the lists on the form.
- Form W-4 for federal tax withholding.
- [State withholding form, if any].
- Direct deposit form, with a voided check or a bank letter.
- Emergency contact form and the signed handbook acknowledgment.
- Benefits enrollment, if you are joining a plan.

Ask me about anything that is unclear. Please do not email your Social Security card or ID; we review documents in person.

Thank you,
[Your name]
```

## Questions people ask

### What paperwork does a new hire have to fill out?

At minimum, Section 1 of Form I-9 and Form W-4, plus a state withholding certificate in states with an income tax. Most employers add an offer letter, direct deposit form, emergency contact form and handbook acknowledgment.

### What is the difference between Form I-9 and Form W-4?

Form I-9 proves identity and permission to work in the United States. Form W-4 tells the employer how much federal income tax to withhold from pay ([IRS, About Form W-4, Employee’s Withholding Certificate](https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-w-4)).

### Should a new employee fill out a W-9?

No. A Form W-9 gives a taxpayer number to a payer who files information returns, such as for contractor income ([IRS, About Form W-9](https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-w-9)). Employees complete a Form W-4.

### When is the new hire report due?

Within 20 days of the hire date under federal law, unless the state sets a shorter period ([HHS Administration for Children and Families, New Hire Reporting](https://www.acf.hhs.gov/css/employers/employer-responsibilities/new-hire-reporting)). You report to the state where the employee works, unless you register as a multistate employer and report every hire to one state ([HHS Administration for Children and Families, New Hire Reporting](https://www.acf.hhs.gov/css/employers/employer-responsibilities/new-hire-reporting)).

## Sources

- [USCIS Handbook for Employers M-274, 3.0 Completing Section 1](https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-resources/handbook-for-employers-m-274/30-completing-section-1-employee-information-and-attestation): Section 1 is completed by the first day of work for pay.
- [USCIS Handbook for Employers M-274, 4.0 Completing Section 2](https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-resources/handbook-for-employers-m-274/40-completing-section-2-employer-review-and-verification): Section 2 is completed within three business days of the date employment begins.
- [USCIS, I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification](https://www.uscis.gov/i-9): Current edition 01/20/25; the 08/01/23 edition with a 05/31/2027 expiration may also be used; the expiration date is at the top of the page.
- [IRS, About Form W-4, Employee’s Withholding Certificate](https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-w-4): Employees complete Form W-4 so the employer can withhold the correct federal income tax.
- [IRS, About Form W-9](https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-w-9): Form W-9 provides a taxpayer identification number to a person required to file an information return.
- [HHS Administration for Children and Families, New Hire Reporting](https://www.acf.hhs.gov/css/employers/employer-responsibilities/new-hire-reporting): New and rehired employees are reported within 20 days to the state where they work, with seven data elements; rehires after 60 consecutive days apart.
- [42 U.S.C. 653a, State Directory of New Hires](https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42/653a): Reports are due not later than 20 days after hire; states may set the time.
- [E-Verify, Verification Process](https://www.e-verify.gov/employers/verification-process): Cases are created no later than the third business day after work for pay starts.
- [15 U.S.C. 1681b(b)(2), Fair Credit Reporting Act](https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/1681b): A consumer report for employment needs a stand-alone written disclosure and the person’s written authorization before it is procured.
- [8 CFR 274a.2, Verification of identity and employment authorization](https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/8/274a.2): Form I-9 retention: three years after hire or one year after employment ends, whichever is later.

## More on this topic

- [I-9 documents](/documents/i-9)
- [W-9 guide](/documents/w-9)
- [Payroll checklist: setup, pay runs, quarters, year-end](/checklists/payroll)

## About the author

Arthur Teboul (Founder, DokuTrak) is building DokuTrak after watching professionals lose hours chasing clients for documents over email. [Arthur Teboul](/authors/arthur-teboul).

How this page was made (methodology): it is built from the primary sources listed under Sources, and every rule and figure on it links to the source it comes from. Last updated October 25, 2026. Spotted an error or a rule that changed? [Contact us](/contact).

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