California · payroll compliance · 2026
California new hire reporting deadline.
Report each new or rehired California employee within 20 days. Here is where to file, what to include and how contractors are treated.
A reference page, not legal advice
This page summarizes the HHS Office of Child Support Services state directory as read on November 2, 2026. States update their entries on their own schedule, so confirm the deadline and format on the California portal before relying on it. Nothing you type leaves your browser.
At a glance
- Deadline: 20 daysSame as the federal 20 days.
- Contractors: requiredPer the directory entry updated 03/22/2025.
- Phone: 888-745-3886Employment Development Department.
The California deadline
California employers have 20 days to report a new or rehired employee. The HHS state directory prints the California timeframe as: “Within 20 days of hire date”. California prints 20 days, the same as the federal rule. In the HHS directory, 9 of 54 entries print a shorter deadline, and California is not one of them.
The state's own page agrees. California EDD, New Hire Reporting, read November 2, 2026: “If you are a California employer, you must report all new or rehired employees who work in California to the NER within 20 calendar days of their start-of-work date, which is the first day the employee performed services for pay.”
The report goes to the state directory of new hires, which feeds the National Directory of New Hires that child support agencies use to locate a parent who owes support. It is separate from the employee's W-4 and I-9 and from any unemployment filing.
Worked example (hypothetical)
An employee first performs services for pay in California on Monday, November 2, 2026. Counting 20 calendar days from that date, the report is due by Sunday, November 22, 2026. The directory does not say what happens when the last day falls on a weekend or holiday, so treat the date as fixed and file the same week you set up payroll.
What to report
HHS says federal law requires these seven data elements for every new or rehired employee:
- Employee's name
- Employee's address
- Social Security number
- Date of hire (the date the employee first performs services for pay)
- Employer's name
- Employer's address
- Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN)
Some states require more. Check the California entry in the directory for any extra fields before you build the submission.
Independent contractors
The directory answers the contractor question for California this way: “Yes. The independent contractor information must be reported within twenty (20) calendar days of either making payments totaling $600 or more, or entering into a contract for $600 or more with an independent contractor in any calendar year, whichever is earlier.” Treat qualifying contractors as reportable on the same kind of schedule, and read the entry in full for the dollar trigger.
Where and how to file
The directory lists Employment Development Department as the receiving office. Portal: https://www.edd.ca.gov/payroll_taxes/new_hire_reporting.htm. Public phone: 888-745-3886. Methods named in the directory: online (state portal), mail, fax.
Common mistakes
- Counting from the offer or signing date. HHS defines the date of hire as the date the employee first performs services for pay.
- Reporting to the employer's state instead of the employee's. HHS says to report to the state where the employee works.
- Treating a rehire as routine. Rehires are reported too.
- Assuming other states' deadlines apply. A 20-day habit is wrong in the 9 jurisdictions that print less, including Georgia at 10 days. Use the schedule of the state where the employee works.
Frequently asked questions
What is the new hire reporting deadline in California?
California prints "Within 20 days of hire date" in the HHS state directory (entry updated 03/22/2025). That is 20 days. The federal rule is 20 days.
Does the California agency itself say 20 days?
Yes. California EDD, New Hire Reporting, read November 2, 2026: "If you are a California employer, you must report all new or rehired employees who work in California to the NER within 20 calendar days of their start-of-work date, which is the first day the employee performed services for pay."
Where do I report a new hire in California?
To Employment Development Department. The directory lists https://www.edd.ca.gov/payroll_taxes/new_hire_reporting.htm and a public phone of 888-745-3886. Accepted methods per the directory: online (state portal), mail, fax.
Does California require independent contractor reporting?
Yes. The directory entry reads: "Yes. The independent contractor information must be reported within twenty (20) calendar days of either making payments totaling $600 or more, or entering into a contract for $600 or more with an independent contractor in any calendar year, whichever is earlier."
What information must I report for a new hire?
Federal law requires seven data elements: the employee's name, address, Social Security number and date of hire, and the employer's name, address and federal employer identification number. Check the California entry in the HHS directory for any additional fields the state asks for.
What counts as the date of hire in California?
HHS defines the date of hire as the date the employee first performs services for pay. California words its deadline as: "Within 20 days of hire date" Count from the day work starts, not the offer or signing date.
Do I report to California if my employee works in another state?
HHS says to report to the state where the new employee works. A hire who works in another state is reported to that state on its schedule. An employer with employees in more than one state can instead choose one state and report all hires there, which requires registering with HHS first.
Sources
Read November 2, 2026. Figures on this page come from these pages and no others.
- HHS Office of Child Support Services, State Contact and Program Information: State New Hire Reporting (PDF) — the California entry: reporting timeframe, contact details, methods, contractor rule (entry updated 03/22/2025)
- HHS Office of Child Support Services, New Hire Reporting — the 20-day federal rule, the seven required data elements, and the multistate employer options
- California EDD, New Hire Reporting — the state's own statement of the deadline
- Employment Development Department — the reporting portal the directory lists for California; open it to file or to confirm current rules