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                                                          FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

                                                          EMPLOYER WITHHOLDING

                                                                                                      REV-580 (SU+) 02-23

         Employers are required to withhold PA personal income tax at a flat rate of 3.07 percent 
         of compensation from resident and nonresident employees earning income in Pennsylvania. 
         This rate remains in effect unless you receive notice of a change from the Department of 
         Revenue.

         For detailed information on employer withholding, see the       REV-415 Employer Withholding 
         Information Guide. Forms can be found on the Department of Revenue’s website at 
         www.revenue.pa.gov.

Definition of an Employer                                 What are the due dates for filing and 
                                                          paying employer withholding?
An employer is any individual, partnership, association, 
corporation, government body or other entity that is      Payment frequencies are established based upon the 
required under the Internal Revenue Code to withhold      average of tax withheld per quarter, according to the 
federal income tax from wages paid to an employee. If the following parameters: 
person for whom an individual performs or performed       Tax Withheld                   Payment Frequency
services does not have control of the payment of wages    $0.00 - $299.99 ..........................Quarterly
for such services, the person having control of the       $300 - $999.99 ............................Monthly
payment of such wages is also an employer. 
                                                          $1,000 - $4,999.99 ....................Semi-monthly
                                                          $5,000 or more ........................Semi-weekly
How can I obtain an Employer                              A  due  date  reminder  card  (REV-1716)  is  available  on 
Identification Number (EIN)?                              the  department’s  website  at www.revenue.pa.gov. 
                                                          myPATH filers may request email reminders be sent to 
                                                          them  five  business  days  before  each  tax  due  date  at 
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issues EINs. You may 
                                                          mypath.pa.gov. 
obtain an EIN by applying for an Employer Identification 
Number online at www.irs.gov. 

                                                          How can employers file returns and 
How can I obtain an employer                              remit the tax withheld?
withholding account number?
                                                          Employers  can  use  the  department’s 
An employer required to withhold PA personal income       online  filing  system,  myPATH,  to  file 
tax must first obtain an EIN from the IRS, then register  returns and remit employer withholding. 
with the Department of Revenue.                           Employers             may      also file      and pay 
                                                          through  approved  third  party  software  vendors.  For 
Businesses may register for employer withholding 
                                                          a  list  of vendors visit  the  department’s  website  at 
accounts from the Department of Revenue by completing 
                                                          www.revenue.pa.gov.   The      department     accepts
the Pennsylvania Online Business Tax Registration at 
                                                          electronic payments using ACH debit, ACH credit and 
mypath.pa.gov. 
                                                          credit/debit cards. Remitting payments electronically 
                                                          is mandatory for payments over $1,000. To learn more 
                                                          about electronic filing, visit mypath.pa.gov. 
If I paid no wages during a quarter, 
should I still file with the department?

Yes,  you  must  electronically  file  the  Quarterly 
Withholding Return (W3) claiming zero wages for the 
quarter. 
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                                                                FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

                                                 EMPLOYER WITHHOLDING cont.

continued from previous page

             Can I submit paper returns?

             Paper returns are accepted for the PA W2 wage 
             forms  and  form  REV-1667  Annual  Withholding 
             Reconciliation Statement. Employers filing 10 or 
             more W2 wage records must file electronically 
through myPATH. Employers filing less than 10 W2 wage 
records  can  remit  electronically  through  myPATH  or 
mail the records to the department. 
Check-Circle Acceptable Paper W2 forms:
8  ½x 5   ½inches
                                                                              access mypath.pa.gov conveniently  
8  ½x 2   inches¾                                                          from your personal computer
8  ½x 2   inches½
7   x½2   ¾inches
6   x½2   inches½
4  ¼x 5   inches½                                          KNOW
3   x¾5   inches¼
3   x¾5 inches                                             WHO

TIMES-CIRCLE Unacceptable paper W2 forms:                     TO
•  All carbon copy W-2 (federal copy D)
•  W2’s that are not sized correctly (See above)              CONTACT
•  W2’s without field labels (e.g. Employee SSN, EIN,         Online Customer Service Center
             15, 16 etc.)                                     https://revenue-pa.custhelp.com
•  W2’s  where  data  is  printed  on  labels  or  data  is 
             unreadable                                       Taxpayer Services & Information Center
                                                              Personal Taxes: 717-787-8201
•  W2’s with a dark background
                                                              Business Taxes: 717-787-1064
•  Blank W2’s
•  Grand – Total pages                                        e-Business Center:  ra-btftebusiness@pa.gov
•  Columnar Listings                                          1-888-PATAXES (728-2937)
                                                              Touch-tone service is required for this 
                                                              automated, 24-hour, toll-free line. Call to 
             I am a Pennsylvania employer and                 order forms or check the status of a personal 
             I hired an employee who is not a                 income tax account, corporate tax account or 
             resident of Pennsylvania.                        property tax/rent rebate.
             For which state do I withhold tax?               Forms Ordering Message Service
                                                              1-800-362-2050
Pennsylvania has reciprocal tax agreements with 
                                                              For Revenue district office locations and 
Indiana,  Maryland,  Ohio,  New  Jersey,  Virginia  and 
                                                              information, visit www.revenue.pa.gov.
West  Virginia.  Unless  your  employee  is  a  resident  of 
one of these states, you should withhold Pennsylvania 
personal income tax. If you agree not to withhold 
Pennsylvania tax because your employee is a resident 
of a reciprocal state, you must withhold that state’s 
tax. For more information on Pennsylvania’s reciprocal 
agreement  see  the  REV-415  Employer  Withholding 
Information Guide. 






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