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Texas new-hire reporting: identify your method before setting reminders
Source checked: November 11, 2026. This guide covers reporting methods and planning for Texas; it is not a complete hiring checklist or a filing service.
The short answer
Texas's general new-hire reporting guidance uses a 20-calendar-day rule. Electronic reporting has a different schedule: the Texas Workforce Commission says online and other electronic reports are made at least twice monthly, with transmissions 12 to 16 calendar days apart. Identify the method your business actually uses before putting a deadline on the calendar. [1][2]
What starts the clock?
The Texas Attorney General describes the ordinary deadline as 20 calendar days from when the employee starts earning wages. Record that paid-work start date separately from an offer date or payroll processing date. [1]
Compare the two planning paths
| Reporting path | Official guidance | What to confirm before scheduling |
|---|---|---|
| General reporting rule | Texas OAG describes 20 calendar days from the start of earning wages. | The worker's applicable trigger date and the accepted submission method. |
| Electronic reporting, including online | TWC describes at least two transmissions each month, 12 to 16 calendar days apart. | Your actual transmission schedule and whether the agency's current instructions apply to your workflow. |
Sources: Texas OAG and TWC. Do not turn the general rule into a separate universal electronic deadline or choose arbitrary twice-monthly dates without checking the spacing. [1][2]
Who needs a closer check?
For returning workers, review Texas Family Code §234.101(3)(B), which says “has been separated from that employment or has not received earnings from the employer for at least 60 consecutive days.” Confirm how that definition applies to your circumstances with the agency. [3] The same section's definition also includes independent contractors. Do not assume that this employee-focused planning guide resolves contractor classification or every reporting situation; check the agency's current instructions for your facts. [3]
If your business employs people in multiple states, confirm your reporting-state arrangement before relying on a Texas-specific schedule. The national guide explains why the state and submission method need to be identified together.
A practical handoff to your payroll or reporting team
- Name the person or provider responsible for submission.
- Record the paid-work start date and any return-to-work facts.
- Confirm the reporting state and submission method.
- Open the current official instructions rather than reusing an old saved form.
- Ask the responsible team to retain the submission result and resolve any rejected or incomplete report.
These are planning suggestions, not a statutory record-retention rule. Quarterly wage reporting does not replace new-hire reporting, according to Texas OAG. [1]
Use the official reporting route
Start at the Texas OAG new-hire reporting page and follow its Employer Website portal link. Use the current form or portal's required fields. This GoodState resource does not collect employee information or submit a report for you.
For free planning help, open the Compliance Calendar. For the broader method question, read New-hire reporting: identify the state and method. Calendar examples do not establish your business's full obligations.
Sources
[1] Texas OAG — New Hire Reporting. General timing, paid-work trigger, official portal and separate quarterly reporting.
[2] Texas Workforce Commission — New Hire Reporting Laws. Electronic transmission schedule, including online reporting.
[3] Texas Family Code, Chapter 234, §234.101. Returning-worker and employee definitions. Read the definitions in context and confirm applicability with the agency when needed.