GoodState
How to report a new hire in Virginia: separate employee and contractor questions
Virginia's reporting instructions cover both employees and independent contractors, but the code describes their reporting events separately. Begin with the worker category and the actual event before choosing a method or relying on a general deadline summary.
Is this a new or returning employee—or a contractor?
Section 63.2-1946 defines a newly hired employee to include a former employee separated for at least 60 consecutive days. It separately defines a new independent contractor, including a returning contract relationship involving a payment after at least 60 days without payments. The two definitions should not be merged into one generic “returned to payroll” rule. Virginia Code § 63.2-1946
This guide does not determine worker classification. Confirm that question before selecting an employee or contractor workflow.
Which timing instruction applies to the method?
The code describes 20-day employee reporting tied to employment and separately describes reporting a new contractor within 20 days of the contract start. For magnetic or electronic reports, it specifies two monthly transmissions when necessary, 12–16 days apart.
The Department of Social Services gives a general 20-day summary. That summary is not a reason to omit the code's electronic provision or its distinction between worker categories. If the trigger or transmission arrangement is unclear, ask the center or reporting provider which instructions fit. DSS reporting information
Where do I report?
DSS links the Virginia New Hire Reporting Center and lists online and other contact methods. Use that current official route. The code describes employee W-4 and contractor W-9 information routes alongside prescribed electronic methods; do not assume an employee form answers the contractor branch.
For a multistate arrangement, the code sets designation and notification conditions. An employer's mailing address or a software menu choice alone does not establish that those conditions are met.
What should the owner verify with a provider?
Record which worker category and event were checked, which employer account and method the provider used, who accepted responsibility and where the original evidence is stored. A completed payroll setup is not itself a receipt from the reporting center. These are administrative questions, not proof of a timely or accepted filing.
Keep worker identifiers in the employer's private system. An unresolved result should remain unresolved until the original outcome is checked; this guide does not authorize an automatic second submission.
Government new-hire reporting and employee notice administration remain separate. GoodState eligibility depends on the exact workplace and released service; this page does not file a report or promise a reporting service.
Compare the national reporting-method guide, Compliance Calendar and notice delivery and proof.
Sources checked November 11, 2026: the displayed Virginia code section and DSS reporting page. No legal due date is calculated here.