Texas employers must report every new or rehired W-2 employee to the Texas Attorney General's Office within 20 days of their start date — required by both federal and Texas state law. The fastest way to comply is the OAG's free online portal. The entire submission takes about 5 minutes per employee. Miss the deadline and you owe $25 per late report, rising to $500 if the OAG finds the failure was intentional.

Step 1: Gather the required employee information

You'll need the following details before you open the portal. Most of this comes directly from the W-4 form the employee completes on or before their first day of work.

Employee information:

• Full legal name (as it appears on their Social Security card)
• Home address (street, city, state, zip)
• Social Security number
• First day of work (this starts the 20-day clock)

Your company information:

• Legal business name (must match your IRS records)
• Business address
• Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN / EIN)

Common mistake: Using the offer letter date or contract signing date as the "hire date." The 20-day deadline runs from the employee's first day of work, not when they accepted the offer or signed paperwork.

Estimated time: 2–3 minutes to collect information.

Step 2: Access the OAG Employer New Hire Reporting portal

Go to portal.cs.oag.state.tx.us/wps/portal/employerservices.

This is the official Texas Attorney General's Child Support Division portal. It is free to use and available 24/7.

From the homepage, locate the Employer New Hire Reporting section. You will see options to:

• Report new hires online (single entry)
• Upload a batch file (for employers reporting many employees at once)
• Download forms for mail or fax submission

For most small businesses with occasional new hires, the single-entry online form is the fastest option.

Step 3: Create an account or log in

If this is your first time using the portal, you'll need to register your employer account. Have your FEIN ready — it's the primary identifier the OAG uses to link your reports to your business.

Returning employers: Log in with your existing credentials. If you've forgotten your login, use the portal's password reset option.

Common mistake: Creating a duplicate employer account each time you hire someone. Once your business is registered in the system, you only log in for each new submission — you do not re-register.

Estimated time: 5 minutes for first-time setup; under 1 minute for returning employers.

Step 4: Submit the new hire report

After logging in, select Report New Hire from the portal menu, then:

1. Enter your employee's full legal name
2. Enter their Social Security number (double-check for transposed digits)
3. Enter their home address
4. Enter their first day of work
5. Confirm your company name and FEIN are pre-populated correctly
6. Review all information, then submit

The system will validate the data and display a confirmation screen when the submission is complete. This should take about 3–5 minutes per employee.

Common mistake: Submitting with an incorrect Social Security number. A report with a wrong SSN counts as "filed" but won't match the employee in the child support database. Double-check before hitting submit.

Step 5: Save your confirmation number

After submitting, the portal provides a confirmation number or reference ID. Save it:

• Screenshot the confirmation page, or
• Copy the reference number to a spreadsheet or HR file, or
• Print the confirmation directly from the browser

The OAG can ask you to prove timely filing if a question arises. This confirmation is your evidence. Retain it with your employment records for at least four years.

For a complete overview of all employer obligations when you bring on your first employee — including Texas unemployment insurance tax filed quarterly with the TWC — see the Texas new hire reporting requirements guide.

Quick reference

Frequently asked questions

What information do I need to submit a Texas new hire report online?

You need the employee's full legal name, home address, Social Security number, and first day of work — plus your company's legal name, address, and EIN. Most of this comes directly from the W-4 your employee fills out on their first day. Keep a copy of the completed W-4 in your employment file before you start the portal submission.

What happens if I miss the 20-day deadline to report a new hire in Texas?

You owe a $25 penalty for each late report. If the OAG finds the failure was intentional — for example, to help an employee avoid a child support income withholding order — the penalty rises to $500 per instance. File as soon as you realize the oversight; a late filing is better than no filing.

Can I use payroll software to submit Texas new hire reports?

Yes. Most payroll platforms (Gusto, QuickBooks Payroll, ADP, Paychex) include automatic new hire reporting as a standard feature. Verify that Texas state reporting is enabled in your account settings and that you receive confirmation receipts for each submission. For a full picture of what your Texas LLC owes, see the Texas LLC compliance checklist.

Do I have to report contractors as new hires in Texas?

No. Texas new hire reporting applies only to W-2 employees — full-time, part-time, seasonal workers, and rehires returning after 60 or more days of separation. Independent contractors paid on a 1099 basis do not trigger this reporting obligation under Texas law.

Not sure what else your Texas LLC owes?

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Last verified: 2026-05-04

Sources: Texas Attorney General — Employer New Hire Reporting