Last reviewed: July 2026
New Wyoming employers must: (1) obtain a federal EIN from the IRS, (2) register with the Wyoming Department of Revenue for any state business taxes that apply to their operations, (3) register for an SUI account with the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, and (4) obtain workers' compensation insurance. Complete all registrations before running your first payroll.
Table of Contents
When you hire your first employee in Wyoming, you trigger a handful of registration requirements at the federal and state level. Missing any of these steps can result in penalties, delayed payroll, and compliance headaches. This walkthrough covers everything, in order.
Registration Overview
Here's a checklist of what every new Wyoming employer needs:
- ☑ Federal Employer Identification Number (EIN)
- ☑ Wyoming state tax registration, if applicable (Wyoming Department of Revenue)
- ☑ Wyoming SUI account (Wyoming Department of Workforce Services)
- ☑ Workers' compensation insurance
- ☑ New hire reporting setup
- ☑ Payroll system or software
Step 1: Get Your Federal EIN
Your Employer Identification Number (EIN) is your federal tax ID. You need it for everything: federal tax filings, state registrations, opening a business bank account, and running payroll.
Apply online at IRS.gov/EIN. It's free and you receive your EIN immediately.
Step 2: Register with Wyoming Department of Revenue
Visit the Wyoming Department of Revenue website to register for any state business tax accounts your company needs, such as sales or use tax. Wyoming has no state income tax, so there is no employer withholding account to set up here. Your payroll-specific registration happens with the Department of Workforce Services in the next step.
From the Payroll Desk
Don't wait until your first payroll to register. State registrations can take days to process. Start as soon as you know you'll be hiring.
Step 3: Register for SUI
Register for a State Unemployment Insurance account through the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services. You'll be assigned:
- An employer account number
- Your SUI rate, based on the average experience of employers in your industry classification
- Quarterly filing requirements
SUI is an employer-paid tax on the first $33,800 of each employee's wages for 2026. See our Wyoming SUI Rates 2026 guide for details.
Step 4: Workers’ Compensation Insurance
Wyoming requires most employers to carry workers' compensation coverage from the first employee. Unlike most states, Wyoming runs its workers' comp program directly through the Department of Workforce Services rather than through private insurance carriers, so you register and pay premiums with the state rather than shopping the open market.
Your premium is based on your industry classification and payroll, and it's billed alongside your other Department of Workforce Services filings.
Step 5: New Hire Reporting
Federal and Wyoming law require you to report every new hire within 20 days of their start date. This information is used to enforce child support orders and prevent unemployment fraud. Report through the Wyoming New Hire Reporting program. See our New Hire Reporting guide for more detail.
Step 6: Set Up Payroll
With registrations complete, you're ready to run payroll. Wyoming's lack of a state income tax means your ongoing work is mostly federal: withholding, FICA, FUTA, and depositing on schedule, plus the quarterly SUI report. Whether you handle that in-house with payroll software or hand it to a payroll service, make sure whoever runs it understands that Wyoming has no state withholding return to file, only the SUI report.
Need to check what an employee's paycheck looks like after federal withholding? Try our free paycheck calculator, and use our W-4 helper tool to walk a new hire through their federal W-4.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I register as a new employer in Wyoming?
Register for an SUI account with the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, and register with the Wyoming Department of Revenue for any other state business taxes that apply. You'll also need a federal EIN from the IRS.
When must I register as an employer in Wyoming?
Register as soon as you know you'll hire your first employee. Processing can take several days, and you need your account number in place before your first payroll and your first quarterly SUI report.
Do I need workers' compensation in Wyoming?
Most Wyoming employers must carry workers' compensation coverage from the first employee. Wyoming runs this program through the Department of Workforce Services rather than private insurers.
What is an EIN and how do I get one?
An Employer Identification Number (EIN) is a federal tax ID from the IRS. Apply online at irs.gov/ein. It's free and you receive it immediately.
Wyoming Payroll, Handled Remotely
Since Wyoming has no state income tax, ongoing payroll compliance here is mostly federal filings plus one quarterly SUI report to the Department of Workforce Services. That makes it a state a remote payroll provider can run cleanly without a local office.
Pacific Data Services has run payroll for small businesses since 1969 and handles Wyoming employer setup, every pay run, federal deposits, SUI reporting, and year-end W-2s, entirely remotely.
Legal & Tax Disclaimer
This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, or professional advice. Employment laws, tax regulations, and compliance requirements change frequently. The information on this page reflects our understanding as of July 2026 and may not reflect recent changes in federal or Wyoming state law.
Do not act or refrain from acting based solely on the information in this article. Always consult a qualified attorney, CPA, or HR professional familiar with Wyoming law before making payroll or compliance decisions for your business.