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Set up payroll taxes and forms in QuickBooks Online Payroll

by Intuit•459• Updated 2 days ago

QuickBooks Online Payroll can automatically pay your payroll taxes and file your forms. You can choose to automate these tasks, pay and file electronically yourself within QuickBooks, or handle them manually outside the software.

Note: If you sign up on or after November 15, 2025, you won’t have the option to turn off Automated taxes and forms. Find out more.

Note: If you have QuickBooks Online Payroll Core, local taxes aren't automated. To automate those payments and filings, you'll need to upgrade to QuickBooks Online Payroll Premium or Elite.

Prerequisites

To set up automatic filing, make sure you have the following info available:

Business info: Your legal business name, address, and phone number
Principal officer info: Name, address, date of birth, mobile phone number, and Social Security number
Bank account: A bank account to use for tax payments and direct deposit.
- If you’re filing your taxes automatically, provide your Online bank login credentials to connect instantly.
- If you’re filing your taxes manually, provide the routing and account number.

Step 1: Choose how to file your payroll taxes

Go to Settings ⚙, then select Payroll Settings.
From the Taxes and forms section, select Edit ✎.
Review or choose one of the following:
- Automate taxes and forms: Select this if you want QuickBooks to automatically pay your taxes and file your forms.
  - Important: You need to process any taxes you owe first, or it won’t automatically process future taxes.
  - Once enabled, Auto-Pay/File pays and files future tax payments starting on the first day of the following month.
- I’ll initiate payments and filings using QuickBooks: Select this if you want to pay and file electronically inQuickBooks yourself.
  - Note: this option isn’t available if you signed up for QuickBooks Online Payroll on or after November 15, 2025.
- I’ll pay and file the right agencies through their website or by mail: Select this if you want to handle your taxes and filings yourself, You can still generate the payments and filings in QuickBooks to send to the agencies.
  - Note: this option isn’t available if you signed up for QuickBooks Online Payroll on or after November 15, 2025.
Select Save, then Done.

Step 2: Complete your tax filing tasks

Follow this link to complete the steps in product
Complete each task shown. If a task status shows a warning, select Action.
- Note: if you’re viewing this article from Help in your QuickBooks, you’ll need to close it to see the Action column.
Set up tax details: Enter missing info such as your Account number or federal EIN, deposit frequency, and rates. If your business isn’t subject to a tax (doesn’t need to pay or report wages), leave the account number blank and enter or select 0 for the rate.
Authorize Intuit as your state third party administrator (if applicable): Some states require you to authorize us to pay and file on your behalf as your third-party administrator.
E-sign forms: If you’re filing electronically, the Principal Officer must e-sign authorization forms. They will be asked specific questions only they can answer.

Reference: State and local tax agency resources

State tax agency info: If you can’t find your state tax info, visit your state payroll agency website to register, look up info, or contact the agency.

Local tax agency info

Third-party administrator authorization instructions: select your state below for instructions on authorizing Intuit as your third-party administrator.