You can add a state tax ID for every state where your issuer files, and up to two IDs for the same state. Each issuer keeps its own list of state codes.
What is a state tax ID?
A state tax ID is a number a state assigns to a business that withholds or reports tax there. You may also see it called a state employer ID, state withholding number, state payer ID, or state tax registration number. In Helper, you’ll find it under State Codes on each issuer.
Your state tax ID is not your federal EIN. The IRS issues your EIN. Your state tax agency issues your state tax ID.
Where do I find my state tax ID?
Check any of these places:
Your state tax registration certificate
State tax returns or withholding reports you filed before
Letters from your state Department of Revenue
Business banking or loan records
Still can’t find it? Contact your state Department of Revenue. They can look it up for you.
Quick version
Open the issuer from Issuers, click State Codes, then Add state code. Pick the state, enter the ID in the format shown, and click Save. Helper fills in that ID on the W-2 and 1099/1098 forms you create for that issuer.
One ID per state? Follow the steps below and leave Applies to set to Both.
Separate IDs for W-2 and 1099/1098 filings? Read Adding two state tax IDs for the same state before you start.
Open the payer or employer from Issuers, click State Codes, then Add state code. Pick the state, enter the ID in the format shown, and click Save. Adams® Tax Forms Helper® prefills that ID on the W-2, 1099 and 1098 forms you create for that issuer.
Only have one ID per state? Go straight to the steps below and leave Applies to set to Both.
Have separate state IDs for wage and nonwage reporting? Read the section on adding two state tax IDs for the same state before you start.
Open the menu in the top left corner and click “Issuers”.
Find your issuer. Type its name in the Search issuers... box to narrow the list, then click the issuer’s name.
Click State Codes at the top of the issuer page.
Click “Add state code”.
Select the state from the “State” dropdown.
Enter the number in State payer ID. Match the format shown under the field. For Missouri, for example, it reads: “MO state ID must be in 00000000 format.”
Under Applies to, leave Both selected unless you have separate IDs for W-2 and 1099/1098 filings.
Click Save. The new code appears in your list of state codes.
Helper will now fill in this ID automatically on that issuer’s W-2 and 1099/1098 forms when you select state withholding.
To add another state, click “Add state code” again and repeat steps 5 through 8.
Adding two state tax IDs for the same state
Some states issue one ID for W-2 (wage) filings and a different ID for 1099/1098 (income) filings. You can add both, with one code for each form type.
If you haven’t added this state yet: Add the first ID with Applies to set to W-2 only. Then add the second ID with 1099/1098 only.
If the state already has a code set to Both: Click Edit on that code and change Applies to to the form type it belongs to. Then add the second ID for the other form type.
Each state can have either one code set to Both, or one W-2 only code and one 1099/1098 only code.
Edit or remove a state tax ID
On the State codes page, click Edit next to a code to change it, or Delete to remove it.
Troubleshooting
“This state already has a code that applies to both form families.”
The state already has a code set to Both. Edit that code to W-2 only or 1099/1098 only, then add your second ID.
“A W-2 state code already exists for this state.” (or the 1099/1098 version)
Each state can have only one code per form type. Edit the existing code instead.
My ID won’t save.
Check that it matches the format shown under the State payer ID field, including any dashes.
The state ID isn’t filling in on my forms.
Make sure state withholding is selected on the form and that Applies to matches the form type (W-2 or 1099/1098).
Common Questions
Should I include dashes in my state tax ID?
Follow the format guidance that appears after you select a state. It shows exactly how that state’s ID should look.
Some state IDs print with a dash on state paperwork, but the format in Tax Forms Helper doesn’t include one. Oregon’s Business Identification Number (BIN) is an example. Enter it without the dash. See Trouble with BIN ID numbers for details.
Can I add two state tax IDs for the same state?
Yes. Some states issue one payer ID for W-2 (wage) filings and a different one for 1099 and 1098 (income) filings. Add each ID as its own state code and set Applies to:
W-2 only: the ID prefills on W-2 forms.
1099/1098 only: the ID prefills on 1099 and 1098 forms.
Both: one ID covers every form type for that state.
Tax Forms Helper doesn’t publish a limit on how many state codes an issuer can have.
What happens after I add a state tax ID?
Tax Forms Helper prefills the state payer ID on W-2, 1099 and 1098 forms you create for that issuer when you select that state in the state withholding section. You don’t have to retype it on each form.
The state ID matters if you eFile to the state. If the state ID field on a form is blank, the state filing won’t be identified. An incorrect ID also causes rejections. In Wisconsin, it’s the primary reason the state rejects forms. See What’s My Wisconsin Account Number? if you file there.
Ready to send your state forms? Go to State eFiling Instructions next.
Your issuer’s state tax IDs are saved and ready to prefill on new forms.