Guide · Checked October 23, 2026 · Practical HR guidance, not legal advice

Florida new hire paperwork checklist for small employers

This is the paperwork every new employee in Florida needs, in the order it's due, with the deadlines that actually trip owners up: I-9 in 3 business days, E-Verify at 25+ employees, and new hire reporting in 20 days.

The timeline at a glance

When	What	Who it applies to
By the first day of work	Form I-9 Section 1 completed by the employee	Every employer
At hire (I do it on day one)	Form W-4 for federal income tax withholding	Every employer
Within 3 business days of the first day of work for pay	Form I-9 Section 2 completed by you	Every employer
Within 3 business days of the first day of work for pay	E-Verify case created (after the I-9)	Private employers with 25+ employees (required since July 1, 2023)
Within 20 days of hire	Report the new hire to the Florida New Hire Reporting Center	Every employer
First return each calendar year	Certify E-Verify compliance on your reemployment tax return	Employers required to use E-Verify

1. Form I-9 (every employer, every hire)

• ☐ The employee completes Section 1 no later than their first day. They can do it any time after accepting the offer, but not before.
• ☐ You complete Section 2 within 3 business days of their first day of work for pay. If they start Monday, you're done by Thursday. If the job lasts less than 3 business days, both sections are due on day one.
• ☐ Examine the original documents the employee chooses from the Lists of Acceptable Documents. You can't tell them which documents to bring.
• ☐ Store the I-9s together and separate from personnel files (that's a practice tip). Keep each one for 3 years after the hire date or 1 year after employment ends, whichever is later.

2. E-Verify (Florida private employers with 25+ employees)

• ☐ Since July 1, 2023, Florida law has required private employers with 25 or more employees to use E-Verify for each new employee within 3 business days after the employee starts working for pay. Complete the I-9 first, then create the E-Verify case.
• ☐ Keep a copy of the documents provided and any official verification generated for at least 3 years.
• ☐ If E-Verify is down for those 3 business days, use the I-9 and save proof of the outage for each day, such as a screenshot or the public announcement.
• ☐ Certify on your first reemployment tax return each calendar year that you're complying with the E-Verify law.
• ☐ If you use a PEO (employee leasing company), check your written agreement. It can place the E-Verify duty on you (the client company). Without a written agreement, the leasing company is responsible.
• Why it matters: if FloridaCommerce finds you didn't use E-Verify when required, you get 30 days to fix it. If that happens three times in any 24-month period, the fine is $1,000 per day until it's fixed, and your state licenses can be suspended.

3. Form W-4 (federal withholding)

• ☐ Have each employee complete the current IRS Form W-4 so you can withhold the correct federal income tax.
• ☐ Florida doesn't impose a personal income tax, so there's no Florida income tax withholding form to collect.

4. Florida new hire reporting (within 20 days)

• ☐ Report each new and rehired employee to the Florida New Hire Reporting Center (Florida Department of Revenue) within 20 days of the hire date.
• ☐ Required info: the employee's name, address, Social Security number and date of hire, plus your business name, address and FEIN.
• ☐ You can report online through the Department of Revenue's Child Support Services for Employers site, by mail or fax (a legible W-4 with your business info added is accepted), or through your payroll provider. Many payroll services do it automatically, but confirm yours does.
• ☐ Contractors too: Florida's statute also requires reporting independent contractors you pay $600 or more in a calendar year.

5. The rest of the new-hire file

• ☐ Workers' comp coverage is in place before they start. It's required at 4+ employees in non-construction businesses and 1+ in construction, and corporate officers and LLC members count.
• ☐ Payroll setup captures what the FLSA requires you to keep for non-exempt staff: full name, SSN, address, birth date if under 19, occupation, pay basis and rate, and hours worked each day and week.
• ☐ Pay rate is at least $15.00/hour (or $11.98 cash wage plus tips for eligible tipped employees), the Florida minimum wage from September 30, 2026.
• ☐ Signed offer letter and job description (practice recommendation).
• ☐ Handbook acknowledgment signed. At 50+ employees, the FMLA general notice goes in the handbook, or is handed out at hire if you don't have one.
• ☐ Emergency contact and direct deposit forms (practice recommendation).

Sources

• USCIS, Completing Section 1, Completing Section 2, Form I-9 Instructions and Retaining Form I-9
• E-Verify, Create a Case
• Florida Statutes s. 448.095 (employment eligibility and E-Verify) and s. 409.2576 (State Directory of New Hires)
• Florida Department of Revenue, How do I report new hires?, New Hire Reporting Form Instructions and Florida personal income tax FAQ
• IRS, About Form W-4
• Florida Department of Financial Services, Workers' Compensation Coverage Requirements
• U.S. DOL, Fact Sheet #21: Recordkeeping and Fact Sheet #28D: FMLA notices
• FloridaCommerce, Florida Minimum Wage

General HR information for Florida employers, not legal advice. Immigration and E-Verify questions about a specific employee should go to an immigration or employment attorney.