You must register your EIN with the department in order to file withholding returns. You may register either by sending the completed Arizona Joint Tax Application to the address on the form, or online at www.AZTaxes.gov.
Every employer needs to have an employer
identification number (EIN). You may apply for one
online at www.irs.gov.
Complete the Transaction Privilege/Use/Withholding License Update form, available on the department’s website at https://www.azdor.gov .
Form A1APR, Annual Payment Withholding Tax Return – the department will notify you if you qualify to use this form. If you qualify to use this form, do not file the Forms A1QRT, A1R, or A1WP.
Form A1QRT, Quarterly Withholding Tax Return – use this form if you are required to make your Arizona withholding payments on a quarterly, monthly, semiweekly, or onebanking day basis, or you are a monthly payor who incurred a onebanking day payment obligation during the quarter.
Form A1R, Withholding Reconciliation Tax Return – use this form if you file the Form A1QRT. This form is filed annually to reconcile your withholding liability and withholding payments for each quarter of the year with the total amount withheld as shown on the federal Forms W2, W2c, W2G, and 1099R. It is also used to transmit the state copies of these federal forms.
Form A1APR and Form A1R: February 28 of the year following the close of the calendar year for which the payments were made. If February 28 is a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday, the return is due on the next business day.
Form A1QRT: First quarter April 30; second quarter July 31; third quarter October 31; fourth quarter January 31.
Extended Form A1QRT due dates available to taxpayers who have made every payment on time. ARS § 43401( D) has been amended to allow some employers additional time to file Form A1QRT. Employers who have made every payment on time during the preceding calendar quarter may have ten additional days in which to file their A1QRT. First quarter May 10; second quarter August 10; third quarter November 10; fourth quarter February 10. If any due date is a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday, the return is due on the next business day.
Form A1APR extension: send the completed Form A1APR EXT and the required annual withholding payment to the department on or before the due date of the return.
Form A1R extension: send the completed Form A1R EXT to the department on or before the due date of the return.
Yes. The state copies of the federal forms are considered an integral part of the reconciliation required on these forms. The extension granted to file the Form A1APR or Form A1R applies to the state copies of the federal forms.
No. Arizona law does not allow the department to
grant an extension of time to file this return.
No. Some employers do not need to use the Form A1WP, Payment of Arizona Income Tax Withheld, to transmit their withholding payments.
EMPLOYERS MAKING PAYMENTS ON AN ANNUAL BASIS: Do not use the Form A1WP. Send the payment with the completed Form A1APR.
EMPLOYERS REQUIRED TO MAKE PAYMENTS ON A QUARTERLY BASIS: Do not use the Form A1WP. Send the payment with the completed Form A1QRT.
EMPLOYERS REQUIRED TO MAKE PAYMENTS ON A MONTHLY, SEMIWEEKLY OR ONEBANKING DAY BASIS: Use Form A1WP to make your withholding payments if you do not make your withholding payments via electronic funds transfer (EFT) or at https://www.AZTaxes.gov .
QUARTERLY BASIS PAYMENTS: An employer must make its Arizona withholding payments on a quarterly basis if the average amount of Arizona income taxes withheld during the preceding four calendar quarters does not exceed $1,500.
MORE FREQUENT PAYMENTS: An employer must make its Arizona withholding tax payments at the same time as its federal withholding deposits if the average amount of Arizona income taxes withheld during the preceding four calendar quarters exceeds $1,500.
WHY DOES THE EMPLOYER MAKE THIS COMPUTATION? Arizona law requires an employer, at the beginning of each new quarter, to compute its average Arizona withholding tax liability for the preceding four calendar quarters. This calculation is performed to determine the correct Arizona withholding payment schedule.
HOW DOES THE EMPLOYER MAKE THIS COMPUTATION? An employer that has four full consecutive calendar quarters of Arizona withholding liability historical data must use the regular withholding payment schedule computation. An employer that does not have four full consecutive calendar quarters of Arizona withholding liability historical data must use the alternate withholding payment schedule computation. Refer to the “Arizona Withholding Liability/Payment Schedule” section of the Form A1QRT instructions for further information.
Enter the quarterly liability in Part II, Section A, and
Part III, as instructed on the form. Refer to the form
instructions for further information.
Yes. If this is a final return, check the withholding
account cancellation box on page one of the form and
indicate the reason for the cancellation on page two of
the form.
Overpayment listed on Line 3 of Form A1QRT: The overpayment will be offset against any outstanding liability, and then a refund of any balance will be sent automatically.
Overpayment on line 10 of Form A1APR: The overpayment will be offset against any outstanding liability, and then a refund of any balance will be sent automatically.
Refer to Arizona Withholding Tax Ruling WTR 933.
Arizona withholding is a percent of the amount of
federal income tax withheld from the payment of
compensation for services performed in Arizona.
Therefore, the determination by the Internal Revenue
Service regarding a worker’s employment status
(employee or independent contractor) controls the
determination for Arizona withholding tax purposes.
The employee must complete Form A4, Employee’s Arizona Withholding Percentage Election, within the first five days of employment. If the employee does not complete the form, the employer must withhold at the statutory minimum rate (10% or 19%) depending on the amount of the employee’s annual compensation. Refer to the Employer’s Instructions for the Form A4 for further information on the employer’s responsibilities.
Arizona withholding is a percent of the amount of federal income tax withheld from the payment of compensation to the employee for services performed in Arizona. Arizona does not have withholding allowances. If there is no federal income tax withheld, you cannot withhold Arizona income tax.
The employee must complete Form A4
to choose a
different withholding percentage option. Arizona
withholding is a percent of the amount of federal
income tax withheld from the compensation payment.
Therefore, the employee cannot choose to have an
additional dollar amount withheld.
Yes. The employer must first notify each employee and then file Form A1E, Employer’s Election to Not Withhold Arizona Taxes in December. Form A1E must be filed with the department by July 1 of the year to which it will apply. It applies to all employees.
No. Arizona withholding from the payment of compensation to an Arizona resident employee who performs services outside of Arizona is voluntary. The employee and employer must complete Form A4V, Voluntary Withholding Request for Arizona Resident Employed Outside of Arizona.
Yes, unless the employee qualifies for certain limited
exceptions. Refer to the Employer’s Instructions for the
Form A4
and the Form WEC for further information.
No, if the employee meets the criteria listed on the
Form WECI. The employee must complete the form.
No. You may file the state copies of the federal forms on paper or on optical media. The department encourages, but does not require, the employer to use optical media filing for 250 or more federal forms.
Refer to Publication 701, Optical Media Reporting, for information regarding optical media specifications for reporting federal Forms W2, W2c, W2G, and 1099R.
The Arizona law requiring general information return
reporting was repealed effective August 21, 1998.
Refer to Arizona Withholding Tax Ruling WTR 991
for further information. The employer must file the
state copies of the federal Forms W2,
W2c,
W2G,
and 1099R
as part of the reconciliation required in
Arizona Forms A1APR
and A1R.
No. Arizona withholding from an amount paid as a
pension or annuity is voluntary. The recipient may
request voluntary Arizona income tax withholding by
completing the Form A4P,
Annuitant’s Request for
Voluntary Arizona Income Tax Withholding, or by
sending a letter to the payor of the pension or annuity.
The recipient may change the amount of tax withheld
or terminate withholding by the same methods. Refer
to Arizona Withholding Tax Ruling WTR 992.
No. Employee compensation withholding and
nonpayroll withholding (on federal Forms W2G
and
1099R)
may be reported in the same withholding
return.
Unemployment insurance is administered by the Arizona Department of Economic Security. Information is available on the DES website at http://www.azdes.gov under the “employers” link.
Workers’ compensation is administered by the Industrial Commission of Arizona. Information is available on the commission’s Internet home page at http://www.ica.state.az.us.