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How to submit certified payroll to DIR eCPR
A usable eCPR workflow starts before data entry: confirm the project, collect the payroll detail and decide whether to enter the report manually or upload XML. Keep the final report and confirmation connected to the records that support them.
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General information, not legal or tax advice.
Confirm the project and reporting obligation
DIR requires contractors and subcontractors on most public works projects to submit through Public Works Website Services. Its FAQ says each company files its own records; sending payroll to a prime contractor or union does not satisfy an applicable DIR obligation. Confirm project-specific exemptions before proceeding.
Sources: DIR, Certified Payroll Reporting page; DIR, Public Works (SB 854) Frequently Asked Questions
Calendar the furnishing deadline
Labor Code 1771.4 requires furnishing records at least every 30 days while work is performed and within 30 days after final work. It provides a $100-per-day penalty, capped at $5,000 per project, against the contractor that failed to furnish. Keep this deadline separate from a written request for records.
Follow the manual-entry sequence
DIR’s upload guide starts by selecting Submit, then Manual, beside the project. Complete Payroll Setup, add employees and edit each employee’s payroll. Enter classification, level, rates, benefits, hours, travel and subsistence, deductions and gross wages. Save, preview, sign and submit after reviewing the entries.
Sources: DIR How-To Guide: Upload eCPR
Prepare an XML upload using DIR’s instructions
For an upload, select Submit, then XML. The XML guidelines specify a Project ID, a week-ending date in yyyy-mm-dd format and a file ending in .xml. They describe fringe amounts as hourly values and deductions as period totals. Check the current schema and guidelines together rather than assuming a software export already matches them.
Review the final record and retain evidence
Compare the preview with the payroll register before submission and keep the resulting confirmation. DIR says public payroll search removes confidential information. Treat public search as a reference, while retaining your own complete support and submission history for the job.
Sources: electronic certified payroll submission
Get help preparing a complete eCPR submission
Tidwell prepares certified payroll from project instructions and payroll records, with missing information identified for your review.