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QuickBooks payroll setup with California EDD information
California payroll setup depends on agency account information and approved tax settings. Collect those records before the first run and verify what the payroll service will actually handle for the business.
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General information, not legal or tax advice.
Establish the EDD account before entering settings
EDD describes registration within 15 days after wages exceed $100 in a calendar quarter and assigns an eight-digit payroll tax account number. Match that number to the business identity before entering it in QuickBooks. Preserve the agency confirmation with the payroll setup record.
Sources: EDD - California Employer's Guide DE 44 (Rev. 52 (4-26))
Enter agency numbers, rates and deposit frequency
Intuit’s state-tax setup is available to the Primary Admin through Payroll Settings and asks for account numbers, rates and deposit frequency. Use the information received from the agency rather than copying another employer’s setup. California-specific labels can differ from the generic help instructions.
Sources: Intuit - Add or change your payroll state account number; Intuit - Set up employees and payroll taxes in a new state
Review the dated California tax inputs
For 2026, the supplied EDD facts list a new-employer UI rate of 3.4%, ETT at 0.1% and employee SDI withholding at 1.3%. UI and ETT use a $7,000 wage limit; SDI has no wage cap. Verify the employer’s own notice and distinguish withheld amounts from employer costs.
Sources: EDD - Rates and Withholding
Confirm scheduled payments and onboarding tasks
Intuit describes upcoming and scheduled payroll tax payments and recording payments made outside the software. Review those against agency obligations and prior payment history. EDD new-hire reporting and employee documents remain part of onboarding; do not assume a particular California form is filed automatically without confirming the service’s scope.
Sources: Intuit - Pay and file payroll taxes and forms in Online Payroll; EDD - California Employer's Guide DE 44 (Rev. 52 (4-26))
Sources: establish the EDD account before entering settings
Prepare payroll settings from agency records
Tidwell helps organize payroll inputs, review records and support payroll reporting. We coordinate tax questions with your CPA and leave employment-law interpretation with your legal adviser.