Interstate group employer: Payroll tax

A designated group employer (DGE) must be nominated for every group and must pay wages in WA. Only the DGE can claim any threshold amount on behalf of the group during the financial year.

Payroll tax is calculated on the difference between the taxable wages paid in WA and the deductable amount to which your group is entitled.

For a monthly or quarterly return period, an estimated deductable amount is calculated and applied based on the group’s estimated Australian taxable wages supplied through the Estimated Taxable Wages function in Online Payroll Tax (Revenue Online).  Access Revenue Online by logging in to RevenueWAConnect.

During the financial year, the group's estimated deductable amount is allocated to the DGE.

• The DGE is responsible for submitting the group’s estimated Australian taxable wages on behalf of the group.
• If estimated taxable wages are not submitted, the group won't be eligible to receive a deductable amount.
• At annual reconciliation, you finalise the payroll tax returns to determine the actual deductable amount based on actual wages paid, and you calculate the total payroll tax payable.
• A credit or debit amount may arise based on the difference between the estimated deductable amount allocated to the DGE and the actual deductible amount. Any unused deductable amount is allocated to other group members on a pro-rata basis.

You are not liable for payroll tax if you are a member of a group that has total Australian taxable wages of not more than $1 million for the period 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026 ($83,333 monthly).

The group is entitled to a deductable amount if the group's total Australian taxable wages are more than $1 million but less than $7.5 million for the period 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026.

Calculate your payroll tax liability