Last updated: Jan 15, 2026, 5:43 PM
Employee taxation is different depending on where they are located. A work tax location (WTL) identifies where an employee works and how they will be taxed. WTLs must be set up in Toast Payroll in order for these taxes to accrue on an ongoing basis. An employee's address is what drives which state Form W-4 will auto-populate on their Tax Forms page, but their WTL will influence the options for what they might need to fill out in the W-4 tool if they live outside the state of the WTL (i.e. non-resident forms).
Employers must be registered in each state where an employee works in order for taxes to accrue and be sent to the respective agencies on payroll. Each state has a different registration process for their state tax account numbers.
These state IDs are what we use to set up tax accounts in our database. In order to set up a WTL correctly, the location must have a corresponding state EIN. Once these state (or local) tax account numbers are provided to you, open Toast Payroll and navigate to Taxes. This is the Tax Center where you can . Maintain this page on a regular basis to contribute to successful tax filings and a smooth year-end season.
If an employee believes this WTL change will affect their taxes, they might decide to fill out a new state Form W-4. Employees can , navigate to their profile, and select Taxes & Documents > Tax Forms > Fill Out State W-4. The video and instructions in can provide more details.
This content is for informational purposes and is not intended as legal, tax, HR, or any other professional advice. Please contact an attorney or other professional for advice.