Effective January 1, 2026, the New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) requires contractors and subcontractors on public work and certain private construction projects receiving public funds to submit certified payroll records electronically through NYSDOL’s Certified Payroll portal.
Who’s Covered
All contractors and subcontractors engaged in existing or new public work projects and certain private projects defined under Article 8 of the Labor Law as being subject to prevailing wage requirements.
Covered projects which began before December 31, 2025, must submit their first certified payroll by January 30, 2026.
Noncompliance
Failure to submit the required payrolls with 14 days of their due date may result in a $100 per day penalty. This change includes all public works projects covered by Article 8 of the Labor Law, including privately owned projects covered by prevailing wage requirements (Section 224-a) and certain renewable energy system projects (Section 224-d).
Next Steps
1. Register in NYSDOL’s Certified Payroll Portal (same portal as Contractor Registry)
2. Initialize/Create Project Profile per NYSDOL’s guidelines.
3. Submit payroll reports every 30 days for the duration of the project.
To assist contractors, NYSDOL has published a step-by-step user guide that explains how to create a new project and submit payroll reports. This resource is essential for navigating the new system.
