Certified payroll companies in California: service, software, or consultant?

The four kinds are a filing service, software you run, a payroll platform with certified payroll built in, and a consultant. Pick by who will do the recurring work each payroll period. If nobody in your office has the hours, a filing service fits. If a bookkeeper has them and your payroll system is supported, software costs less in dollars. We read each company's own pages on October 16, 2026, and say so where a page was silent. This is a sample, not a ranking.

What the law fixes, whoever you hire

Records go in at least monthly, or more often if your contract with the awarding body says so, electronically, on DIR's website, under section 1771.4(a)(3)(A). Monthly means at least once every 30 days while work is performed and within 30 days after the final day of work. DIR's reporting FAQ says records must be submitted at least monthly, or more often if the contract requires it, and calls it best practice to submit weekly or at the conclusion of each payroll period. So the 30 day figure is the legal minimum unless your contract asks for more, and weekly is DIR's recommended practice.

The penalty is $100 for each day in violation, up to $5,000 per project, under section 1771.4(a)(3)(B). Under (a)(3)(C), the Labor Commissioner cannot levy it until 14 days after the requirement in clause (i) of subparagraph (A). Under (a)(3)(D), it accrues only to the contractor or subcontractor that failed to furnish the records. The statute names you, not your vendor. See our Labor Code 1771.4 guide.

DIR's eCPR FAQ says each company submits its own payroll for each project. It also says submitting records to other agencies does not put you in compliance unless you submit eCPRs directly to DIR, so a general contractor's portal is not the filing. See GC portals and DIR. DIR's reporting FAQ lists the exempt projects, so check yours before you pay anyone.

Plan to sign yourself. Labor Code section 1776(a) requires a written declaration, made under penalty of perjury, that the payroll record is true and correct and that the employer complied with sections 1771, 1811 and 1815. It does not say who signs. DIR's Upload eCPR guide has the submitter enter a signature before submitting. It labels the field Contractor Signature on the manual path and says Your Signature on the XML path. See who signs certified payroll.

The four kinds compared

"Shows none" means the pages we read gave no price. AGC's page shows April 4 and 5, 2023 as the course date, so ask for a current session.

eMars says it generates Payroll XML files that meet California DIR requirements. It also says it is tailored primarily for federal projects and select state jurisdictions, and shows no price.

Payroll providers and add ons

Two payroll pages we read stop at the federal form. Paychex's certified payroll article says states may also require certified payroll for state-funded projects and does not mention California or DIR. Intuit's QuickBooks Online Payroll article describes a WH-347 report you partly enter by hand, review and sign, and does not mention California or XML. Add ons fill the gap. LCPcertified lists direct payroll import from Paychex. Points North lists integrations with ADP, Paychex, Rippling and QuickBooks, among others. Sunburst's page says it works only with QuickBooks Windows Desktop and lists the Intuit payroll services it supports. Check which payroll systems export eCPR XML.

What companies publish for a price

• LCPcertified Plus: $12 per report, $145 a month for up to 5 active projects, or $1,300 a year for up to 10. Its Professional option adds bulk processing, auto distribution and summary reports, and lists $1,900 a year for up to 10 active projects.
• Sunburst: $799.00 for a company license.
• WellStanding: $995 one time setup, then $249 per month for crews up to 25 workers or $449 for 26 to 50 workers.

Twelve months at $249 per month costs more than LCPcertified Plus's $1,300 yearly tier, before the $995 setup. The tiers are measured differently: LCPcertified by active projects, WellStanding by crew size. The software costs you the hours each payroll period instead. DOL's WH-347 page gives an average burden of 55 minutes for the federal collection of information, which includes reviewing instructions and gathering data. It is a federal average, not an estimate for the California eCPR. See who publishes pricing or use the cost calculator.

How to choose

Each eCPR goes in per project, and LCPcertified prices by active project. So the recurring work grows with your project count, not only your headcount.

• Nobody has the hours each payroll period. A filing service.
• A bookkeeper has the hours, runs QuickBooks Desktop on Windows, and uses one of the Intuit payroll services Sunburst lists. Sunburst.
• A bookkeeper has the hours and your payroll is on LCPcertified's list of compatible providers. LCPcertified, which its page describes as for self-performing contractors who are not responsible for other subcontractors' compliance.
• You are replacing payroll anyway. A payroll platform such as Miter or eBacon.
• You work in several states. Miter lists direct submission to portals in other states, and Points North lists portals such as MD E-File.
• You have a compliance question beyond the regular filing. A consultant. Public Works Consultant lists labor compliance consulting.

Our software vs service guide, software comparison and outsourcing guide go deeper.

Five questions to ask any company

1. Which DIR account does the filing go in from, and can I see a confirmation from a real customer filing?
2. Who enters the signature, and do I review the finished filing first?
3. Does it work from my current payroll export, or do I switch payroll?
4. Does it cover the apprenticeship forms and weeks with no work?
5. What does it cost in writing, with setup, renewals and per project fees?

Where WellStanding fits

It costs $995 one time setup, then $249 per month for crews up to 25 workers or $449 for 26 to 50 workers. First filing free. A person answers Monday to Friday 7:00 to 5:00 Pacific. It fits a sub where nobody has the hours each payroll period. If you want to run software yourself, the software above fits better.

Questions