MO · payroll profile

Missouri

Everything an out-of-state employer needs before running a Missouri payroll: what to withhold, which form the employee signs, whether reciprocity applies, and who to register with.

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Personal income tax
Graduated to 4.7%
Reciprocal agreements
None
SUI wage base 2026
$9,000
Local income taxes
Yes

Income tax withholding

Imposes wage income tax Yes
Rate structure Graduated, top marginal rate 4.7%
Withholding certificate MO W-4
Employee's Withholding Certificate
Accepts federal Form W-4 No
Convenience-of-the-employer rule No
Nonresident withholding threshold From the first dollar
No day-count safe harbor for withholding; withhold on Missouri-source wages. Tax Foundation reports a $600 Missouri-source income nonresident FILING threshold, which is a return-filing rule rather than a withholding safe harbor.
Local income taxes Yes
Kansas City and St. Louis each impose a 1% earnings tax on residents and on nonresidents for work performed in the city, withheld by employers. Both cities also impose employer-side payroll expense taxes.

Reciprocity

States that exempt Missouri residents

A Missouri resident working in these states files that state's certificate and is taxed only by Missouri.

Unemployment insurance and paid leave

Taxable wage base 2026 $9,000
2025 base was $9,500.
New employer rate 2.376%
Missouri's taxable wage base decreased from $9,500 (2025) to $9,000 (2026). New-employer rate is 2.376% for non-construction; construction new employers pay a higher rate.
Experience rate range 0% – 6%
Experience-rating method reserve ratio
Employee UI contribution No
Paid family / medical leave No

Employer registration

Tax agency
Missouri Department of Revenue
UI agency
Missouri Department of Labor, Division of Employment Security

Sources

dor.mo.gov · taxfoundation.org · taxfoundation.org · oui.doleta.gov · oui.doleta.gov · oui.doleta.gov

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This is a determination aid, not advice. StateSide encodes published state rules and applies them mechanically to the facts you enter. It does not know your entity structure, your nexus history, your equity compensation, or the dozens of exceptions that turn a clean rule into a judgement call. Every determination cites the state source it came from — verify against that source, and take anything consequential to a payroll tax professional before you act on it.