Why it exists
Prevailing wage laws set a minimum hourly rate, plus fringe benefits, for each trade on public construction. Certified payroll is how the agency checks that contractors pay it. Signing it is a legal statement: under DOL's rules, false statements can bring criminal and civil penalties, back wages with interest, contract withholding and debarment from government work for up to three years.
Who has to file it
| Situation | Certified payroll? |
|---|---|
| Federal construction contract over $2,000 (Davis-Bacon Act) | Yes, weekly |
| Project funded by federal grants, loans or guarantees under a "Related Act" (highways, housing, water, transit and others) | Yes, weekly |
| State or local public works under a state prevailing wage law | Usually; rules and format set by the state |
| Subcontractors on any of the above, every tier | Yes, each for its own workers |
| Private work with no public money | No |
| Supervisors, office staff, engineers who don't do manual work | Not reported; it covers laborers and mechanics |
See Davis-Bacon Act requirements for coverage in detail, and subcontractors for who sends what to whom.
What's on a certified payroll
The federal rule (29 CFR 5.5(a)(3)) requires, for each worker:
- name and an identifying number (the last four digits of the SSN, not the full number, on the payroll you submit);
- labor classification(s) from the wage determination;
- hours worked each day and the week's total, straight time and overtime;
- hourly rate, fringe benefits paid as cash or through plans;
- gross pay for the project and for all work that week, deductions and net pay;
- for apprentices, their registration and level (see apprentices).
Page 2 is the Statement of Compliance, signed by the employer or an authorised officer. It certifies the payroll is correct and complete, that workers were paid in full with only permitted deductions, and how fringe benefits were provided.
The form: WH-347
DOL's WH-347 (current edition January 2025) is the standard federal format. Using it is optional: any format with the same information and the signed statement is accepted. Many states have their own forms or online portals; California, for example, takes certified payroll through DIR's eCPR system, including XML uploads.
You can fill a WH-347 free from your payroll export, or follow our field-by-field instructions.
Weekly pay and weekly reports
- Pay: on Davis-Bacon work, laborers and mechanics must be paid "unconditionally and not less often than once a week".
- Reports: a certified payroll for each week in which covered work is performed, numbered in sequence, with a final payroll at the end. Weeks without work: see no work performed.
- Records: keep payrolls and basic records for at least 3 years after all work on the prime contract is complete, and make them available to the agency and DOL.
A one-worker example
An electrician on a federal school project. The wage determination says Electrician $40.00 + $14.00 fringe. She works 8 hours Monday to Thursday and 10 hours Friday (42 hours), and the contractor pays the fringe in cash.
| Line on the payroll | Value |
|---|---|
| Classification | Electrician (J) |
| Hours by day | S 0 · M 8 · T 8 · W 8 · T 8 · F 8 ST + 2 OT · S 0 |
| Straight time | 40 × ($40.00 + $14.00) = $2,160.00 |
| Overtime | 2 × ($40.00 × 1.5 + $14.00) = $148.00 |
| Gross for this project | $2,308.00 |
| Then | Taxes and other deductions itemised, net pay, check number |
How much does certified payroll cost?
Filing is free; agencies don't charge for it. What costs money is preparing it:
- Do it yourself on the WH-347: free, but slow by hand when you have a crew. Our generator fills it from your payroll export for free.
- Payroll software: some payroll products include a certified payroll report on higher plans, or through paid add-on apps (see QuickBooks, ADP, Gusto).
- Services and compliance platforms: a provider prepares and submits payrolls for a monthly or per-project fee.
California contractors need eCPR XML files rather than PDFs; our Pro plan makes them for $59 a month (pricing).
The mistakes that cause trouble
- Wrong classification, or paying a laborer rate for skilled work.
- Fringe benefits missing on overtime hours, or plan credits not annualized (fringe benefits).
- Unregistered "apprentices" paid apprentice rates.
- Late, unsigned or missing weekly payrolls, especially from subcontractors.
- Full SSNs on submitted payrolls.
Sources
- DOL WHD: Davis-Bacon and Related Acts
- 29 CFR 5.5: contract provisions, payrolls and basic records
- DOL: WH-347 form and instructions
General information as of November 2026, not legal advice. Your contract, wage determination and the agency's instructions govern.
Related guides
- Davis-Bacon Act requirements
- Find and read your wage determination
- WH-347 instructions, field by field
Questions
What is certified payroll in simple terms?
A weekly signed payroll report for a public construction job, showing each worker's trade, hours and pay so the agency can check prevailing wages were paid.
Who has to do certified payroll?
Contractors and subcontractors with laborers or mechanics on federally funded construction over $2,000, and usually on state public works.
Does certified payroll have to be paid weekly?
On Davis-Bacon work, yes: pay at least once a week and report weekly. State rules vary.
Is certified payroll the same as prevailing wage?
No. Prevailing wage is the rate you must pay; certified payroll is the weekly report proving you paid it.
How much does it cost?
Filing is free. You pay only in time or for software or a service; the WH-347 can be filled free.