How to request a W-9 form from your vendor

Getting a W-9 form from your vendors is hassle-free and straightforward with Gusto Bill Pay. Send an electronic form for them to fill out online. Alternatively, if you already have the complete form, you can add it to your account. All within your Gusto Bill Pay dashboard.

If you received a completed W-9 form from your vendor, you can add it to the vendor’s details by following the steps in this guide.

This article will walk you through:

Understanding what a W-9 Form is.
Send a W-9 form to your vendors:
What does W-9 form verification status mean?
Understanding how your vendor fills out the form.

What is a W-9 Form?

A W-9 form is officially titled "Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification." It's how you request your vendors to verify their name, address, and Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN). It’s commonly requested from independent contractors and freelancers.

To comply with IRS regulations, you must file a 1099 report by January 31st of every year*. This report includes any vendor who received payments from you at or above the IRS reporting threshold in the previous year. For the 2025 tax year, the threshold is $600, and for the 2026 tax year, it will be $2,000. Filing this report requires you to have a W-9 form from each one of them.

* Please see the IRS website for more information.

We recommend you secure a signed W-9 form from your vendors before issuing their first payment. This ensures you have all the necessary information when it's time to file your tax reports, saving you the nuisance of tracking down vendors at the last minute.

To find out more about W-9 and 1099 forms, please see the following article.

How to send a W-9 form request through Gusto Bill Pay

Gusto Bill Pay enables you to send a W-9 form request:

To a new vendor
To a saved vendor
To multiple vendors at the same time

Sending a W-9 form request to a new vendor

1 - Start adding a new vendor:

2 - In the Add vendor screen, enter the vendor details and toggle the switch next to Add W-9 form.

Please note: If the vendor is a 1099 vendor, you can mark them accordingly.

3 - Select Send request.

Do you already have your vendor’s W-9 form?

Select Upload a file and attach it from your device.

4 - Select Continue and send request to complete the process. Your vendor will receive an email with a link to the electronic form, which can be filled out online.

That’s it. You successfully requested a W-9 form from your vendor.

Sending a W-9 form request to a saved vendor

1 - From the Pay dashboard, select the Vendors tab.

2 - Select the vendor you want to send the W-9 form request to.

Alternatively, you can select the W-9 & 1099 tab and select a vendor with a " No W-9 on file status.

3 - In the Vendor details page, scroll down to the Taxpayer info section.

4 - Check the box next to Add W-9 form.

5 - Select Send request. If the vendor is a 1099 vendor, you can mark them accordingly.

Do you already have your vendor’s W-9 form?

Select Upload a file and attach it from your device.

6 - Select Send request. Your vendor will receive an email with a link to the electronic form, which can be filled out online.

That’s it. You successfully requested a W-9 form from your vendor.

How to send a W-9 form request to multiple vendors

Gusto Bill Pay enables you to send W-9 form requests to multiple vendors simultaneously, saving you time and effort. To do so, follow these steps:

1 - From the Pay dashboard, select the W-9 & 1099 tab.

2 - Check the box next to each vendor you want to send the W-9 form request to.

3 - Select Request W-9 form.

5 - A Request W-9 form window will appear. Here you can review the vendor list to which you are sending a request. If everything is correct, select Send X requests.

Please note:

W-9 requests will only be sent to vendors who have an email address on file with us.
Vendors who have previously received the W-9 request won’t get it again.

Notifications will appear to inform you when this occurs.

That’s it. You successfully sent W-9 form requests to multiple vendors.

What does W-9 form verification status mean?

When you or your vendor uploads a W-9 form, Gusto Bill Pay checks its details against IRS records.

When you view the W-9 & 1099 tab or a specific Vendor profile, you will see a status badge next to the W-9 section. Here is a breakdown of the statuses:

Verified:
- Meaning: The information provided matches the IRS records perfectly.
- Action Required: None.
Not Verified (unverified):
- Meaning: The details provided do not match IRS records.
- Action Required: You must correct this before tax season. If there was a typo or a mistake, edit the W-9 details manually.
Pending vendor:
- Meaning: You have sent a request for a W-9 to the vendor, but they have not completed it yet.
- Action Required: You need the vendor to submit their form. You can send them a reminder or upload the W-9 by yourself if you have it.

How your vendors complete the W-9 form

Your vendor will get an email asking them for their taxpayer information with a link to the form W-9 submission.