How to file certified payroll in Minnesota (DLI prevailing wage)

Where Minnesota certified payroll goes

For state-funded prevailing-wage work, the DLI Certified Payroll Form and Statement of Compliance go to the contracting authority and the project owner — not to DLI directly. The deadline is within 14 days after each pay period ends. PayrollPenguin produces the form ready to submit and tracks the cadence so a pay period does not slip past the 14-day window.

MnDOT highway and federal-aid work is different

If your project is a MnDOT highway or federal-aid job, it does not use the DLI paper form — it reports certified payroll through AASHTOWare Project Payroll instead. PayrollPenguin generates the AASHTOWare-compatible payroll file too, so you pick the path that matches the project: the DLI certified payroll form for state-funded work, or the AASHTOWare file for MnDOT / federal-aid work. If you are unsure which applies, confirm with the contracting authority.

No Social Security numbers on the MN form

The Minnesota DLI form deliberately does not collect Social Security numbers — its worker cell is labelled “do not provide a Social Security number.” PayrollPenguin follows the form: it renders no SSN on the MN report at all, while keeping your underlying employee data encrypted at rest. It reformats the hours, gross, and fringe you already pay; it never invents a wage or a rate.

How to file Minnesota certified payroll

1. Import your payroll run. Upload your ADP, Gusto, QuickBooks, Paychex, or CSV payroll for the pay period.
2. Pick the Minnesota project. Select the state-funded public-works project so the DLI certified payroll form is generated (MnDOT / federal-aid jobs use the AASHTOWare file instead).
3. Review the flagged anomalies. PayrollPenguin flags gaps — missing classification, zero-hour weeks, fringe below the determination — for you to resolve before certifying.
4. Certify and export the form. Sign the Statement of Compliance, then download the file-ready MN DLI certified payroll form to submit to the contracting authority within 14 days.

Frequently asked questions

Where do I send Minnesota certified payroll, and by when?

On state-funded prevailing-wage projects you submit the DLI Certified Payroll Form and Statement of Compliance to the contracting authority and the project owner within 14 days after each pay period ends. DLI collects the records only on request.

My project is a MnDOT highway job — do I use this form?

No. MnDOT highway and federal-aid projects report certified payroll through AASHTOWare Project Payroll, not the DLI paper form. PayrollPenguin produces the AASHTOWare-compatible file for those jobs and the DLI form for state-funded work — check with the contracting authority if unsure.

Does the Minnesota form use Social Security numbers?

No. The DLI certified payroll form does not collect Social Security numbers — it explicitly asks contractors not to provide one. PayrollPenguin renders no SSN on the MN report.

Is PayrollPenguin a compliance guarantee?

No. PayrollPenguin is a reporting and formatting tool — it formats your payroll into the MN DLI certified payroll form and flags anomalies for your review. You certify and the contracting authority reviews.