How to file certified payroll in Wisconsin (Davis-Bacon WH-347)

Wisconsin repealed its state prevailing-wage law

Wisconsin had its own prevailing-wage requirements, but the legislature repealed them in stages and the repeal was fully effective in 2017. There is no Wisconsin state prevailing-wage rate, no state certified-payroll form, and no state portal to upload to. If a project is funded only by state or local dollars, there is generally no prevailing-wage certified payroll to file at all — so the first question on any Wisconsin job is simply how it is funded.

Federal funding is the trigger now

When a Wisconsin project receives federal funding, the federal Davis-Bacon Act applies regardless of the state repeal. That means weekly certified payroll on Form WH-347, using the wage determination on the contract, with the Statement of Compliance signed each week. The obligation comes from the federal contract, not from Madison, so it looks the same as Davis-Bacon work anywhere else in the country.

One payroll run, a file-ready WH-347

PayrollPenguin takes the payroll you already run in ADP, Gusto, QuickBooks, Paychex, or a CSV export and reshapes it into the WH-347 layout — classification, hours, gross, deductions, and fringe — showing only the last four digits of each SSN as the federal form requires. It reformats your numbers; it never invents a wage, and it flags anomalies for your review before you certify.

How to file Wisconsin certified payroll

1. Confirm the job is federally funded. Davis-Bacon certified payroll in Wisconsin is triggered by federal funding; if the project has no federal money, there is usually nothing to file.
2. Import your payroll run. Upload your ADP, Gusto, QuickBooks, Paychex, or CSV payroll for the pay period.
3. Review flagged anomalies. PayrollPenguin flags missing fringe, classification gaps, zero-hour weeks, or rates below the wage determination for you to resolve.
4. Certify and export the WH-347. Sign the Statement of Compliance, then download the file-ready WH-347 PDF to submit to the awarding agency.

Frequently asked questions

Does Wisconsin still have a state prevailing-wage law?

No. Wisconsin repealed its state prevailing-wage law, with the repeal fully effective in 2017, and there is no current state certified-payroll form or portal. Prevailing-wage certified payroll in Wisconsin today is triggered only by federal funding (Davis-Bacon) and is filed on the federal WH-347.

Which form do I use for a federally funded Wisconsin job?

The federal WH-347. Davis-Bacon applies to federally funded work regardless of the state repeal, so you owe weekly certified payroll on the WH-347 using the wage determination on the contract. PayrollPenguin builds that WH-347 from your existing payroll run.

Is PayrollPenguin a compliance guarantee?

No. PayrollPenguin is a reporting and formatting tool — it formats your payroll to the WH-347 specification and flags anomalies. You certify and the awarding agency / DOL reviews.