Certified Payroll: Templates, Guides & Software
Certified payroll sits at the intersection of two things contractors have to get right on public works and government-funded jobs: paying the correct prevailing wage rate, and proving it on paper every week. Get the report wrong — a missing classification, a miscalculated fringe column, a late submission — and it can hold up payment even when the actual wages paid were correct.
This cluster covers what certified payroll is, how it differs from prevailing wage itself, who's exempt from it, state-specific requirements like California's electronic eCPR system, and the templates and tools contractors actually use to produce a compliant report every week without rebuilding the form from scratch.
Premium templates
Free templates
Certified Payroll Template Excel: Free Multi-Week Register
FreeFree WH-347 Form Excel Download (Certified Payroll)
Guides
What Is Certified Payroll? Definition, WH-347 and a Worked Example
GuideCertified Payroll Reporting: The Weekly Process and Common Errors
GuideHow to Fill Out WH-347: A Column-by-Column Walkthrough
GuideDavis-Bacon Certified Payroll: What the Law Actually Requires
GuideCalifornia Certified Payroll: DIR Rules, PWC-100, and the eCPR Portal Explained
GuideCertified Payroll vs Prevailing Wage: What Each Term Actually Means
GuideWho Is Exempt From Certified Payroll Reporting?
GuideCertified Payroll and QuickBooks: What's Actually Built In (and What Isn't)
Start here
If you're new to certified payroll, start with what the report actually is and why it exists: a weekly record tied to Davis-Bacon and state prevailing wage law, distinct from the wage rate itself. From there, the who-is-exempt guide clarifies which roles on a job site don't need to appear on the report, and the QuickBooks guide addresses a specific, common gap — QuickBooks Online doesn't generate a WH-347 natively, while Desktop Payroll does.
For contractors working federal Davis-Bacon jobs specifically, the general guides cover the WH-347 form column by column. For California public works, a separate guide covers the state's own DIR and eCPR electronic filing requirements, which work differently from the federal process.
Templates & tools
The free WH-347 template reproduces the federal certified payroll form for one project with up to 5 employees, calculating gross pay, deductions, and net automatically from hours and rates you enter — no Statement of Compliance page, and scoped to a single job. A separate free Certified Payroll Register covers a different use case: a multi-week payroll log across up to 15 workers on one or more projects, useful as an ongoing internal record rather than a single-project submission form.
The Construction Pack ($49) is the paid step up: it scales to 20 employees, adds the Statement of Compliance page pre-filled, and automates fringe benefit reconciliation for column 6B — summing each fringe plan (health, pension, vacation, training) by rate and hours instead of calculating it by hand. It bundles a WIP report and manpower planner sharing the same project list, since certified payroll rarely runs in isolation from job costing on an active site.
For contractors running certified payroll across a growing team without rebuilding spreadsheets every week, LeaveSheet's payroll add-on ($19/month or $190/year per organization, 14-day trial) automates worker and classification tracking with up to 4 fringe plans, weekly hour entry, WH-347-style output with 6B reconciliation, and both PDF and Excel export. It's a reporting and compliance tool, not a payroll processor — it doesn't run payroll, calculate taxes, or file directly into any government portal.
State requirements
Federal Davis-Bacon certified payroll uses the WH-347 form and a paper or PDF submission process to the contracting agency. Several states run their own parallel systems for state-funded public works, and the requirements aren't always interchangeable with the federal form.
California's DIR requires electronic submission through its eCPR system, using an XML data format, on projects registered through a separate PWC-100 form — a state process entirely distinct from mailing or emailing a WH-347 PDF. New York and Illinois similarly run their own state certified payroll and prevailing wage reporting programs with their own portals and forms. A contractor working a project with both federal and state funding can be required to submit compliant certified payroll to both systems separately, since one filing doesn't satisfy the other.
This hub is general information for small contractors, not legal advice. Certified payroll requirements vary by funding source, state, and contract — confirm the specific requirements for your project with the contracting agency or a construction compliance attorney. LeaveSheet's payroll add-on is not an official DOL filing tool.
Frequently asked questions
What is certified payroll in simple terms?
It's a weekly report proving that each worker on a public works or federally assisted construction project was paid at least the required prevailing wage for their trade classification, submitted using the federal WH-347 form or a state equivalent.
Is certified payroll the same as prevailing wage?
No. Prevailing wage is the minimum rate you're required to pay; certified payroll is the report proving you paid it. See our dedicated guide on certified payroll vs prevailing wage for the full distinction and a worked example.
Does QuickBooks do certified payroll?
QuickBooks Desktop Payroll (Enhanced or Assisted) includes a built-in certified payroll report. QuickBooks Online does not have a native WH-347 report — QBO users typically export payroll data into a separate template.
Is California certified payroll different from the federal process?
Yes. California requires electronic submission through the DIR's eCPR system in an XML format, on a project registered via PWC-100, which a federal WH-347 PDF does not satisfy on its own.
Who's exempt from certified payroll?
Bona fide executives, administrators, and professionals (architects, engineers, qualifying supervisors), timekeepers and inspectors doing no manual labor, and sole proprietors not performing manual work are generally exempt. Apprentices are not exempt but can be paid reduced rates if registered. See our exemptions guide for the full breakdown.
What's the difference between the free WH-347 template and the Construction Pack?
The free template covers one project, up to 5 employees, with gross/deductions/net calculated automatically, but no Statement of Compliance page. The Construction Pack ($49) scales to 20 employees, adds the Statement of Compliance, automates fringe reconciliation for column 6B, and bundles a WIP report and manpower planner.