E-Verify in plain English: the timeline, mismatches and state rules

Alaska has no E-Verify law. Private employers and state contractors may use E-Verify voluntarily under the federal rules; federal contractors follow the FAR clause.

Every Alabama employer must enroll in E-Verify and run new hires through it under the federal rules. If you take a state or local contract (competitively bid or sent to the Contract Review Committee), grant or incentive, you must prove enrollment before award and keep using it during the job. Every subcontractor working on the project must enroll before it starts work. Knowingly employing unauthorized workers can cost you the contract and your business licenses; a clean E-Verify case on the worker protects you.

• Required for private employers. Enroll in E-Verify and verify every new employee through it, following the federal E-Verify rules (in force since April 1, 2012). Ala. Code 31-13-15(b)
• Public contracts. any contract, grant or incentive from the state, a political subdivision or a state-funded entity to an employer with one or more employees in Alabama. For contracts (not grants or incentives), ‘contract’ means one that was competitively bid or would go to the Contract Review Committee (31-13-9(l)). Debt-obligation agreements are excluded (31-13-9(i)). Before award, give documentation that you are enrolled in E-Verify (in practice, a copy of the E-Verify MOU; many agencies also use an affidavit form). Use E-Verify for the whole contract. Every subcontractor on the project must enroll in E-Verify before it does any work. Every public contract must carry the statutory clause that the parties will not knowingly employ an unauthorized alien. Ala. Code 31-13-9(b)
• Deadline: 3 days (statute does not say business days) from court order on a first violation. If missed: Contempt; license suspension continues. Ala. Code 31-13-15(c)(3)
• Deadline: 1 business day from legal representative files a compliance affidavit and copy of the E-Verify MOU. If missed: n/a. Ala. Code 31-13-15(d)(2)
• Penalties. All employers (31-13-15): first knowing violation brings an order to fire every unauthorized worker, 3 years of probation with quarterly new-hire reports to the district attorney, a sworn affidavit within 3 days, and license suspension up to 10 business days at that location; second violation, permanent revocation of that location’s licenses; later violations, licenses suspended statewide forever. Public contractors (31-13-9): first violation is a breach and the government may terminate; 3-year probation; up to 60-day license suspension if there is a policy or practice. Second within 10 years: the contract must be terminated, 5-year probation, 60 to 120 days’ suspension. Third: permanent revocation of all business licenses. An employer that used E-Verify on an employee is not liable for that hire. Ala. Code 31-13-15(b)

Arkansas requires E-Verify only for state government employers (since January 1, 2026); most private businesses and state contractors are not covered. Covered employers must run every new hire, even those who leave within 3 business days, and keep records 3 years. State contractors sign a certificate that they do not knowingly employ illegal immigrants, but it does not require E-Verify.

• Requirement to verify all new employees (Ark. Code 21-3-903). Covered employers hire provisionally until E-Verify confirms the person, must still submit a case even if the job ends in under 3 business days, must not keep or rehire someone E-Verify does not confirm, and keep the record for the job’s length or 3 years. They do not re-verify current employees. Ark. Code 21-3-903(a)(2)(B) (Act 948 of 2025)
• Enforcement (Ark. Code 21-3-906(b)). The Department of Labor and Licensing relies on the federal government’s answer; it may not decide on its own that a worker is unauthorized. Ark. Code 21-3-903(a)(2)(B) (Act 948 of 2025)
• Deadline: 30 days (statute does not say business days) from Department of Labor and Licensing notice of noncompliance (on or after July 1, 2026) If missed: Presumed violation of the bar on employing unauthorized aliens (21-3-905(b)) Ark. Code 21-3-906(c)(2) (Act 948 of 2025)
• Deadline: 3 years (or length of employment, if longer) from hire. If missed: Noncompliance. Ark. Code 21-3-903(a)(2)(C) (Act 948 of 2025)
• Penalties. Act 948 sets no fine. Failing to use E-Verify is presumed a violation of the bar on employing unauthorized aliens, and the department gives 30 days to cure. Ark. Code 21-3-905(b) (Act 948 of 2025)

Every Arizona employer must run every new hire through E-Verify and keep the record for the job’s length or 3 years, whichever is longer. If you provide services to a state or local government, your contract includes a warranty that you comply, and the agency may inspect your records. Knowingly hiring an unauthorized worker can cost you your business licenses; a clean E-Verify record is your best defense.

• Required for private employers. Verify every new employee through E-Verify after hire and keep the verification record for the length of employment or three years, whichever is longer. A.R.S. 23-214(A)
• Public contracts. every government-entity contract for services in Arizona (41-4401(D): ‘contract’ means agreements ‘for the procurement of services in this state’; services include construction and maintenance); no dollar threshold. Also employers receiving state or local economic development incentives (grants, loans, performance-based incentives; not tax provisions). A government entity may not award a services contract to a contractor or subcontractor that does not use E-Verify under 23-214(A). Each contract must include (1) the contractor’s and subcontractors’ warranty that they comply with federal immigration law and 23-214(A); (2) that a breach is a material breach, with penalties up to termination; (3) the entity’s right to inspect the papers of any employee on the contract. The entity must run random checks of contractor employment records. Incentive recipients must register with and use E-Verify and prove it before receiving the incentive. A.R.S. 41-4401(A)(1)
• Deadline: from employee’s hire (federal start date) If missed: Violation of 23-214(A); the employer loses the 23-212(I) presumption of good faith. A.R.S. 23-214(A)
• Deadline: 3 business days from first-violation court order. If missed: Court orders the employer’s licenses suspended until the affidavit is filed. A.R.S. 23-212(F)(1)(c)
• Deadline: 3 years (or the length of employment, whichever is longer) from verification. If missed: Violation of 23-214(A) A.R.S. 23-214(A)
• Deadline: 30 days (statute does not say business days) from final determination that an incentive recipient did not comply with E-Verify. If missed: Not stated; debt to the government entity. A.R.S. 23-214(B)
• Penalties. For knowingly or intentionally employing an unauthorized worker: first violation, the court orders all unauthorized workers fired, a 3-year probation with quarterly new-hire reports to the county attorney, a sworn affidavit within 3 business days, and may suspend all business licenses up to 10 business days. Second violation: permanent revocation of all licenses for that location. Government contractors who breach the warranty face penalties up to contract termination. Using E-Verify creates a rebuttable presumption that the employer did not knowingly employ an unauthorized worker. For intentional violations (23-212.01): 5-year probation for that location and license suspension of at least 10 days on a first violation. A.R.S. 23-212(F)(2)

California does not require E-Verify, and state and local governments may not make you use it. If you use it, run it only after a job offer, never on current employees or on applicants without an offer, and give the employee every mismatch notice as soon as practicable. Each misuse can cost up to $10,000, and misuse to punish a worker who complained can also cost you your business licenses.

• Unlawful use of E-Verify on existing employees and applicants (Lab. Code 2814(a)). Run E-Verify only on a person you have offered a job. Never use it to check current employees, or applicants who have no offer, unless federal law (for example, a federal contract clause) requires it. Cal. Lab. Code 2814(a)(2)
• Tentative nonconfirmation notice (Lab. Code 2814(b)). If a case returns a tentative nonconfirmation (mismatch), follow the notice steps in the E-Verify MOU. Give the employee any SSA or DHS notice about their case, and the mismatch notice, as soon as practicable. Cal. Lab. Code 2814(a)(2)
• Unfair immigration-related practice (Lab. Code 1019(b)(1)(B)). Using E-Verify at a time or in a way federal rules do not allow, to retaliate against a worker who used a labor right (for example, filed a complaint), is an unfair immigration-related practice. The worker can sue, and a court can suspend your business licenses. Doing it within 90 days of the worker’s complaint is presumed retaliation. Cal. Lab. Code 1019(b)(1)(B)
• Deadline: from employer receives a tentative nonconfirmation. If missed: Violation of 2814; civil penalty up to $10,000 per violation (2814(c)) Cal. Lab. Code 2814(b)
• Deadline: 90 days (statute does not say calendar or business; read as calendar) from worker exercises a labor-code right (e.g., files a complaint) If missed: n/a (presumption window) Cal. Lab. Code 1019(c)
• Penalties. Civil penalty up to $10,000 for each violation of 2814; each unlawful E-Verify use on one employee or applicant is a separate violation. If the misuse is retaliation for a worker using a labor right (1019), the worker can sue, and a court may suspend all your business licenses: up to 14 days for a first violation, 30 days for a second, 90 days for a third. Cal. Lab. Code 2814(c)

Colorado does not require E-Verify for private employers or, since July 2022, for state contractors. Use it voluntarily if you like, under the federal rules. Older guides that cite Colorado’s contractor E-Verify law are out of date.

Connecticut has no E-Verify law for private employers or state contractors. E-Verify is voluntary and follows the federal rules.

The District of Columbia has no E-Verify law. Employers may use it voluntarily under the federal rules; federal contractors follow the FAR clause.

Delaware has no E-Verify law for private employers or state contractors. Use is voluntary and follows the federal rules.

Florida private employers with 25 or more employees must run each new hire through E-Verify within 3 business days of the first paid workday, keep the records 3 years, and certify compliance on the first unemployment tax return each year. Every business that contracts with a Florida public agency must use E-Verify, whatever its size, and collect a no-unauthorized-workers affidavit from each subcontractor. Three failures in 24 months bring a $1,000-a-day fine and possible license suspension; a knowing violation on a public contract ends the contract and bars you for a year.

• Required for private employers. Private employers with 25 or more employees must run each new hire through E-Verify within 3 business days after the first day of paid work, keep the records 3 years, and certify compliance on the first reemployment tax return each year. s. 448.095(2)(b)2., F.S. (2026)
• Public contracts. every contract with a public employer (no dollar threshold); covers contractors and subcontractors. A public employer, contractor or subcontractor may not enter a contract unless each party registers with and uses E-Verify for all new employees. Each subcontractor gives the contractor an affidavit that it does not employ, contract with or subcontract with an unauthorized alien; the contractor keeps it for the contract’s length. s. 448.095(5)(a), F.S.
• Deadline: 3 business days from first day the new employee begins working for pay. If missed: Department of Commerce noncompliance notice and 30-day cure; 3 failures in 24 months triggers the $1,000/day fine. s. 448.095(2)(a), F.S.
• Deadline: from E-Verify unavailable for 3 business days after the new employee’s first paid workday. If missed: Treated as a failure to verify; the outage itself does not cost the rebuttable presumption. s. 448.095(2)(c), F.S.
• Deadline: 30 days (statute does not say calendar or business) from Department of Commerce notice of noncompliance. If missed: Counts as a failure; 3 failures in 24 months triggers $1,000/day fine. s. 448.095(6)(a), F.S.
• Deadline: 3 years from verification. If missed: Violation of 448.095(2)(d) s. 448.095(2)(d), F.S.
• Deadline: 1 year from each calendar year. If missed: Noncompliance. s. 448.095(2)(b)3., F.S.
• Deadline: 20 calendar days from public agency, contractor or subcontractor terminates a contract under 448.095(5)(c) If missed: Right to challenge lost. s. 448.095(5)(d), F.S.
• Penalties. Private employers (25+): the Department of Commerce gives 30 days to cure. After 3 failures to use E-Verify in any 24-month period, it fines $1,000 per day until the employer proves the noncompliance is cured, and noncompliance is grounds to suspend all licenses issued by a ch. 120 licensing agency until cured. Public contracts: a party with a good-faith belief that the other side knowingly broke s. 448.09(1) must terminate the contract; a contractor terminated by a public agency may not get a public contract for at least 1 year and pays the agency’s added costs. Using E-Verify (or Form I-9 during an outage) gives a rebuttable presumption that the employer did not violate s. 448.09. s. 448.095(6)(b), F.S.

Georgia private employers with more than 10 full-time employees must use E-Verify and put their E-Verify user number on a sworn affidavit to get or renew a business license. Any business doing service work worth more than $2,499.99 for a Georgia public employer must use E-Verify, give a notarized affidavit with its bid, and collect the same affidavit from every subcontractor, forwarding copies within 5 business days. A false affidavit is a crime and bars you from public contracts for 12 months.

• Required for private employers. Private employers with more than 10 employees must register with and use E-Verify, and must give their E-Verify user number on a sworn affidavit before a county or city issues or renews a business license or occupational tax certificate. O.C.G.A. 36-60-6(a), (b), (d)
• Public contracts. public-employer contracts (state agencies and political subdivisions) for the physical performance of services where the labor or services exceed $2,499.99; excludes a contract with an individual licensed under Title 26 or 43 or by the State Bar who personally performs the services; flows down to subcontractors and sub-subcontractors. Before a public employer considers a bid for physical services, the bid must include a signed, notarized affidavit that the contractor is registered with and uses E-Verify, its user ID number and authorization date, that it will keep using it for the contract period, and that it will use only subcontractors who give the same affidavit. Contractors with no employees give a copy of a qualifying state driver’s license or ID instead. O.C.G.A. 13-10-91(b)(1)
• Deadline: 5 business days from subcontractor receives an affidavit from a sub-subcontractor. If missed: Violation of 13-10-91; listing and debarment risk. O.C.G.A. 13-10-91(b)(3)
• Deadline: 5 business days from contractor receives affidavits, licenses or ID cards. If missed: Violation of 13-10-91. O.C.G.A. 13-10-91(b)(6)
• Deadline: 5 years from public employer receives a contractor affidavit. If missed: Public employer noncompliance (not a contractor duty) O.C.G.A. 13-10-91(b)(1)
• Penalties. A knowingly false affidavit is a felony false-statement offense under O.C.G.A. 16-10-20, and the person convicted is barred from bidding on or entering any public contract for 12 months. A contractor the Labor Commissioner finds in violation is listed publicly on open.georgia.gov; a second or later violation bars it from public contracts for 12 months. Private employers that skip the business-license affidavit cannot get or renew the license (36-60-6). O.C.G.A. 13-10-91(b)(9)

Hawaii has no E-Verify law. Employers may use it voluntarily under the federal rules.

Iowa does not require most private employers or public contractors to use E-Verify. Since July 1, 2026, accredited private schools must use it for new hires; their employees get a 10-day state appeal, and a no-status result goes to ICE after any appeal. Every Iowa employer faces a $10,000 fine for knowingly keeping a worker who gave a Social Security number that is not theirs.

• Transmission of E-Verify results (Iowa Code 280.37(2), new). Accredited private schools must use E-Verify for new hires. If, after any state appeal, the check shows the person has no legal status to be in the U.S., the school must send the result to ICE and other federal immigration agencies. 2026 Iowa Acts, SF 2218, sec. 22 (new Iowa Code 280.37(2))
• Citizenship and immigration status appeal (Iowa Code 10A.114, new). An employee of a school district, accredited private school, charter or innovation zone school, city, county or the executive branch can challenge an E-Verify result with the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing within 10 calendar days of getting it, with proof it is wrong. The department decides within 7 calendar days and tells the employee and the employer. This sits on top of the federal mismatch process; it does not replace it. 2026 Iowa Acts, SF 2218, sec. 22 (new Iowa Code 280.37(2))
• Employment of persons with false social security numbers prohibited (Iowa Code 91F.2, new). Any Iowa employer: do not hire or keep an employee you know gave you a Social Security number that is not theirs. 2026 Iowa Acts, SF 2218, sec. 22 (new Iowa Code 280.37(2))
• Deadline: 10 calendar days from employee receives the E-Verify (or SAVE) result. If missed: No state appeal; the result stands for the state process. Iowa Code 10A.114(2) (SF 2218 sec. 13)
• Deadline: 7 calendar days from department receives the challenge. If missed: n/a (agency deadline) Iowa Code 10A.114(3) (SF 2218 sec. 13)
• Penalties. For knowingly hiring or keeping a worker who gave a Social Security number that is not theirs: a $10,000 civil penalty per violation, collected by the Iowa Department of Workforce Development. On a fourth or later violation, the location must also stop operating until the majority owner and all managers there complete state training. An employer that knowingly gives a potential employee a fraudulent SSN commits fraudulent practice under Iowa Code 714.8(24). Iowa Code 91F.3(2) (SF 2218 sec. 5)

Idaho does not require E-Verify for private employers or public contractors. State contracts paid with state or federal stimulus money include a declaration that your workers on the project can legally work in the U.S.; E-Verify is one way to back that up, but the order does not require it. 2026 bills to mandate E-Verify did not pass.

• Penalties. Under EO 2009-10, a state contractor that knowingly and willfully fails to confirm work eligibility or employs an unauthorized worker may face contract cancellation, return of unspent public funds and monetary penalties set in the contract. Idaho Executive Order 2009-10, para. 5

Illinois does not require E-Verify, and since December 12, 2025 it no longer has its own E-Verify attestation, training or notice rules; for E-Verify cases, follow the federal rules. What remains: if SSA, the IRS or another outside body that does not enforce immigration law says an employee’s documents do not match, you may not act against the employee on that notice alone, and you must tell the employee in writing within 5 business days. Fines run $100 to $1,000 per violation, and $1,000 to $5,000 for a repeat within 3 years.

• Repeal of the E-Verify sections (820 ILCS 55/12 and 55/13). Illinois’s old E-Verify rules (state attestation forms, training, posting and mismatch-notice duties in sections 12 and 13) no longer exist as of December 12, 2025. Follow the federal E-Verify MOU. 820 ILCS 55/14(a)(1) (added by P.A. 104-455)
• Employment requirements on a document discrepancy notice (820 ILCS 55/14). If a federal agency or outside vendor that does not enforce immigration law (for example SSA, the IRS or an insurer) tells you in writing that an employee’s taxpayer ID or ID documents do not match, you may not take adverse action based only on that notice. Within 5 business days of the notice (or of deciding the employee must respond, whichever is later), tell the employee and their authorized representative: in person and by hand if you can, otherwise by mail and email. Say what was reported, any federal deadline to contest it, and what you need the employee to do. The employee may bring a representative of their choice to any meeting. 820 ILCS 55/14(a)(1) (added by P.A. 104-455)
• Deadline: 5 business days (a shorter time set by federal law or a collective bargaining agreement controls) from employer receives the written discrepancy notice, or decides the employee must respond to it, whichever is longer. If missed: Civil penalty $100 to $1,000 per violation ($1,000 to $5,000 for repeats within 3 years) 820 ILCS 55/14(a)(2)
• Penalties. Civil penalty of $100 to $1,000 per violation; $1,000 to $5,000 per violation for a repeat of the same provision within 3 years; each violation is separate. Enforced by the Illinois Department of Labor, the Attorney General, nonprofit or union ‘interested parties’, and employees through a private right of action. No penalty for a Section 14 violation if the employer relied in good faith on IDOL or DHS guidance or made a bona fide administrative error that did not affect the employee’s job or pay. 820 ILCS 55/18(a)

Indiana does not require most private employers to use E-Verify. Since July 1, 2026, knowingly hiring or keeping an unauthorized worker is unlawful, and using E-Verify (or diligence that meets industry best practice) is your defense; repeat violations can cost your licenses. If you hold a state or local services or public works contract, you must enroll in E-Verify, verify all new hires, sign a no-unauthorized-workers affidavit, and get an E-Verify certification from each subcontractor; grants over $1,000 need the same proof. A contractor that does not fix a violation within 30 days loses the contract.

• Public contracts. (1) every state-agency or political-subdivision public contract for services entered into or renewed after June 30, 2011; (2) every public works contract entered into or renewed after June 30, 2015; (3) any state or local grant of more than $1,000 to a business entity; no dollar threshold for contracts. The contract must require the contractor to enroll in E-Verify and verify all newly hired employees, and the contractor signs an affidavit that it does not knowingly employ an unauthorized alien. Grant recipients over $1,000 sign a sworn affidavit of enrollment, give documentation of it, and sign the no-unauthorized-alien affidavit. Each subcontractor certifies to the contractor that it is enrolled in E-Verify and does not knowingly employ unauthorized aliens; the contractor keeps the certification on file for the subcontract’s term. IC 22-5-1.7-11(a)
• Deadline: 30 days (calendar; statute says ‘thirty (30) days’) from public agency notifies the contractor of a violation. If missed: Agency must terminate the contract for breach; contractor liable for actual damages. IC 22-5-1.7-12(b)
• Deadline: 20 days (statute does not say calendar or business) from contractor receives a violation notice or termination. If missed: Right to challenge lost. IC 22-5-1.7-14
• Deadline: 15 business days from first-time employer receives the attorney general’s notice of a probable-cause finding (violations from July 1, 2026; AG looks back 3 years) If missed: AG may sue for an injunction, suspension of operating authorizations and probation. IC 22-5-9-8(b)
• Penalties. Public contracts: if a contractor does not fix a violation within 30 days of notice, the agency must terminate the contract (unless that would harm the public interest or public property, in which case it may run until a replacement is found) and the contractor owes actual damages. Using E-Verify creates a rebuttable presumption that the contractor did not knowingly employ an unauthorized alien. All employers (from July 1, 2026): a court may suspend all operating authorizations (licenses, permits, registrations) at the location for 5 business days (single first violation), 10 business days (several first violations), 180 days (any later violation), then permanently revoke them; a willful violator at 3 or more locations can lose all Indiana authorizations. Courts may also order probation of 6 months to 2 years with quarterly reports to the attorney general. The statute sets no dollar fine for employers. IC 22-5-1.7-13(a)(1)

Kansas has no E-Verify law; 2025-2026 bills to require it died. E-Verify is voluntary and follows the federal rules.

Kentucky has no E-Verify law for private employers or public contractors; 2025 and 2026 bills did not pass. Use is voluntary and follows the federal rules.

Louisiana does not require most private employers to use E-Verify, but using it on every employee protects you from state fines for hiring unauthorized workers. If you bid on a public works job (building or repairing public property), you must swear you use E-Verify for all new Louisiana hires and collect the same sworn affidavit from every subcontractor. Breaking that rule can cost you the contract and bar you from public work for up to 3 years.

• Public contracts. contracts and bids with a public entity for the physical performance of services on PUBLIC WORKS only (erecting, building, altering, improving or repairing public facilities or property); contracts and bids on or after January 1, 2012; no dollar threshold. Before bidding on or signing a public works contract, the private employer swears in an affidavit that it is registered in and uses E-Verify for all new employees in Louisiana, will keep using it for the contract term, and will require every subcontractor to give it the same sworn affidavit. La. R.S. 38:2212.10(C)
• Penalties. Public works: a violating employer may lose any public contract and be ineligible for public contracts for up to 3 years from discovery, and pays the public entity’s added costs; it may appeal to the sanctioning entity or a court. All employers (23:995): the secretary of Louisiana Works may fine up to $500 per unauthorized worker for a first violation and up to $1,000 for a second; on a third, the local governing or licensing authority must suspend the business license or permit for 30 days to 6 months and a fine of up to $2,500 per worker applies. Fines come only after an Administrative Procedure Act hearing. Verifying every employee through E-Verify (or keeping a photo ID plus a listed citizenship or work document for each) is a full defense, and reliance on E-Verify is presumed good faith. La. R.S. 38:2212.10(D)(1)

Massachusetts has no E-Verify law. Employers may use it voluntarily under the federal rules.

Maryland has no E-Verify law for private employers or state contractors. Use is voluntary and follows the federal rules.

Maine has no E-Verify law. E-Verify is voluntary and follows the federal rules; Maine law still bars knowingly hiring unauthorized workers.

Michigan does not require private employers to use E-Verify. State contracts let in fiscal year 2026 (Oct. 2025 to Sept. 2026) with prequalified contractors had to require E-Verify for hires during the contract term, but the fiscal 2027 budget dropped that rule. If you hold a Michigan state contract, read it: an older one may still require E-Verify.

Minnesota does not require private employers in general to use E-Verify. If you win a state services contract over $50,000, you and your subcontractors must certify that you use (or are setting up) E-Verify for new hires who will work on that contract. Local government contracts are not covered by this statute.

• Public contracts. state contracts for services valued over $50,000 (not State Board of Investment contracts; Office of Higher Education credit-reporting contracts may be exempt) The vendor and every subcontractor certify that, by the date they start work for the state, they have implemented or are implementing E-Verify for all newly hired employees in the United States who will work on behalf of the state. Minn. Stat. 16C.075

Missouri does not make most private employers use E-Verify. If you take a state or local contract or grant over $5,000, or a state tax credit, abatement or loan, you must swear once a year that you use E-Verify for the workers on that job. If you enroll voluntarily, run every new hire; doing so is your defense against penalties of up to ten times the wages paid to unauthorized workers.

• Public contracts. any state or political-subdivision contract or grant over $5,000; also any business receiving a state-administered or subsidized tax credit, tax abatement or state loan. The business signs a sworn affidavit, with documentation, that it is enrolled in and uses E-Verify for the employees working on the contracted services, plus an affidavit that it does not knowingly employ an unauthorized alien on that work. Since 2026-08-28 the affidavits go to each contracting government once a year, not per contract. The duty pauses for 15 working days during or right after a listed emergency (storms, floods, tornadoes and similar). RSMo 285.530.2
• Verification of every new hire after enrollment (RSMo 285.530.4). If you enroll in E-Verify, you must run every new hire whose job starts after you enroll, not just some of them, and keep a copy of each dated verification report from the federal government. Enrolling gives you an affirmative defense to the state ban on knowingly employing unauthorized workers. RSMo 285.530.4
• Deadline: 15 working days from start of a listed emergency. If missed: n/a (suspension, not a deadline) RSMo 285.530.2
• Penalties. The attorney general enforces, and any complaint must come with a sworn affidavit under penalty of perjury. The state must prove a knowing violation by a preponderance of the evidence. The AG may seek an injunction and damages equal to ten times the wages paid to the unauthorized workers; courts may suspend state licenses, permits or exemptions and direct local governments to suspend local ones. A general contractor or subcontractor of any tier is liable for a direct subcontractor’s violation it knew of. E-Verify participation is an affirmative defense. An employer that reports a violation to the AG is not liable under the Act. RSMo 285.535.4

Every Mississippi employer must use E-Verify on all new hires, and no business may contract or subcontract with a Mississippi public employer without it. Staffing and leasing firms must register with MDES and show clients proof of E-Verify participation. Breaking the law can cost you public contracts for up to 3 years and your business licenses for up to a year; using E-Verify shields you from the Act’s discrimination claim.

• Required for private employers. Every Mississippi employer must enroll in E-Verify and use it to verify every newly hired employee. Contractors and subcontractors may not hire anyone without it. Mississippi Employment Protection Act, 2008 Miss. Laws S.B. 2988, s. 2(4)(b)(i) and (7) (codified at Miss. Code Ann. 71-11-3)
• Public contracts. every contract or subcontract with a public employer (state agencies and political subdivisions) entered into after July 1, 2008; no dollar threshold; ‘subcontractor’ includes contract employees and staffing agencies of any tier. A contractor or subcontractor may not enter a contract or subcontract with a public employer unless it is registered in and uses E-Verify for all newly hired employees. (All Mississippi employers must use E-Verify anyway; see research 15.) Staffing and leasing firms (third-party employers) must register with the Mississippi Department of Employment Security before placing workers and show proof of registration and E-Verify participation to the businesses they serve. Miss. Code Ann. 71-11-3(4)(b)(iii) (2008 SB 2988, s. 2(4)(b)(iii))
• Penalties. An employer that breaks the Act can lose any state or public contract and be barred from public contracts for up to 3 years, lose any state or local license or permit to do business for up to 1 year, or both, and must pay the state’s added costs from the cancellation. Appeals go to the charging agency or circuit court. Enforcers: Department of Employment Security, State Tax Commission, Secretary of State, Department of Human Services, Attorney General. Separately, a worker who knowingly works while unauthorized commits a felony (1 to 5 years, $1,000 to $10,000). Miss. Code Ann. 71-11-3(7)(e)(i) (2008 SB 2988, s. 2(7)(e)(i))

Montana does not require E-Verify. Since 2025, every employer must keep either the E-Verify result or a completed Form I-9 with copies of the documents, on the federal I-9 timeline. If you use E-Verify, the state presumes you acted in good faith. A missing record costs up to $500 per worker the first time, and a third violation suspends your business license for 30 days to 6 months.

• Request and keep the E-Verify result or the I-9 with document copies: the federal I-9 timelines (8 CFR 274a.2) business days per federal rule from hire. If missed: civil penalty under 39-2-1606. MCA 39-2-1603(1)
• Records open to inspection: 3 business days from Department of Labor and Industry notice. If missed: penalty up to $500 per offense. MCA 39-2-1605(1)
• Penalties. Enforced by the Montana Department of Labor and Industry. Failing to keep either record: up to $500 per worker (first violation), up to $1,000 per worker (second); third and later, license suspension of 30 days to 6 months plus up to $2,500 per worker. Refusing a records inspection: up to $500 per offense. MCA 39-2-1606(1)(c) MCA 39-2-1606(1)(a)

If you have 25 or more employees in North Carolina, run every new hire through E-Verify and keep the record while they work for you and for one year after. If you sell services to the state, a city or a county, the contract will require you and your subcontractors to follow that same law. Contracts only to buy goods are exempt. Complaints go to the NC Commissioner of Labor. After a first violation, you must file a sworn affidavit within 3 business days, or pay $10,000.

• Required for private employers. Employers with 25 or more NC employees must run each new hire through E-Verify after hiring and keep the verification record while the person is employed and one year after. Employees whose term is under nine months in a calendar year are excluded. N.C. Gen. Stat. 64-26(a); 64-25(3)-(4)
• Public contracts. Any contract entered by a board or governing body of the State, a State institution, or a political subdivision (cities, counties), plus any contract under the state purchasing Article (143-48.5). No dollar floor. Exempt (143-133.3(c)): travel and lodging expenses for public employees, officers and board members; contracts solely to buy goods, apparatus, supplies, materials or equipment; contracts let under G.S. 143-129(e)(1), (9) or (9a); and contracts let under G.S. 143-129(g). The contractor and its subcontractors under the contract must comply with the private E-Verify mandate (Chapter 64, Article 2). The public body is deemed compliant if the contract contains a term requiring that. Chapter 64 itself applies to employers with 25 or more employees in North Carolina, so the clause binds what that Article requires. N.C. Gen. Stat. 143-133.3(a) N.C. Gen. Stat. 143-133.3
• Retention of verification record: length of employment plus 1 year years from the E-Verify verification for an employee. If missed: violation of 64-26, handled under 64-31 to 64-33. N.C. Gen. Stat. 64-26(b)
• Sworn affidavit after a first-violation order: 3 business days from the Commissioner of Labor issues a first-violation order. If missed: civil penalty of $10,000. N.C. Gen. Stat. 64-31(a)-(b)
• Penalties. Enforced by the NC Commissioner of Labor on complaint. First violation: an order to file a sworn affidavit within 3 business days that the employer has run the missed verifications; $10,000 if the affidavit is late. Second violation: affidavit plus $1,000 flat, regardless of how many verifications were missed. Third and later: affidavit plus $2,000 for each missed verification. If a public body signs a contract without the required E-Verify term, the Commissioner notifies it of the violation and lists it on the Department of Labor website (64-33.1). N.C. Gen. Stat. 64-31(b) N.C. Gen. Stat. 64-33

North Dakota has no E-Verify law. Private employers, including state and local contractors, may use E-Verify voluntarily, and if they do, only the federal rules apply. Check any government or client contract for an E-Verify clause.

Nebraska does not require most private employers to use E-Verify. If you hold a contract with the state, a city, a county or a school district to do work in Nebraska, you and your subcontractors must use E-Verify for new employees who do that work. The contract itself will say so.

• Public contracts. Any contract a Nebraska public employer (any state agency or political subdivision) awards for the physical performance of services in Nebraska, on or after October 1, 2009. No dollar floor. ‘Public contractor’ includes the contractor’s subcontractors. Public contractors and subcontractors must register with and use E-Verify (or an equivalent federal program) for new employees physically performing services in Nebraska. Every such contract must contain a clause requiring it. Neb. Rev. Stat. 4-114(2) Neb. Rev. Stat. 4-114(1)(b)

New Hampshire has no E-Verify law. Private employers, including state and local contractors, may use E-Verify voluntarily, and if they do, only the federal rules apply. Check any government or client contract for an E-Verify clause.

New Jersey has no E-Verify law. Private employers, including state and local contractors, may use E-Verify voluntarily, and if they do, only the federal rules apply. Check any government or client contract for an E-Verify clause.

New Mexico has no E-Verify law. Private employers, including state and local contractors, may use E-Verify voluntarily, and if they do, only the federal rules apply. Check any government or client contract for an E-Verify clause.

Nevada has no E-Verify law. Private employers, including state and local contractors, may use E-Verify voluntarily, and if they do, only the federal rules apply. Check any government or client contract for an E-Verify clause.

New York has no E-Verify law. Private employers, including state and local contractors, may use E-Verify voluntarily, and if they do, only the federal rules apply. Check any government or client contract for an E-Verify clause.

Since March 20, 2026, Ohio requires every nonresidential construction contractor, subcontractor and labor broker, of any size, to run each hire for that work through E-Verify. You may not keep a worker after a final nonconfirmation. Keep each record for 3 years from hire or 1 year after the worker leaves, whichever is later. State construction contracts must include these terms. Other Ohio employers do not have to use E-Verify.

• Required for private employers. Since March 20, 2026, nonresidential construction contractors, subcontractors and labor brokers must run each employee hired for work on a nonresidential construction project through E-Verify, keep the record for 3 years after hire or 1 year after termination (whichever is later), and may not keep employing a worker after a final nonconfirmation. Other private employers are not required to use E-Verify. Ohio Rev. Code 4151.02(A) (E-Verify Workforce Integrity Act, H.B. 246, 136th G.A., effective March 20, 2026)
• Public contracts. State-agency contracts for the construction or renovation of a nonresidential construction project (any building, highway, bridge, utility or related infrastructure; not residential buildings, manufactured homes or farm structures). State agencies must put terms requiring compliance with 4151.02 (verify every hire for the project) and 4151.03 (no keeping a worker after an Final Nonconfirmation) into those contracts. The Attorney General reviews agencies for this. The private mandate already covers every nonresidential construction contractor, subcontractor and labor broker, on public or private work. Two or more willful violations can bar a firm from state contracts for up to two years. Ohio Rev. Code 4151.07(A) Ohio Rev. Code 4151.04(D)(3)
• Limits on use. After an E-Verify final nonconfirmation, a covered construction employer may not keep the worker. Ohio defines the Final Nonconfirmation as a case result that eligibility could not be confirmed, with instructions to close the case. This is stricter than federal rules, where an employer may keep the worker if it notifies DHS. An employer need not re-run a worker it already verified in E-Verify unless federal law requires it. Ohio Rev. Code 4151.03 Ohio Rev. Code 4151.02(C)(1)
• Record retention: 3 years after hire or 1 year after termination, whichever is later years from date of hire. If missed: violation of 4151.02. Ohio Rev. Code 4151.02
• Proof of authorized employment after a notice of violation: 10 days from the attorney general issues a notice of violation. If missed: the violation stands; fines apply. Ohio Rev. Code 4151.04(D)(1)
• Request a hearing: 10 business days from service of the notice of violation. If missed: the notice becomes an enforceable order. Ohio Rev. Code 4151.04(F)
• Comply with an enforceable order: 30 days from the notice of violation becomes an enforceable order (no hearing requested in time) If missed: the Attorney General must sue; the court orders the valid penalty plus $1,000 per violation and bars the firm from state contracts for up to two years. Ohio Rev. Code 4151.04(H)
• When to run the E-Verify case: no state window n/a from hire for work on a nonresidential construction project. If missed: 4151.02 violation. Ohio Rev. Code 4151.02(A)
• Penalties. Enforced by the Ohio Attorney General on complaint. Failing to verify a hire: $250 per violation, then $1,000, then $1,500 for repeats within three years. Keeping a worker after a final nonconfirmation: $5,000 per violation, then $10,000, then $25,000. Two or more willful violations: up to two years off state contracts. If the firm ignores an enforceable order for 30 days, the AG sues; the court adds $1,000 per violation and bars the firm from state contracts for up to two years. A court finding that the firm knowingly employed an unauthorized worker leads to permanent revocation of the licenses tied to that work site. No notice issues for an isolated technical error or an E-Verify malfunction. Ohio Rev. Code 4151.04(E) Ohio Rev. Code 4151.04(E)

Oklahoma does not require most private employers to use E-Verify. If you or your subcontractors, including staffing agencies, do work in Oklahoma under a contract with the state, a city, a county or a school district, you must enroll in a listed verification system and check all new hires. The law also lists SSA’s number-check service, but only E-Verify confirms work authorization, so use E-Verify. Using it also protects you from one kind of state discrimination claim.

• Public contracts. Any contract with a public employer (any state department, agency, instrumentality or political subdivision) for the physical performance of services in Oklahoma, entered after July 1, 2008. No dollar floor. ‘Subcontractor’ includes contract employees, staffing agencies and contractors of any tier. The contractor and each subcontractor must register and participate in a ‘Status Verification System’ for all new employees. The law’s definition lists four systems: E-Verify, an equivalent federal program, an equally reliable independent third-party system, or SSA’s Social Security Number Verification Service (SSNVS). Public employers themselves must use E-Verify or an equivalent federal program. 25 O.S. 1313(B)(2) 25 O.S. 1312(3)

Oregon has no E-Verify law. Private employers, including state and local contractors, may use E-Verify voluntarily, and if they do, only the federal rules apply. Check any government or client contract for an E-Verify clause.

Pennsylvania does not require most private employers to use E-Verify. On a prevailing-wage public works project over $25,000, every contractor must use E-Verify for each new hire: the prime, each subcontractor of any tier, and any staffing agency. Give the public body the state verification form before award (prime) or before you start work (subcontractor). A first failure brings a public warning letter; repeat failures bar you from public work for 60 days, then 1 to 2 years.

• Public contracts. Any ‘public work’ under the Pennsylvania Prevailing Wage Act: construction, reconstruction, demolition, alteration or repair work (not maintenance) done under contract and paid in whole or part with a public body’s funds, where the estimated total project cost exceeds $25,000. Covers subcontractors of any tier, including staffing agencies; material suppliers are excluded. Enroll in E-Verify and verify each new employee (anyone the contractor must issue a W-2). Before award (contractor) or before starting work (subcontractor), give the public body a signed verification form from the Department of General Services certifying E-Verify enrollment and compliance. Contracts with subcontractors must explain the requirements. Administrative Code of 1929, sec. 2402-C(a) Administrative Code of 1929, sec. 2401-C ('Subcontractor')
• Limits on use. Public works contractors may not discriminate by race, ethnicity, color or national origin when verifying. They may not retaliate against an employee who reports a violation or joins an investigation; the employee can sue within 180 days for reinstatement, three times lost wages and benefits, and fees. Good-faith reliance on E-Verify gives immunity from sanctions. Administrative Code of 1929, sec. 2402-C(b) Administrative Code of 1929, sec. 2407-C(c)(2)
• Retaliation action: 180 calendar days from the employee knew of the retaliation. If missed: claim barred. Administrative Code of 1929, sec. 2407-C(b)(2)
• Penalties. Enforced by the Department of General Services through complaints and random audits. Failing to verify a new hire: first a warning letter posted on the department’s website, then 60 days off public work, then 1 to 2 years. A willful violation found by Commonwealth Court means 3 years. All violations on one contract count as one. A violation 10 or more years after the last counts as a first. Missing or false verification form: $2,500 to $25,000 per violation, plus 60 days to 3 years of debarment if willful. Debarred or fined firms may have to repay audit costs. Administrative Code of 1929, sec. 2405-C(e)(2) Administrative Code of 1929, sec. 2405-C(f)(1)

Rhode Island has no E-Verify law. A 2008 executive order that required E-Verify for state contractors was rescinded in 2011. You may use E-Verify voluntarily under the federal rules; check any government or client contract for an E-Verify clause.

Every South Carolina employer, of any size, must run each new hire through E-Verify within three business days of hire, even if the hire leaves sooner. Until the case confirms, the hire is provisional, and you may not keep someone E-Verify does not verify. Public services contracts over $25,000 (state) or $15,000 (local) also require you to certify E-Verify use and bind your subcontractors to it. A first miss means a year of probation with quarterly reports; repeat misses suspend your state right to employ for 10 to 30 days.

• Required for private employers. Enroll in E-Verify and verify every new employee within three business days after hire; employ the new hire provisionally until verified. S.C. Code Ann. 41-8-20(B)
• Public contracts. Services contracts with a public employer (any state department, agency or instrumentality, or a political subdivision) for the physical performance of services in South Carolina, when the contract value over 12 months exceeds $25,000 (state) or $15,000 (political subdivision). A ‘services contract’ is one where manual labor exceeds 30% of all labor cost or 5% of the contract price. Excluded: contracts mainly to buy an end product, and contracts mainly for professional or consultant services. The contractor must agree to register and participate in E-Verify for all new employees, and must require its subcontractors and, through them, sub-subcontractors to do the same. The public employer is compliant if it gets a written statement from the contractor certifying compliance. Separately, a private employer that is a contractor must keep phone numbers for all its subcontractors and give them to the director within 72 hours of a request (41-8-20(F)). S.C. Code 8-14-20(B) S.C. Code 8-14-10(1)
• Verify every new employee: 3 business days from the employee is hired. If missed: violation of 41-8-20: one year probation with quarterly reports (first), license suspension 10 to 30 days (later); each unverified new hire is a separate violation. S.C. Code 41-8-20(B)
• Penalties. Every SC private employer holds a state ’employment license’ by law. Failing to use E-Verify (41-8-20): first time, comply at once and serve one year of probation with quarterly reports to the Department of Employment and Workforce; later times, the license is suspended 10 to 30 days. Each new hire not verified counts separately. Knowingly employing an unauthorized worker (41-8-30): suspension 10 to 30 days, then 30 to 60 days, then revocation; reinstatement requires firing the worker and a fee up to $1,000. Operating while suspended means revocation for 5 years. Violators are listed on the agency website. On public services contracts, a knowingly false certification or report is a felony: a fine and up to five years (8-14-60). S.C. Code 41-8-50(D)(1)(b) S.C. Code 41-8-50(D)(1)(b)

South Dakota has no E-Verify law. Private employers, including state and local contractors, may use E-Verify voluntarily, and if they do, only the federal rules apply. Check any government or client contract for an E-Verify clause.

In Tennessee, employers with 35 or more full-time-equivalent employees must use E-Verify for every new hire. Smaller employers can use E-Verify or collect a copy of one listed ID document from each new worker before they start, including independent workers you pay directly. Social Security cards and I-9 forms do not count. A first violation costs $500 plus $500 per worker, and the state posts violators by name.

• Required for private employers. Employers with 35+ FTEs must run every new hire through E-Verify and keep the case result. Smaller covered employers must either use E-Verify or request and keep a copy of one listed identity and work-authorization document before the new hire starts work. Tenn. Code Ann. 50-1-703 (Tennessee Lawful Employment Act); TDLWD Employment Verification page
• Document option (under 35 FTEs): before the first day of work precondition from hire or engagement. If missed: TLEA violation; penalties below. TDLWD, Employment Verification page
• Proof of compliance after a final order of violation: 45 days (unit not stated; our reading: calendar days) from the final order of violation. If missed: $500 per day. TDLWD, Employment Verification page
• Local-government E-Verify before hire: before appointment or hire precondition from July 1, 2026. If missed: the Attorney General may withhold state funds. MTAS-2070
• Penalties. Enforced by the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development on complaint. First knowing violation: $500 company penalty plus $500 per employee or non-employee not verified. Repeat offenders: up to $2,500 company fine plus $2,500 per employee. $500 for failing to enroll in E-Verify when required. $500 per day for not showing compliance within 45 days of a final order. Final orders are posted monthly by name on the department site (2026 orders ran $1,500 to $3,500). TDLWD, Employment Verification page

Coming changes:

• From January 1, 2027. From January 1, 2027, Tennessee’s verification law reaches every private employer with at least one employee. Employers under 35 FTEs can still collect a listed ID document instead of using E-Verify.
• From January 1, 2027. From January 1, 2027, if you miss the 45-day deadline to prove compliance after a Tennessee final order, the state will ask your local government to suspend your business license. A third violation makes the suspension permanent.

Texas does not require private employers to use E-Verify, and no statute covers state contractors. But a 2014 governor’s order still makes agencies under the Governor require E-Verify from their services contractors and subcontractors, and many agency contracts include the clause. Read your contract: if the clause is there, use E-Verify for your Texas employees for as long as the contract runs.

• Public contracts. Contracts for services with state agencies under the direction of the Governor (Executive Order RP-80, 2014). No dollar floor stated in the sources read. No statute covers state or local contractors. Under Executive Order RP-80 (Governor Perry, December 3, 2014), agencies under the Governor’s direction must require their contractors and subcontractors performing work under a services contract to use E-Verify. The Texas Attorney General ruled in 2016 that the later state-agency E-Verify statute (Gov’t Code 673.002) does not replace that contractor part of the order. Gov’t Code ch. 673 itself binds only state agencies as employers. Many agency contracts (e.g., Health and Human Services) carry an E-Verify clause. Tex. Gov't Code 673.002 Tex. Att'y Gen. Op. KP-0070 (2016), quoting the request letter on RP-80

Utah requires private employers with 150 or more employees to verify every new hire through E-Verify (or another allowed system). If you hold a state or local contract won by proposal for work in Utah, you must use it too, and each subcontractor signs an affidavit to the prime that it did. There are no fines, but compliance protects you from state lawsuits over hiring decisions.

• Required for private employers. A private employer with 150 or more employees must register with and use a status verification system for each new employee. The law counts E-Verify, an equivalent federal program, the Social Security Number Verification Service, or an equally reliable independent third-party system. Employers of H-2A or H-2B visa holders they petitioned for are exempt as to those workers. Utah Code 13-47-201(1)
• Public contracts. Contracts awarded by a public employer through a request-for-proposals process (including sole-source contracts) for the physical performance of services in Utah, entered on or after July 1, 2009. ‘Contractor’ covers subcontractors, contract employees, staffing agencies and any tier. Exempt: underwriting, broker-dealer, investment advisory and other financial or investment banking services. The contractor must register and participate in a Status Verification System (E-Verify or an allowed equivalent) for new employees working in Utah. Each contractor verifies only its own new hires. Every subcontractor must certify to the main contractor, by affidavit, that it has verified each of its new employees. Utah Code 63G-12-302(3)(a)(ii) Utah Code 63G-12-302(3)(b)(ii)
• Voluntary state registration (‘Verify Utah’) renewal: 2 years from filing of the registration with the Department of Commerce. If missed: registration expires; the employer drops off the public list (no penalty) Utah Code 13-47-203(3)

Virginia does not require most private employers to use E-Verify. If you average more than 50 employees and win a state-agency contract over $50,000, use E-Verify for new hires who work on that contract. The law does not name subcontractors, but your contract may. If you do not comply, the state can bar you from its contracts for up to a year, until you enroll.

• Public contracts. Employers averaging more than 50 employees over the prior 12 months that enter a contract over $50,000 with a Commonwealth (state) agency to perform work or provide services. Local-government contracts are not covered by this section. Register and participate in E-Verify to check newly hired employees who will work on the state contract. The duty falls on the contracting employer; the section does not mention subcontractors. Va. Code 2.2-4308.2(B) Va. Code 2.2-4308.2(B)
• Penalties. An employer that does not comply is debarred from contracting with any state agency for up to one year. The debarment ends once it registers and participates in E-Verify. Va. Code 2.2-4308.2(C)

Vermont has no E-Verify law. Private employers, including state and local contractors, may use E-Verify voluntarily, and if they do, only the federal rules apply. Check any government or client contract for an E-Verify clause.

Washington has no E-Verify law. Private employers, including state and local contractors, may use E-Verify voluntarily, and if they do, only the federal rules apply. Check any government or client contract for an E-Verify clause.

Wisconsin has no E-Verify law. Private employers, including state and local contractors, may use E-Verify voluntarily, and if they do, only the federal rules apply. Check any government or client contract for an E-Verify clause.

West Virginia has no E-Verify law, and its state contracts law adds none. But every employer must check a worker’s legal status or work authorization before hiring, using documents such as an ID, passport or visa, and keep that proof at the workplace. You may use E-Verify voluntarily under the federal rules; check any government or client contract for an E-Verify clause.

• Verify legal status or authorization to work: before employment begins precondition from decision to hire or contract with the individual. If missed: knowing employment of an unauthorized worker is a misdemeanor (21-1B-5(b)); not keeping proof records is a $100-per-record misdemeanor (21-1B-5(a)) W. Va. Code 21-1B-3(b)
• Penalties. No E-Verify penalty. Under the state unauthorized-worker law: knowingly failing to keep proof-of-status records is a misdemeanor, $100 per record. Knowingly employing an unauthorized worker is a misdemeanor: $100 to $1,000 per violation (first), $500 to $5,000 (second), $1,000 to $10,000 and/or 30 days to 1 year in jail (third or later). Third or later convictions can lead to license suspension or permanent revocation. W. Va. Code 21-1B-5(a) W. Va. Code 21-1B-7(a)

Wyoming has no E-Verify law. Private employers, including state and local contractors, may use E-Verify voluntarily, and if they do, only the federal rules apply. Check any government or client contract for an E-Verify clause.