Form W-4MN (2026): Minnesota Withholding Certificate

What is Form W-4MN?

Form W-4MN, the Minnesota Employee Withholding Certificate, is how you tell your employer the number of Minnesota withholding allowances to use, and any extra Minnesota income tax to take out of each paycheck. It is issued by the Minnesota Department of Revenue.

The federal Form W-4 no longer sets Minnesota withholding. The instructions say that if you completed a 2026 Form W-4, you must complete Form W-4MN too. If no W-4MN is in effect, your employer withholds as if you claimed zero allowances. You complete either Section 1 (allowances) or Section 2 (an exemption from Minnesota withholding), never both.

FileIt asks each step in plain English, adds up your allowances, and works through the Itemized Deductions and Additional Income Worksheet for you if you itemize or have nonwage income. It then prints everything into the official 2026 W-4MN PDF for you to sign and give to your employer.

Who fills it: Employees who work in Minnesota; the employer adds its details when it must send a copy to the state
Given to: Your employer
When: When you start a job, and when your filing status or personal or financial situation changes
Exempt claims: A new W-4MN by February 15 of each year you claim exempt
Penalty: $500 for filing a false Form W-4MN
Edition: 2026 (Rev. 4/26)

Who needs to fill out Form W-4MN?

New employees in Minnesota — anyone who completes a 2026 federal Form W-4 must also complete a W-4MN.
Current employees whose filing status is changing, or whose personal or financial situation has changed.
Employees who qualify to claim exempt from Minnesota withholding, such as military spouses domiciled in another state, enrolled American Indians living and working on their reservation, Minnesota National Guard and active-duty military members for their military pay, and military retirees for their military retirement pay.
Residents of North Dakota or Michigan who work in Minnesota and don't want Minnesota tax withheld use Form MWR instead.

When to use Form W-4MN

When you begin employment.
When you change your filing status, or reasonably expect to change it next year.
When your personal or financial situation changes — a new job for you or your spouse, a new dependent, or more nonwage income.
By February 15 each year you want to keep claiming exempt from Minnesota withholding; otherwise your employer withholds as if you were single with zero allowances.

What you need before you start

Your name, Social Security number (required for the form to be valid) and permanent address.
Your marital status and whether someone else can claim you as a dependent.
Whether you or your spouse have other jobs, and roughly what the second job or your spouse earns.
The number of dependents you will claim, and whether you will file as head of household.
If you itemize: estimates of your 2026 Minnesota itemized deductions, any additional standard deduction and your taxable nonwage income.
If you claim exempt: which reason applies, and your state of domicile or reservation name if asked.

What’s on Form W-4MN

The 2026 edition has 5 pages. FileIt asks for it in 6 parts, and it is signed by Employee:

Your details and marital statusEmployee
Section 1: Determining Minnesota allowancesEmployee
Itemized Deductions and Additional Income Worksheet (page 3)Employee
Section 2: Exemption from Minnesota withholdingEmployee
SignatureEmployee
EmployersEmployer

How to fill out Form W-4MN, step by step

1 Your details and marital status

Enter your name, Social Security number and permanent address, and check one marital status: Single (also married but legally separated, or spouse is a nonresident alien); Married; or Married, but withhold at higher Single rate. A nonresident alien checks Single whatever their actual marital status.

2 Section 1, steps A–F: Allowances

A: enter 1 if no one else can claim you as a dependent. B: enter 1 if you are single with one job, married with one job and a spouse who doesn't work, or your second job's or spouse's wages are $1,500 or less. C: enter 1 if you are married, or 0 if you are married and have a working spouse or more than one job. D: the number of dependents you'll claim. E: enter 1 if you'll file as head of household. F is the total.

3 Itemized Deductions and Additional Income Worksheet

If you'll itemize on your 2026 Minnesota return or have taxable nonwage income, use the page 3 worksheet: your itemized deductions, minus $30,600 (married filing jointly), $23,000 (head of household) or $15,300 (single or married filing separately), plus any additional standard deduction, minus nonwage income, divided by $5,300 with no fractions, plus step F. The result (not less than zero) goes on line 1.

4 Lines 1 and 2

Line 1 is your Minnesota allowances — step F, or step 10 of the worksheet. Line 2 is any additional Minnesota tax you want withheld each pay period, as a dollar amount (not a percentage).

5 Section 2: Exemption from Minnesota withholding

Instead of Section 1, check one box if you qualify: A — exempt from both federal and Minnesota withholding; B — not exempt federally but no Minnesota liability last year and none expected this year; C — military spouse domiciled in another state; D — enrolled American Indian living and working on your reservation; E — Minnesota National Guard or active-duty military pay; F — military pension or retirement pay. You can't claim exempt if someone can claim you as a dependent, your income exceeds $1,300 and it includes more than $350 of unearned income.

6 Sign and date

Sign and date the certificate, add a daytime phone number, and give it to your employer. The employer section at the bottom is for your employer.

Common mistakes to avoid

Completing both Section 1 and Section 2 — the form is then invalid.
Leaving out your Social Security number; the form isn't valid without it.
Assuming your federal W-4 covers Minnesota. It doesn't; complete a W-4MN as well.
Claiming allowances on every job. Figure the total on one W-4MN, and usually claim them all on the highest-paying job and zero on the others.
Entering a percentage on line 2 instead of a dollar amount per pay period.
Forgetting to renew an exempt claim by February 15 each year.
Claiming exempt as a nonresident alien, which isn't allowed.

After you fill it out

Sign and date the form and give it to your employer — not to the Department of Revenue. Your employer uses line 1 to work out your Minnesota withholding.

Your employer must send a copy to the Department of Revenue if you claim more than 10 allowances, if you check box A or B in Section 2 and your wages are expected to exceed $200 a week, or if the employer believes you aren't entitled to the allowances claimed.

FileIt keeps the signed PDF in your vault. Review it each year and whenever your situation changes; if too little tax is withheld, the department may assess penalty and interest when you file.

Fill out Form W-4MN online with FileIt

Pick the person. Choose someone from People and FileIt fills in their name, date of birth, address and other details it already knows.
Answer plain-language questions. One part of the form at a time, with the official help text beside each question — 41 fields in all. Your answers save as you go.
Check the live preview. Watch your answers land on the real Minnesota Department of Revenue form, and let FileIt do any worksheet arithmetic.
Generate the official PDF. FileIt prints your answers into the agency’s own PDF and files it in that person’s folder in your vault. Sign it, or send it for e-signature.

FileIt fills the form — it never files or submits anything for you. Deliver the finished form to whoever asked for it, the way the form’s instructions say.

Start Form W-4MN now — it’s free

Form W-4MN: frequently asked questions

Do I need a W-4MN if I filled out a federal W-4?

Yes. The instructions say that if you completed a 2026 Form W-4, you must complete Form W-4MN to determine your Minnesota withholding allowances.

What happens if I don't give my employer a W-4MN?

If no W-4MN is in effect, the number of withholding allowances is zero. Under the employer instructions, an employer with a 2019 or earlier federal W-4 on file may use those allowances; otherwise it withholds as if you are single with zero allowances.

How many allowances should I claim?

Add up steps A to E in Section 1. If you itemize or have significant nonwage income, the page 3 worksheet adjusts that number. FileIt does both calculations for you.

Can I claim exempt from Minnesota withholding?

Only if one of the Section 2 reasons applies, and not if someone can claim you as a dependent while your income exceeds $1,300 and includes more than $350 of unearned income. Nonresident aliens can't claim exempt. You must renew by February 15 each year.

I live in North Dakota or Michigan and work in Minnesota. What do I file?

If you don't want Minnesota tax withheld, you complete Form MWR, Reciprocity Exemption/Affidavit of Residency, by February 28 each year or within 30 days of starting work or changing residence.

Who do I contact with questions?

The Minnesota Department of Revenue: www.revenue.state.mn.us, [email protected], or 651-282-9999 / 1-800-657-3594.

Official sources

Blank form (PDF), published by Minnesota Department of Revenue: https://www.revenue.state.mn.us/sites/default/files/2026-04/w-4mn.pdf
Official instructions and guidance: https://www.revenue.state.mn.us/sites/default/files/2026-04/w-4mn.pdf
Edition shown on this page: 2026 (Rev. 4/26) (checked 2026-09-28).

FileIt is not affiliated with or endorsed by Minnesota Department of Revenue or any government. This page explains the form in general terms and is not legal, tax or immigration advice. Always read the official instructions, and check that you are using the edition the recipient accepts. Page last reviewed 2026-09-28.