SOP - Calsavers Exemption

Sugam Sharma

CalSavers Exemption — Employer With a 401(k)

Who Qualifies

An employer is exempt from CalSavers if they offer a qualified 401(k) plan to employees.

This includes:

• Traditional 401(k)
• Safe Harbor 401(k)
• Solo 401(k) only if there are no eligible non-owner employees
  
  

Step-by-Step: Claiming the Exemption

Step 1: Confirm the 401(k) Is Active

• Plan must be currently active
• Employees must be eligible to participate under the plan terms
• A terminated or frozen plan does not qualify

Step 2: Log In to CalSavers

Go to:
https://employer.calsavers.com

Log in or register using:

• Legal business name
• EIN
• California payroll info

Enter EIN, CA payroll tax number and hit “Request” to get a code.



Enter the information being asked and hit submit



If this error appears please give call to Calsavers to get an access code

• • Note : 
    • See formations documents or previous years Tax return for Federal EIN/TIN

 

• For Gusto

 

• For CA Payroll tax number go to Gusto → Switch company → Tax & Compliance → Tax Setup

Scroll down to “EDD Account Number” which is CA payroll tax number in Calsavers

• For ADP:
  • Log in to ADP → Select company → Taxes → Federal,state, and local tax profile
    
     
    
    Within  Federal,state, and local tax profile →  California → State Income Tax
    
     
    
    Note : Calsavers requires 8 Digit CA payroll tax number and Employer Payroll Tax Account Number is 7 digits, for last digit use “check digit” for ADP.
    
    

Step 3: Claim Exemption

      From the employer dashboard:

• Select “Claim Exemption”
  
  
• Choose “I already offer a qualified retirement plan”
  
  
• Select 401(k) from the plan type list
  
  
  
  Fill out the Company Information and hit Next-
  
  

Fill out the representative’s name and hit Submit

Step 4: Certify and Submit

• Certify the information is accurate
• Submit the exemption
• Save confirmation (email or screenshot)
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Print or save a PDF copy of the completed CalSavers 401(k) exemption confirmation page.
• Upload the confirmation to the client’s respective Google Drive folder (Compliance / Retirement or equivalent).
• Ensure the file name clearly reflects the exemption (e.g., CalSavers 401(k) Exemption Confirmation – YYYY-MM-DD).
• Send an update/confirmation email to the client.
• Include and attach (or hyperlink) the 401(k) exemption certificate/confirmation link in the email for the client’s records.