---
updatedAt: 2026-10-05T13:06:54.000Z
agentTools:
  projectIndex: https://docs.checkhq.com/llms.txt
---

# The tax parameter object

Represents the tax parameter that are available to companies and employees.

Use the tax parameter to show the information that needs to be collected from companies and employees.

```json
{
  "id": "spa_h7zSw4NITCtef4Taf5yA",
  "label": "Federal Employer Identification Number",
  "description": "Enter your FEIN in the following format XX-XXXXXXX",
  "name": "federal_ein",
  "type": "string",
  "options": null,
  "depends_on": null,
  "editable": true,
  "effective_datable": false,
  "can_be_applied_for": true,
  "jurisdiction": "jur_mRpDYFyFSUD1ArZdrMis",
  "tax": "tax_afRJqY785WwYH0PrtFde",
  "setting": null,
  "valid_formats": [
      {
        "format": "##-#######"
      }
    ],
  "definitions": null,
  "default_value": null,
  "help_links": null,
  "submitter": "company"
}
```

<Table align={["left","left"]}>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>
        Attribute
      </th>

      <th>
        Description
      </th>
    </tr>
  </thead>

  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>
        `id`  
        _string_
      </td>

      <td>
        Unique identifier for the tax parameter.
      </td>
    </tr>

    <tr>
      <td>
        `label`  
        _string_
      </td>

      <td>
        Short human-readable description identifying the tax parameter.
      </td>
    </tr>

    <tr>
      <td>
        `description`  
        _string_
      </td>

      <td>
        Human-readable description identifying the tax parameter.
      </td>
    </tr>

    <tr>
      <td>
        `name`  
        _string_
      </td>

      <td>
        Non-unique identifier for the tax parameter.
      </td>
    </tr>

    <tr>
      <td>
        `options`  
        _list_
      </td>

      <td>
        **(Optional)** List representation of the allowed value options when the *type == select*. See [Tax Parameter Option](https://docs.checkhq.com/reference/tax-parameter-option).
      </td>
    </tr>

    <tr>
      <td>
        `type`  
        _string_
      </td>

      <td>
        The tax parameter type. See [types of tax parameters](https://docs.checkhq.com/reference/types-of-tax-parameters) for a complete list of supported types.
      </td>
    </tr>

    <tr>
      <td>
        `depends_on`  
        _object_
      </td>

      <td>
        **(Optional)** Representation of the dependency that this tax parameter has on another tax parameter. See [Tax Parameter Dependency](https://docs.checkhq.com/reference/tax-parameter-dependency) object. Dependencies are **not fully supported for employee tax parameters.**
      </td>
    </tr>

    <tr>
      <td>
        `editable`  
        _boolean_
      </td>

      <td>
        Indicates whether the tax parameter can be edited. For an employee with an [IRS lock-in letter](https://docs.checkhq.com/docs/collecting-employee-information-from-employers#irs-lock-in-letters) on file, `editable` is `false` for the nine federal W-4 elections.
      </td>
    </tr>

    <tr>
      <td>
        `effective_datable`  
        _boolean_
      </td>

      <td>
        Indicates whether the tax parameter can be effective dated.
      </td>
    </tr>

    <tr>
      <td>
        `can_be_applied_for`  
        _boolean_
      </td>

      <td>
        Indicates whether the tax parameter can be marked as applied for.
      </td>
    </tr>

    <tr>
      <td>
        `jurisdiction`  
        _string_
      </td>

      <td>
        ID of tax parameter’s jurisdiction.
      </td>
    </tr>

    <tr>
      <td>
        `tax`  
        _string_
      </td>

      <td>
        **(Optional)** ID of the tax parameter’s related tax.
      </td>
    </tr>

    <tr>
      <td>
        `setting`  
        _object_
      </td>

      <td>
        **(Optional)** Representation of the tax parameter. See [Tax Parameter Setting](https://docs.checkhq.com/reference/tax-parameter-setting).
      </td>
    </tr>

    <tr>
      <td>
        `valid_formats`  
        _list_
      </td>

      <td>
        **(Optional)** List representation of the accepted formats for a particular tax parameter.  

        A "#" indicates any numeric number (0-9) and a "@" indicates any alphanumeric value (0-9 or A-Z) at that particular position. Any other character outside of those two represent the actual character.  

        For example: If the format is "12-###" then the accepted values must start with "12-".
      </td>
    </tr>

    <tr>
      <td>
        `definitions`  
        _list_
      </td>

      <td>
        **(Optional)** A list of effectively dated tax parameter definitions organized by the effective date sorted in a descending order. See [Tax Parameter Definition](https://docs.checkhq.com/reference/tax-parameter-definition).
      </td>
    </tr>

    <tr>
      <td>
        `default_value`  
        _string_
      </td>

      <td>
        **(Optional)** The default value used for the tax parameter for informational purposes. The `default_value` for a parameter with a non-empty `options` list will always correspond to the value of one of those options.  
        **Note:** The API does **not** automatically populate the tax parameter with this value.
      </td>
    </tr>

    <tr>
      <td>
        `help_links`  
        _list_
      </td>

      <td>
        **(Optional)** A list representing different websites that contain further information associated with the tax parameter. The objects within the list will always have a *label* and *url* field.
      </td>
    </tr>

    <tr>
      <td>
        `submitter`  
        _string_
      </td>

      <td>
        The entity that should submit this parameter. Can be either `company` or `employee`.
      </td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</Table>