Countries › Dominican Republic › Guide › 7. Labor and employment › Employing people in the Dominican Republic: what a new employer must do and what a worker really costs
Employing people in the Dominican Republic: what a new employer must do and what a worker really costs
Last verified: 2026-10-30 · Status: Changing
Every personal work relationship is presumed to be an employment contract, and the contract is presumed indefinite. A new employer registers with the Ministerio de Trabajo through SIRLA within 15 days of starting and with the TSS before the first worker's first day. On a salary of RD$60,000 the monthly loaded cost runs about 25% above pay before vacation, profit share and severance risk.
USD figures use the Banco Central de la República Dominicana reference selling rate of RD$60.9007 per US dollar for 29 October 2026, as shown on its home page on the verification date, rounded to the cent.
Key facts
| Contract type presumed by law | Indefinite typeLey 16-92 art. 34, as of 2026-10-30 · in force |
|---|---|
| Deadline to file the first staff roster | 15 daysDecreto 258-93 art. 15, as of 2026-10-30 · in force |
| Annual staff roster renewal deadline | 15 January dateDecreto 258-93 art. 15, as of 2026-10-30 · in force |
| Social security payment deadline | Third working day of the month dateLey 87-01 art. 16, as of 2026-10-30 · in force |
| INFOTEP employer levy on fixed payroll | 1 %Ley 116-80 art. 24, as of 2026-10-30 · in force |
| Exchange rate used for USD conversions | 60.9007 DOP per USDBanco Central reference selling rate, as of 2026-10-29 · in force |
The rule
1. A contract of employment is presumed, until proven otherwise, in every personal work relationship. The contract that counts is presumed to be for an indefinite term.Ley 16-92, Código de Trabajo, art. 15 and art. 34, 1992-05-29 official text · verified 2026-10-30
2. An employer files a certified list of permanent staff (the DGT-3 roster) within 15 days of starting activity and renews it every year by 15 January.
Cost to do it: DGT-3 form RD$500 (about US$8.21) under Resolución 01-2022. Company and establishment registration in SIRLA is listed as free.Decreto 258-93, Reglamento del Código de Trabajo, art. 15, 1993-10-01 official text · verified 2026-10-30
Cost to do it: DGT-3 form RD$500 (about US$8.21) under Resolución 01-2022. Company and establishment registration in SIRLA is listed as free.Decreto 258-93, Reglamento del Código de Trabajo, art. 15, 1993-10-01 official text · verified 2026-10-30
3. The Ministry's service sheet says companies and establishments register in SIRLA within the first 15 days of activity, at no charge, through its online office.Ministerio de Trabajo service sheet, Registro de Empresas y sus Establecimientos, 2026-10-30 official text · verified 2026-10-30
4. Monthly changes to permanent staff are filed on a separate form within five days after the end of each month. Occasional staff are listed separately within the same five days, and seasonal staff within 15 days of the season starting.
Cost to do it: DGT-4, DGT-5 and DGT-11 cost RD$300 each (about US$4.93) under Resolución 01-2022.Decreto 258-93, Reglamento del Código de Trabajo, art. 17, art. 18 and art. 19, 1993-10-01 official text · verified 2026-10-30
Cost to do it: DGT-4, DGT-5 and DGT-11 cost RD$300 each (about US$4.93) under Resolución 01-2022.Decreto 258-93, Reglamento del Código de Trabajo, art. 17, art. 18 and art. 19, 1993-10-01 official text · verified 2026-10-30
5. All companies with salaried workers must register with the TSS. Registration is online and free, and each worker must be entered in the SUIR platform at the latest on the day before starting work so that occupational risk cover applies from day one.
Cost to do it: Free.TSS questions page, Questions 1, 6 and 18, 2026-10-30 official text · verified 2026-10-30
Cost to do it: Free.TSS questions page, Questions 1, 6 and 18, 2026-10-30 official text · verified 2026-10-30
6. Employers pay social security within the first three working days of each month.Ley 87-01 as amended, art. 16, 2001-05-09 official text · verified 2026-10-30
7. INFOTEP receives 1% of the fixed monthly payroll from the employer and 0.5% of profit shares and bonuses from workers, withheld by the employer.Ley 116-80, art. 24, 1980 official text · verified 2026-10-30
8. The employer posts a stamped schedule showing start and finish times, breaks and weekly rest, keeps a register of hours, and must file vacation schedules in the first 15 days of January.
Cost to do it: Overtime poster DGT-2 RD$300 (about US$4.93). The visit book DGT-8 costs RD$650 (about US$10.67) when not electronic.Ley 16-92, Código de Trabajo, art. 159, art. 161 and art. 186, 1992-05-29 official text · verified 2026-10-30
Cost to do it: Overtime poster DGT-2 RD$300 (about US$4.93). The visit book DGT-8 costs RD$650 (about US$10.67) when not electronic.Ley 16-92, Código de Trabajo, art. 159, art. 161 and art. 186, 1992-05-29 official text · verified 2026-10-30
9. Internal work rules are optional. The employer can write or change them alone, but they only take effect once posted and deposited with the labor authority, and discipline is limited to warnings and file notes.Ley 16-92, Código de Trabajo, art. 42, art. 130, art. 132 and art. 133, 1992-05-29 official text · verified 2026-10-30
| Item | Base | Rate or amount | On RD$60,000 a month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family health, employer | Salary up to RD$232,230 | 7.09% | RD$4,254 |
| Pension, employer | Salary up to RD$464,460 | 7.10% | RD$4,260 |
| Occupational risk, employer | Salary up to RD$92,892 | 1.10% to 1.30% | RD$660 to RD$780 |
| INFOTEP | Fixed payroll | 1% | RD$600 |
| Christmas salary accrual | Ordinary salary | One twelfth | RD$5,000 |
| Monthly total above salary | RD$14,774 to RD$14,894 |
Monthly employer cost above salary, before vacation pay, profit share and severance exposure
Worked example
- A company hires at RD$60,000 a month (US$985.21). The employer adds RD$14,774 (about US$242.59) to RD$14,894 (about US$244.56) a month, or 24.6% to 24.8% of salary. The worker gives up RD$1,824 for health and RD$1,722 for pension, before salary tax.
Step by step
- Get the RNC tax number and open the employer account in the Ministry's online office.
- Register the company and each establishment in SIRLA.
- Register with the TSS and receive the SUIR access key.
- Enter each worker in SUIR the day before the start date.
- File the DGT-3 within 15 days of starting.
- Post the schedule, salary tariff and vacation list.
- Pay TSS by the third working day and run INFOTEP and salary tax monthly.
Common traps
- The 15 January roster deadline repeats every year, even with no staff changes.
- A verbal hire is a full contract, so the absence of paperwork protects no one.
- The worker date in SUIR must match the date in the contract.
- Older Ministry listings show sirla.mt.gob.do. The service sheet now points to ovi.mt.gob.do.
Sources
- Código de Trabajo and complementary norms, Ministerio de Trabajo
- Ley 87-01 as amended, CNSS
- TSS questions page
- TSS caps notice
- Resolución 01-2022, Ministerio de Trabajo form fees
- Ministerio de Trabajo, company registration sheet
- Ley 116-80, INFOTEP
- Banco Central de la República Dominicana home page
Related pages
- labor/employment-contracts
- labor/social-security-contributions
- labor/minimum-wage
- taxes/payroll-taxes
- taxes/personal-income-tax
- entities/choosing-an-entity
- /country/dominican-republic/
- /calendar/
- Live dashboard
Related: Dominican Republic country profile · live dashboard · central bank and release calendar · our posts on X
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