What the Statement of Compliance actually is
The Statement of Compliance is the signed certification page that comes with every weekly WH-347 certified payroll. It's page 2 of the standard WH-347 form, or a separate document using identical wording if your agency lets you submit the payroll and the certification separately. Either way, it has to go out every week, attached to the payroll it covers.
Signing it means you're certifying two things: the payroll data is accurate and complete, and every laborer or mechanic on the job was paid no less than the required Davis-Bacon prevailing wage rate, including fringe benefits, for the work they actually did.
What sections 4(a), 4(b), and 4(c) mean
Below the main certification, the form breaks fringe benefit payment into three parts.
- 4(a) covers fringe benefits paid into approved plans, funds, or programs (health insurance, pension, etc.), in amounts at least equal to what the applicable wage determination requires. The basic cash hourly rate and overtime rate still have to show up on the face of the payroll.
- 4(b) covers the alternative: fringe benefits paid directly to the worker in cash instead of, or in addition to, contributions to a plan.
- 4(c) is where exceptions go. If a worker's classification, rate, or fringe payment doesn't fit cleanly into 4(a) or 4(b), it gets explained here, not left blank.
Leaving 4(c) blank when there's an exception is one of the most common reasons a certified payroll gets kicked back for correction.
Who has to sign it
The contractor or subcontractor, or an agent who actually paid or supervised the payment of the workers that week, has to sign. Not whoever happens to be free on Friday. The signer needs current knowledge of that week's payroll, because they're the one certifying it's accurate.
The form also asks for the signer's phone number and email address, plus the date signed. A legally valid electronic signature works. A scanned or photocopied signature does not, DOL treats that as not meeting the requirement.
What happens if it's wrong
The Statement of Compliance doesn't need to be notarized, but it's not a formality either. Signing it while knowing something on the payroll is false, fictitious, or fraudulent falls under 18 U.S.C. § 1001: a fine and up to 5 years in prison. On top of that, falsified certified payroll can mean civil penalties and getting barred from future federally funded work.
That's the point of the certification: it puts legal weight behind the number on the page, not just an internal signoff. If you're filling this out by hand every week and want to see what a filled Statement of Compliance actually looks like before committing to anything, there's a no-signup demo that walks through a full weekly payroll, form included.
Frequently asked
Does the Statement of Compliance need to be notarized?+
No. It doesn't require notarization, but it's still a legal certification. Signing it while knowing the payroll data is false can lead to criminal penalties.
Can I submit the Statement of Compliance separately from the payroll?+
Yes, as long as it uses identical wording to the version on page 2 of the WH-347 and covers the same payroll period.
Who is allowed to sign the Statement of Compliance?+
The contractor or subcontractor, or an agent who paid or supervised the payment of the workers covered by that week's payroll. They need current, direct knowledge of the payroll.
Is an electronic signature valid on the Statement of Compliance?+
Yes, as long as it's a legally valid electronic signature that verifies the signer's identity. A scanned copy of a handwritten signature does not count.