How to Get Pay Stubs from a Previous Employer

March 2025 · 6 min read

Applying for an apartment, mortgage, or loan and need old pay stubs? Maybe you lost them, deleted the emails, or your former employer used a portal you no longer have access to. Whatever the reason, here's exactly how to get pay stubs from a previous employer — and what to do if they won't cooperate.

Step 1: Check Old Payroll Portals

Most medium and large employers use payroll services that maintain employee self-service portals. Even after leaving, you may still be able to access your old pay stubs:

ADP: Go to my.adp.com — former employees can often still log in for up to 3 years after leaving
Paychex: Access paychex.com/employee-portal with your former credentials
Workday: Your login may still work — try your old company email credentials
Gusto: Former employees retain access at gusto.com
QuickBooks Payroll: Contact the employer directly — they control access

Check your old emails for any payroll setup messages that included login instructions. The username was often your work email address.

Step 2: Contact HR or Payroll Directly

If portal access doesn't work, contact your former employer's HR or payroll department directly. Here's a template you can use:

Subject: Request for Pay Stubs — [Your Name]

Hello,

My name is [Your Name] and I was employed at [Company] from [Start Date] to [End Date], Employee ID [if known].

I need copies of my pay stubs for [specify months/dates] for income verification purposes. Could you please send these to [your email address] at your earliest convenience?

Thank you,
[Your Name]
[Phone Number]

Step 3: Request Your W-2 Instead

If individual pay stubs aren't available, your W-2 form shows your total annual earnings and tax withholdings and is widely accepted as income verification. Your former employer is legally required to provide W-2s for up to 4 years after the tax year.

You can also get W-2 transcripts directly from the IRS — go to irs.gov and request a Wage and Income Transcript (Form 4506-T). It's free and shows income reported by all employers.

Your Legal Rights

Employers are required by federal law (FLSA) to maintain payroll records for at least 3 years. Many states require longer retention periods:

California: 3 years minimum
New York: 6 years
Federal: 3 years for payroll records, 2 years for wage rate records

If your employer refuses to provide pay stubs for records they're required to keep, you can file a complaint with the Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division at dol.gov.

What If the Company Is Closed?

If your former employer has gone out of business, try these options:

IRS wage transcript: The IRS has records of all income reported to them — request a Wage and Income Transcript at irs.gov/get-transcript
State unemployment records: Your state's workforce agency has wage records from employer-reported unemployment insurance contributions
Social Security Administration: Request your earnings history at ssa.gov — shows all income reported to Social Security
Bank statements: Direct deposit records showing paychecks serve as income verification

When You Need Stubs for Current Income

If you're self-employed, freelancing, or working gig jobs and need pay stubs for your current income — not from a previous employer — you can generate them yourself using a professional pay stub generator. Enter your actual earnings information and the tool calculates all taxes automatically.

Need Pay Stubs for Current Income?

Self-employed or freelance? Create professional pay stubs in minutes. Free preview, $5 to download.

Create Pay Stub Free →