To get a pay stub when you’re paid by direct deposit, log in to your employer’s online payroll portal and download the statement as a PDF; if there’s no portal, send a written request to HR for the pay periods you need. Federal law doesn’t require your employer to hand you a pay stub, but most states do, and the same records exist either way because the Fair Labor Standards Act requires employers to keep payroll data for at least three years.1eCFR. 29 CFR 516.5 – Records to Be Preserved 3 Years
One boundary worth knowing before you start. The FLSA’s recordkeeping rule exists so Department of Labor investigators can inspect payroll during audits, not so employees can demand copies.2U.S. Department of Labor. Are Pay Stubs Required? – Fair Labor Standards Act Advisor Your right to receive an itemized wage statement comes from state law. A majority of states require one with each paycheck, but roughly nine states have no pay stub requirement at all. What your employer must include, and how quickly they must respond to a request, depends on where you work.
Download It From the Payroll Portal
Most employers that pay by direct deposit use a third-party payroll processor such as ADP, Paychex, Gusto, or Paylocity, and each of these systems provides a self-service portal where you can view and download every pay stub the employer has issued you. This is the fastest route and usually the only one you need.
For a first-time login you need three pieces of information: the portal’s web address, your employee ID or username, and the temporary password created when your account was set up. All three are typically handed out during onboarding. After you sign in, the system will prompt you to set a permanent password and configure multi-factor authentication, often a code sent to your phone.
Once you’re in, look for a section labeled “Pay History,” “Earnings Statements,” or “Pay Stubs.” You can filter by year or pay period and open any single entry to see gross pay, taxes withheld, benefit deductions, and the net amount deposited. Download each statement as a PDF. Lenders, landlords, and government agencies prefer PDFs because the formatting is preserved and the file can’t be silently edited.
If you’ve lost your credentials, use the portal’s password reset link before contacting anyone. Most systems verify your identity by email or text and let you back in within a few minutes.
Ask HR in Writing
Some employers, especially smaller ones, don’t use a portal. Others may have deactivated your access. In either case, send a written request to HR or whoever handles payroll. Email works. List the exact pay periods you need. A written request creates a dated record, which matters if the employer stalls and you later need to escalate.
Employers that pull records manually may need a few business days. In states that require pay stubs on request, the statute often sets a deadline, commonly 10 to 21 days from a written request. The records may arrive by encrypted email, through a secure file-sharing link, or as a printout you pick up. Expect to sign a receipt if the documents include your Social Security number.
Employers can generally charge a reasonable fee for duplicate copies, but only to cover actual reproduction cost, not administrative time. Many states also require at least one free copy per year.
Electronic-Only Stubs and Your Consent
A small number of states require employers to get your written or electronic consent before they can move you to electronic-only pay stubs. If you live in one of those states and your employer never asked, you can request paper copies going forward. Most states, though, let employers deliver stubs electronically by default as long as you have a reasonable way to view and print them. Your state labor department’s website will have the specific rule.
Getting Pay Stubs After You’ve Left the Job
Employers commonly disable portal access on your last day, and no federal law requires them to keep it open. The payroll records themselves still exist, because the FLSA’s three-year retention rule applies whether you work there or not.1eCFR. 29 CFR 516.5 – Records to Be Preserved 3 Years You have a few ways to reach them.
Ask Your Former Employer
Send the same kind of written request you’d send as a current employee, addressed to HR or payroll and listing the pay periods you need. Several states require employers to provide former employees with copies within a set timeframe. Even where the law is silent, many employers will cooperate rather than risk a complaint.
Request an IRS Wage and Income Transcript
The IRS holds the wage data your employers reported on your W-2s and 1099s. You can request a Wage and Income Transcript through your online IRS account or by mailing Form 4506-T.3Internal Revenue Service. Topic No. 159, How to Get a Wage and Income Transcript The transcript shows employer names and total compensation, which is enough to verify annual income, but it doesn’t break earnings down by pay period the way a stub does.
Request Social Security Earnings Information
The Social Security Administration keeps an earnings history for every employer that paid into the system on your behalf. Request it with Form SSA-7050. As of late 2024, the fee is $35 for certified yearly totals, $61 for a non-certified itemized statement, or $96 for a certified itemized statement.4Social Security Administration. Form SSA-7050 – Request for Social Security Earnings Information This is often the best route when a former employer has gone out of business or won’t respond.
If Your Employer Refuses
If you’re in a state that requires itemized wage statements and your employer won’t provide them, you have both informal and formal options.
Start with a written request that identifies the pay periods you need and, if you know it, cites your state’s pay stub requirement. Keep copies of everything. If the employer ignores you or refuses outright, your next move depends on the nature of the problem.
For missing records or a flat refusal, you can file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division online or at 1-866-487-9243. You’ll need your name and contact information, the employer’s name and address, a description of the work you did, the relevant dates, and how you were paid.5Worker.gov. Filing a Complaint With the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division The nearest WHD field office will contact you within two business days to decide whether to investigate.
State labor departments run their own wage complaint processes, and a state complaint is often the more effective route for a pay stub violation because the underlying right comes from state law. Some states also let employees sue directly for statutory penalties, with attorney’s fees available to a prevailing employee.