How to Get a Copy of Your Pay Stub from a Former or Closed Employer
By the Check Stub Generator editorial team | Updated September 29, 2026 | 9 minute read
The short answer
Start with your old employer's payroll portal, then ask HR or payroll in writing. If the company closed, ask its former owner, accountant or payroll provider. If none of that works, use bank records and an IRS wage and income transcript as proof of pay, or rebuild a stub from your real figures.
You need a copy of an old pay stub. A landlord asked for it. A lender wants it. Maybe you are just sorting out your own records.
The problem is that you left that job a while ago. Your login may not work. Your old boss may not answer. Or the company may not exist anymore.
Do not panic. There are several ways to get what you need, and this guide walks through each one in order, from the easiest to the hardest. It also shows what to do when every door seems shut.
What to gather first
Any request goes faster when you have your facts ready. Write these down before you contact anyone:
- Your full name, as it appeared on payroll
- The company name and the office or store where you worked
- Your start and end dates
- Your employee ID, if you know it (check an old email or badge)
- The exact pay dates or months you need
- The email address or mailing address where you want the stubs sent
Keep your full Social Security number out of emails. If they need it, they can ask for the last four digits by phone or through a secure form.
Also decide how many stubs you really need. Most landlords and lenders only ask for the two or three newest ones. If that is your case, see how many stubs a rental application asks for before you chase stubs from years back.
Way 1: Log in to the payroll portal
This is the fastest route. Many employers keep your stubs online in a portal, and some let former workers keep using it. Common systems include ADP, Paychex, Workday and UKG, plus company sites built on top of them.
Here is what to try:
- Find the portal address. Look through old emails from payroll or HR. Search for words like "pay statement," "direct deposit" or "welcome to your portal."
- Try a password reset. Use the email address you had back then, or your personal one. Reset links often work even after you leave.
- Check for a former employee page. Some big companies run a separate site for people who no longer work there.
- Download everything you can. If you get in, save every stub and tax form as a PDF right away. Access can end without warning.
Big employers each have their own setup. If you worked at one of these, we wrote a guide for each: Walmart, Target, FedEx, CVS, Dollar Tree, Verizon, Lowe's, HCA, ABM and Old Navy.
Way 2: Ask HR or payroll in writing
If the portal is a dead end, ask the company directly. Use email or a letter, not just a phone call. A written request gives you a record of when you asked.
Keep it short and polite. Here is a message you can copy and change:
Subject: Request for copies of my pay stubs
Hello,
My name is [your full name]. I worked at [company name] in [city or store] from [start month and year] to [end month and year]. My employee ID was [ID, if you know it].
Please send me copies of my pay stubs for [the dates you need]. You can email them to this address or mail them to [your mailing address]. If they are held in an online portal, please tell me how I can get access.
Thank you for your help.
[Your name and phone number]
Send it to the HR email or the payroll department. If you cannot find either, check the company website, or call the main number and ask who handles records for former employees. Write down the name of the person you speak to and the date.
Give them a week or two, then follow up once. Most requests get answered. Be friendly, since the person reading your message did not cause your problem.
Need it today instead?
Enter your real pay details and preview your stub free on screen. Pay only if it looks right.
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Way 3: Ask the payroll provider
Many companies do not run payroll themselves. A payroll company does it for them, and that company may hold your records. Look for its name on:
- Old direct deposit emails
- Old pay stubs or pay statements
- The bank note that came with your deposit
- Your tax form, in some cases
Contact the provider and explain who you are and where you worked. Be ready for this: many providers will say they can only give records to the employer. In that case, ask the provider how a former worker can request them, and then send that answer to your old HR team.
If the company closed
A closed company is harder, but not hopeless. Payroll records do not vanish the day the doors close. Federal wage law tells employers to keep payroll records for at least three years, and someone usually still holds them. Try these people in this order:
- The former owner or manager. Find them on a professional networking site or through old coworkers. Ask politely and keep it short.
- The company's accountant or bookkeeper. They often keep payroll files. A small business almost always had one.
- The payroll provider. See Way 3 above. Providers keep data for a while after a client closes.
- The new owner. If another business bought the company, it may have taken the records.
- Old coworkers. Someone may have saved stubs or know who runs the records now.
- Your state labor or wage agency. Ask what payroll records it can share or help you get. Many states also keep wage records for unemployment claims. What they release depends on the state.
If you only need proof that you earned money there, the next sections show other papers that work well.
What if they will not help?
Federal law does not force an employer to hand you a pay stub. It does force them to keep payroll records for at least three years. Many states go further. Some require stubs every pay period. Some let you inspect or copy your pay records, and a few set a deadline for the employer to respond. Look up your state's rules to see where you stand.
If your old employer ignores you, you can contact your state labor department. Explain what you asked for and when. It is free to ask, and the request itself may get things moving.
One warning: do not pay a website that promises to "pull" your old stubs from your employer. Employers do not release records to random sites. Stay with the routes in this guide.
No stub? Other proof that works
Sometimes you cannot get the original stub. That is okay, since a landlord or lender mostly wants proof of what you earned. These papers can help:
Bank statements
Direct deposits show what hit your account and when. Download the statements from your bank site. This is free and fast, and it makes a strong backup.
Your W2 or an IRS wage and income transcript
The W2 is your yearly tax form. If you cannot get it from your old employer, the IRS can give you a wage and income transcript. It shows data that employers reported, and it covers up to ten tax years. It is not an exact copy of the W2, and it shows yearly totals, not pay period detail. Our guide to getting your tax form without your employer shows the steps.
Tax return records
A filed tax return shows your income for the year. The IRS also offers return transcripts that lenders often accept.
An offer letter or employment letter
A letter that states your pay rate and job title can bridge the gap, especially for a new job.
For a fuller list, read about eight papers that show what you earn, or see what a lender expects to see.
Last option: rebuild your stub
Say you tried the portal, HR, the provider and the state, and you still have nothing. Or your deadline is tomorrow. You can rebuild a stub from your own records.
Be clear about what this is. A rebuilt stub is a new document you make from figures you enter. It is not a copy issued by your old employer, so never present it as one.
It only makes sense when every number is real. Making up income to win a loan, a lease or a benefit is fraud, no matter which tool you use. Lenders and landlords often check stubs against bank deposits and tax records, so wrong numbers tend to show up fast.
Where to find your real figures
- Pay rate and hours: old schedules, offer letters, texts or emails from your boss
- Take home pay: the deposit amounts on your bank statements
- Yearly totals and taxes: your W2 or IRS transcript
- Deductions: benefit sign up papers or old emails from HR
Not sure how the totals fit together? See how running totals are built and where each deduction comes from. If you need a refresher on the layout, here is a plain look at every part of a stub.
How to rebuild it in four steps
- Enter your details. Pick the state where you worked, your filing status and your pay period. Add the company name, your name and your pay.
- Preview it for free. Check each line on screen. Compare the net pay with your bank deposit. Change anything that is off.
- Pay $6.99. Use a debit card, credit card or PayPal on an encrypted checkout page. There is no account and no subscription.
- Download the PDF. It arrives by email within minutes, so double check your email address.
What it costs
- Preview: free
- One pay stub: $6.99, with any of seven templates
- Your first classic stub: free for new users
- Typos found later: email us within 24 hours and we fix them
All options side by side
| Option | Cost | Speed | What you get | Best when |
|---|
| Payroll portal | Free | Minutes | Original stubs | Your login still works |
|---|
| HR or payroll request | Free | Days to weeks | Original stubs | The company is still open |
|---|
| Payroll provider | Free, or a small fee | Days | Original stubs | You know who ran payroll |
|---|
| Former owner or accountant | Free | Varies | Stubs or payroll records | The company closed |
|---|
| State labor agency | Free | Weeks | Help getting records | Your employer ignores you |
|---|
| IRS wage and income transcript | Free | Fast online, about 10 business days by mail | Yearly totals, not stubs | You need proof of a tax year |
|---|
| Bank statements | Free | Minutes | Proof of deposits | You need a backup |
|---|
| Rebuilt stub | Preview free, then $6.99 | About two minutes | A new stub from your real figures | Nothing else works, or you need it today |
|---|
Mistakes to avoid
- Waiting too long. Records get harder to find each year. Ask now.
- Asking by phone only. Follow up in writing so you have proof.
- Sending your full Social Security number by email. Share only the last four digits.
- Mixing up gross and net pay. If that is confusing, read why take home pay is smaller.
- Guessing at numbers. Use records. Your figures should match your bank and tax papers.
Questions people ask
How can I get a copy of an old pay stub?
Start with your old employer's payroll portal, since many keep your stubs online after you leave. If that fails, email HR or payroll in writing. You can also ask the payroll provider the company used. If the company closed, contact the former owner or the accountant.
How far back can I get old pay stubs?
Federal wage law tells employers to keep payroll records for at least three years, and some states require longer. Many companies keep records even longer. Portals may hold fewer years, so ask HR if the stubs you need are older.
Can a former employer refuse to give me my pay stubs?
Federal law does not force employers to hand out pay stubs, but many states do, and some let you inspect or copy your pay records within a set time. Rules differ by state. If your employer ignores you, contact your state labor department.
How do I get pay stubs from a company that closed?
Try the former owner, the company's accountant or bookkeeper, and the payroll provider that ran its payroll. Check whether another business bought it. If none of that works, ask your state labor or wage agency what records it can share.
Is a W2 the same as a pay stub?
No. A pay stub covers one pay period. A W2 is a yearly tax form that totals your wages and the taxes withheld for the whole year. Some lenders and landlords want both.
Can I get old pay stubs from the IRS?
No. The IRS does not hold pay stubs. It can give you a wage and income transcript, which shows yearly figures your employers reported. It covers up to ten tax years, but it is not a copy of your W2 and it does not show pay period detail.
Is a rebuilt pay stub the same as the original?
No. A rebuilt stub is a new document made from figures you enter. It is not a copy issued by your old employer, so do not present it as one. It works as a record of earnings when the numbers are real and match your bank deposits and tax forms.
How many pay stubs do I need for a rental or a loan?
Most landlords and lenders ask for the two or three most recent stubs. Rules vary, so ask before you go hunting for stubs from years ago.
The bottom line
Work through the list in order. Try the portal first, then HR, then the payroll provider. If the company closed, chase the owner, the accountant or the provider. Keep bank statements and tax records as backup.
If you still come up empty, or your deadline will not wait, you can rebuild a stub from your real figures. Check every line on screen, and pay only when it matches your records.
Sources for federal facts: the U.S. Department of Labor recordkeeping fact sheet and the IRS page on wage and income transcripts. This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Pay record rules differ by state and change over time, so check with your state labor department or a professional for your case.