New York Pay Stub Generator -- Free

New York has the third-largest state economy in the United States, anchored by the global financial center in Manhattan, a massive media and entertainment industry, one of the country's largest healthcare systems, and a technology sector that has grown substantially over the past two decades. The state's workforce is extraordinarily diverse -- from Wall Street traders earning eight figures to food delivery workers earning minimum wage in Brooklyn, from Broadway performers to data center technicians in upstate cities like Albany and Buffalo. New York also has some of the most complex and worker-protective payroll laws in the nation.

Generating a New York pay stub requires accuracy across multiple layers of taxation: federal taxes, state income tax (4% to 10.9%), and for New York City workers, an additional local income tax that non-NYC New Yorkers do not pay. This generator applies all applicable rates and produces a complete, professional pay stub PDF.

New York Income Tax Rates

New York uses a graduated (marginal) income tax system with eight brackets for single filers in 2024:

• 4%: $0 to $17,150
• 4.5%: $17,150 to $23,600
• 5.25%: $23,600 to $27,900
• 5.85%: $27,900 to $161,550
• 6.25%: $161,550 to $323,200
• 6.85%: $323,200 to $2,155,350
• 9.65%: $2,155,350 to $5,000,000
• 10.3%: $5,000,000 to $25,000,000
• 10.9%: Above $25,000,000

Most New York workers will fall in the 4% to 6.85% range. The higher brackets represent a "millionaires' tax" structure added in 2021 and extended through 2027.

New York City local income tax: Workers who live and/or work in New York City pay an additional local income tax on top of state tax. The NYC rates are:

• 3.078%: $0 to $12,000
• 3.762%: $12,000 to $25,000
• 3.819%: $25,000 to $50,000
• 3.876%: Above $50,000

This additional NYC tax makes New York City workers subject to some of the highest combined income tax burdens in the country -- federal, state, and local taxes can combine to over 50% for very high earners.

Yonkers also imposes a local income tax for residents (16.75% of state tax liability) and non-resident workers (0.5% of wages earned in Yonkers).

Does New York Require Pay Stubs?

Yes. New York Labor Law §195 (the Wage Theft Prevention Act, enacted in 2011) is among the most comprehensive wage transparency laws in the country. It requires employers to provide a written wage statement with every paycheck. Violations carry civil penalties of $50 per week per employee, up to $2,500 total, plus attorneys' fees in private suits.

Beyond per-paycheck stubs, New York also requires employers to provide an annual wage notice at the start of each calendar year (or at the time of hire). This notice must state the employee's rate of pay, the basis for that pay (hourly, salary, commission, etc.), overtime rate, the regular payday, and the employer's name, address, and phone number. This annual requirement is separate from the per-paycheck stub requirement.

New York enforcement of wage transparency requirements is active. The New York State Department of Labor investigates complaints and has authority to impose penalties, require back pay, and assess additional damages. Workers who are not receiving pay stubs can file complaints at no cost.

Pay Stub Requirements in New York

A compliant New York pay stub must include:

• Rate of pay (hourly rate or salary basis)
• Basis of pay (hourly, salary, commission, piece rate, etc.)
• Gross wages for the pay period
• Deductions, itemized by category
• Net wages
• Pay period dates (start and end)
• Pay date
• Hours worked for non-exempt employees
• Overtime hours and overtime rate
• Employer name and address

New York's requirement that overtime be shown separately is particularly important. New York overtime rules generally follow the federal 40-hours-per-week threshold, though some industries (retail) have additional protections.

Pay Frequency Laws in New York

New York Labor Law Section 191 establishes pay frequency by employee category:

• Manual workers (defined broadly to include most non-exempt hourly workers): Must be paid weekly. This is one of the strictest requirements in the country -- many large companies have faced class action lawsuits for paying manual workers bi-weekly rather than weekly.
• Clerical and other workers: Must be paid at least semi-monthly (twice a month)
• Commission salespeople: Must be paid at least monthly, with all earned commissions paid no later than the next pay period after they become calculable
• Executive, professional, and administrative employees: Must be paid at least monthly

The weekly pay requirement for manual workers is frequently misunderstood and frequently violated. Companies in retail, food service, healthcare support, and manufacturing have faced significant liability for paying hourly workers bi-weekly instead of weekly. The penalty for untimely payment can include liquidated damages equal to 100% of unpaid wages.

New York City's Gig Economy and Pay Documentation

New York City has the largest concentration of gig workers in the country. Deliveristas (food delivery workers, primarily on e-bikes) number in the tens of thousands in NYC alone. These workers -- who deliver for DoorDash, Uber Eats, Grubhub, and Relay -- won significant protections through Local Law 115 of 2021 and subsequent legislation, including minimum per-trip pay rates. However, they still receive payment as independent contractors with no traditional pay stubs.

NYC Deliveristas earning income through multiple apps need consolidated income documentation that shows total monthly or bi-weekly earnings across all platforms for housing applications. This generator allows you to create stubs based on your total platform earnings regardless of how many apps contributed to that income.

New York City's apartment rental market is exceptionally competitive, and landlords routinely request three months of pay stubs. For gig workers or freelancers, generating consistent documentation that shows income pattern and stability is essential.

What a New York Paycheck Looks Like -- A Worked Example

A finance professional earning $95,000 per year in New York on a bi-weekly schedule ($3,654 gross per check) pays: $197 in New York State income tax (4%-10.9% graduated, 5.85% marginal bracket) plus $137 in NYC local income tax (3.876%), $227 in Social Security (6.2%), $53 in Medicare (1.45%) -- net take-home approximately $2,550 per paycheck.

2024 minimum wage in New York: $16.00/hr in NYC, Long Island, and Westchester; $15.00/hr in the rest of New York State (2024).

Frequently Asked Questions for New York Workers

I work in Manhattan but live in New Jersey. Do I pay NYC income tax?

No. New York City income tax applies only to NYC residents -- people who live in the five boroughs. Non-residents who commute into NYC to work pay New York State income tax on their NYC wages, but not the NYC local tax. However, New Jersey will credit the New York State tax you paid, so you typically do not pay income tax to both states on the same income (you pay the higher of the two states' rates). For your pay stub, if you live in New Jersey, your stub will show NY state tax but no NYC local tax.

My employer pays me bi-weekly but I work in retail. Is that legal?

It depends on your job classification. Under New York Labor Law, most retail workers (cashiers, stockers, customer service) are classified as "manual workers" and must be paid weekly. If you are paid bi-weekly and are a manual worker, your employer may be violating New York law. Class action lawsuits on exactly this issue have resulted in substantial settlements from large retailers. You can file a complaint with the New York State Department of Labor. If you need pay stubs that reflect a different pay frequency than your employer uses, generate stubs at the correct frequency matching your actual pay schedule.

Does New York have paid family leave and will it appear on my stub?

Yes. New York Paid Family Leave (PFL) is funded through small employee payroll deductions -- the 2024 rate is 0.373% of gross wages, with a maximum annual contribution of $333.25. The PFL deduction appears as a separate line item on your pay stub labeled "NY PFL" or "Paid Family Leave." New York PFL provides up to 12 weeks of paid leave for bonding with a new child, caring for a seriously ill family member, or certain military-qualifying events, at up to 67% of the statewide average weekly wage.

I'm a Wall Street analyst earning over $500,000. What's my effective NY tax rate?

At that income level, you are subject to the 6.85% New York State rate on most of your income, with a small amount at 9.65% (on income above approximately $2.15 million). Additionally, if you live in NYC, you pay the 3.876% NYC local rate. Combined with federal marginal rates of 35-37%, total marginal income tax rates for high earners in NYC can exceed 50%. This is why many high-earning professionals consider relocating to Florida or Texas when their commute patterns allow flexibility. For your pay stub, the state withholding should reflect the effective rate, which our calculator estimates using NY's standard withholding methodology.

Does New York require pay stubs for tipped restaurant workers?

Yes, and tipped employees in New York have a specific tip credit system that must be reflected on stubs. New York allows employers to pay a lower cash wage to tipped workers if tips make up the difference to the minimum wage. The 2024 tipped wage rates and credit amounts must be shown on the stub, along with actual reported tips. Tipped workers in New York City have specific minimum wage requirements that differ from the rest of the state. If you are a tipped worker generating your own documentation, include your base wages plus reported tips as gross pay. See our hourly pay stub template for more on tip credit documentation.

Related Tools

For workers in neighboring states, see the New Jersey pay stub generator (high taxes, strong worker protections), the Pennsylvania pay stub generator (flat tax, Philadelphia local tax), or the Massachusetts pay stub generator. For help with the template format itself, see the free pay stub template page.