A pay stub is a portion of a payroll check, typically a paper check, which records an employee’s salaries, wages, deductions and bonuses. While it’s important to keep these stubs on file for future reference, they sometimes become lost. Pay stubs are often required to show proof of income, complete financial records or verify a transaction. If you have lost your pay stub, most payroll services provide a relatively easy procedure for obtaining another one.

Contact the payroll office or financial institution where the check was printed. If you are unsure of the agency, ask your manager or boss for the name and address, as well as a phone number or fax number. Check to see if your place of employment has a payroll office in the building. If so, give the office a written request to obtain a copy of the desired pay stub.

Fill out any pay stub request forms required by the payroll office or financial institution. Specify whether the check received was a paper check or an electronic check, as the procedure for obtaining an e-check may be different. Fill out all the details asked on the pay stub request forms, such as your employee identification number and social security number. These numbers will typically appear on previous pay subs for reference. Fill in the date of the check, the check amount, names of both the payee and payer, and how the new pay stub is to be provided.

Sign the pay stub request form and return it to the payroll office or financial institution. This can be done in person or via fax, as instructed by the payroll agency. Check the status of your payroll request in two to four days if you have not heard back. On average, retrieving a lost pay stub can take up to a week. Wait for your new pay stub to arrive in the mail, or pick it up in person when instructed.