What Goes on a Texas Pay Stub?
A Texas pay stub looks almost identical to one from any other state, with one line standing out by its absence. There's no state income tax withheld, so that line reads zero instead of showing a percentage cut out of gross pay. Everything else, federal tax, Social Security, Medicare, follows the same rules as anywhere in the country.
USACalculator built this generator to produce a clean, accurate-looking stub with Texas already selected, so the state tax field behaves correctly from the start instead of defaulting to a rate that doesn't apply here.
Using the Generator
Fill in employer details, employee information, pay period dates, and gross pay. The document preview updates as you type, calculating federal tax, Social Security, and Medicare automatically, with Texas's state tax line locked at zero. When you're done, use the print button to save it as a PDF. Want to double-check the underlying math first? Run the same numbers through our Texas Paycheck Calculator.
How the Calculation Works
Federal tax is estimated using a simplified bracket approach, Social Security is calculated at 6.2% of gross pay, and Medicare at 1.45%, matching current federal rates. Since the state is set to Texas, the state tax field stays at zero rather than applying an estimated percentage the way it would for a state with income tax.
Texas-Specific Pay Stub Information
No Legal Requirement to Issue Stubs
Unlike states such as California that legally require detailed itemized wage statements, Texas law doesn't specifically mandate that employers hand out a formal pay stub. Federal recordkeeping law still requires accurate payroll records, and most employers provide stubs anyway as standard practice.
What a Complete Stub Should Show
Even without a strict state mandate, a useful pay stub includes gross pay, hours worked, federal tax, FICA, any pre-tax deductions, net pay, and year-to-date totals. Employees rely on this information for loan applications, rental applications, and their own budgeting.
Pay Frequency Requirements
Under the Texas Payday Law, exempt employees must be paid at least monthly, and non-exempt employees at least twice a month, which sets the cadence for how often a stub should be issued.
No State Tax Line
Since Texas charges no state income tax, a correctly built Texas stub always shows $0 on that line. Seeing anything else there on a Texas paycheck is worth double-checking with payroll.
Why Texans Use This Generator
Freelancers transitioning to W-2 employment use it to understand what their new stub should look like. Small business owners use it as a quick reference template before setting up formal payroll software. Employees who lost an old stub use it to reconstruct a reasonable record for their own files, then verify the math against our Texas Paycheck Calculator.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using a generated stub as official proof of income for a mortgage or loan instead of employer-issued documentation.
- Forgetting to update the pay period and YTD fields, which throws off the running totals.
- Assuming a state tax line applies and manually adding one that shouldn't be there in Texas.
- Skipping pre-tax deduction entries, which can make take-home pay look higher than it actually would be.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Texas require employers to provide pay stubs?
Not specifically by state law, though federal recordkeeping rules apply and most employers provide stubs as standard practice.
What information should a Texas pay stub include?
Gross pay, hours worked, federal tax, FICA, pre-tax deductions, net pay, and year-to-date totals for each.
Do Texas pay stubs need a state tax line?
Yes, showing $0, since Texas collects no state income tax.
Can I use a generated pay stub for a loan application?
It's useful for personal records, but lenders typically want official documentation from your employer or payroll provider.
Is this pay stub generator legally binding proof of income?
No. It's a calculation and formatting tool, not an official payroll document from an employer.
How often should Texas pay stubs be issued?
At least monthly for exempt employees and at least twice a month for non-exempt employees, under the Texas Payday Law.
What's the difference between gross and net pay on a stub?
Gross pay is total earnings before deductions. Net pay is what's left, and actually deposited, after tax and other deductions.
Do independent contractors in Texas need pay stubs?
Typically they receive 1099 payment summaries instead, since no tax withholding applies to contractor payments.
Are digital pay stubs valid in Texas?
Yes. There's no required physical format, so digital and printed versions are both acceptable.
What if my employer refuses to give me a pay stub?
You can request payroll records directly, since employers are still required to maintain accurate records under federal wage law even without a state stub mandate.
Related Calculators
Verify the underlying math with the Texas Paycheck Calculator, or explore more free tools at USACalculator.
Sources: Texas Workforce Commission, IRS Publication 15-T. Figures reviewed for 2026. This tool provides estimates for planning and recordkeeping purposes and does not constitute official payroll documentation.