Self-Employed Pay Stub Template (Free Example + Instant Generator)
If you’re self-employed, you don’t get pay stubs handed to you every two weeks. But lenders, landlords, and even car dealerships still ask for them like everyone has a payroll department.
The good news? You don’t need a big company or HR team to have a professional pay stub.
You just need a clean self-employed pay stub template and a simple way to fill it out correctly.
This guide walks you through:
- What a self-employed pay stub should include
- A free, plain-English example you can follow
- How to avoid common mistakes that get pay stubs rejected
- How to generate a finished, professional pay stub in under a minute
If you’re new here, SelfEmployedDocs.com helps self-employed people, freelancers, and contractors create legit documents that actually work in the real world — not just “pretty PDFs.”
What Is a Self-Employed Pay Stub?
A self-employed pay stub is a document you create for yourself that shows:
- Who you are
- What business is paying you
- How much you earned in a specific pay period
- Your year-to-date totals
It’s the same idea as a normal pay stub from an employer — the only difference is that you’re both the business and the worker.
Lenders and landlords like pay stubs because they’re used to seeing them. It fits right into their checklist: “Most recent pay stubs for income verification.”
Instead of explaining your entire business model, you just hand them what they’re already comfortable with.
What Should a Self-Employed Pay Stub Include?
A good pay stub template for self-employed income should include at least:
- Your name (employee name)
- Your business name (or your name again if you operate as a sole proprietor)
- Business address
- Pay period start date
- Pay period end date
- Pay date
- Gross pay for the period
- Year-to-date (YTD) gross pay
- Pay frequency (weekly, biweekly, monthly, etc.)
You don’t need to overcomplicate it. The main job of a self-employed pay stub is to answer one simple question:
“How much do you really make, and over what time period?”
If your pay stub does that clearly and honestly, you’re in good shape.
Free Self-Employed Pay Stub Template (Plain-English Layout)
Here’s a simple “template layout” you can use as a reference. This is not fancy software — just a clear view of what information belongs where.
Business Name: Your Business Name Here Business Address: 123 Main Street, City, State ZIP Employee Name: Your Name Pay Date: 01/31/2025 Pay Period: 01/01/2025 – 01/31/2025 Pay Frequency: Monthly Earnings: Description Hours Rate Amount Self-Employment N/A N/A $4,000.00 Gross Pay This Period: $4,000.00 Year-to-Date Gross Pay: $8,500.00
Most people overthink this. It doesn’t have to be complicated — it just has to be accurate, consistent, and easy to read.
If you’d rather skip the manual formatting and go straight to a clean, professional layout, you can use our instant generator here:
👉 Use the Instant Self-Employed Pay Stub Generator
How to Fill Out a Self-Employed Pay Stub (Step-by-Step)
Here’s a simple way to fill in your pay stub using any template or generator.
Step 1: Enter Your Business Info
- Business name (or your full name if you don’t use a business name)
- Business address (this can be your home office address if that’s where you operate)
Step 2: Enter Your Personal Info
- Your full legal name
You can optionally include your last four digits of SSN or an internal ID number, but many self-employed people skip that for privacy.
Step 3: Choose Your Pay Period
- Pick a pay period that makes sense: weekly, every two weeks, or monthly
- Enter the start and end dates
- Choose a pay date (usually the last day of the period)
Step 4: Calculate Your Gross Pay
This is how much you made before any expenses or deductions.
Examples:
- If you made $4,000 this month from your business, gross pay = $4,000.
- If you’re paying yourself weekly and you withdraw $1,000 from the business each week, gross pay for that pay stub = $1,000.
Step 5: Update Year-to-Date (YTD) Totals
YTD just means “how much you’ve paid yourself so far this year.”
Example:
- January pay stub: YTD gross = $4,000
- February pay stub (another $4,000): YTD gross = $8,000
Step 6: Review Everything for Accuracy
Before you share your pay stub with anyone, make sure:
- Names are spelled correctly
- Dates are correct and in order
- Numbers match your actual business activity
- Nothing looks “made up” or exaggerated
Once it looks clean and honest, you’re good to go.
Common Mistakes That Get Self-Employed Pay Stubs Rejected
Here are some of the biggest red flags that make people suspicious of self-created pay stubs:
- Wildly inconsistent income with no explanation
- Unrealistic numbers (for example, claiming $20,000 a month with no supporting documents)
- Missing business information (no name, no address)
- Weird formatting that doesn’t look like any pay stub they’ve seen before
- Typos and obvious errors in dollar amounts or dates
The fix is simple: be honest, be consistent, and use a professional layout.
If your pay stub matches what shows up in your bank statements and tax returns, you’re doing it right.
Template vs. Instant Generator: Which Is Better?
You’ve got two basic options:
Option 1: Manual Template
Use a layout like the example above and fill it in yourself using Word, Excel, or Google Docs.
Pros:
- Free
- Flexible
- You control every detail
Cons:
- Takes time to format every stub
- Easier to make math or layout mistakes
- Sometimes looks “too homemade”
Option 2: Instant Generator
Use an online tool (like the one here at SelfEmployedDocs) that asks for your information and builds the pay stub for you.
Pros:
- Fast — usually under a minute
- Professional formatting
- Easy to repeat for future pay periods
Cons:
- Not free in most cases (but usually cheaper than messing up a loan or rental)
If you want the quick, polished version, you can use our generator here:
👉 Generate a Self-Employed Pay Stub Now
Who Uses Self-Employed Pay Stub Templates?
These templates and generators are especially useful if you’re:
- A freelancer or contractor applying for an apartment
- A small business owner trying to get a car loan
- A rideshare or delivery driver needing proof of income for a personal loan
- Running a side business and needing to show what you actually make
Any time someone says “Just send over your last two pay stubs,” a self-employed pay stub template or generator fills that gap.
FAQs About Self-Employed Pay Stub Templates
Can I legally create my own pay stub if I’m self-employed?
Yes — as long as the information is true and accurate. You are allowed to create pay stubs for yourself as a self-employed individual. What’s not okay is inflating your income or making up numbers.
Do landlords accept self-employed pay stubs?
Most do, especially when the pay stubs look professional and match your bank deposits. To be safe, many people send pay stubs plus 2–3 months of bank statements.
Do I need to show taxes or deductions on a self-employed pay stub?
Not always. Many self-employed pay stubs simply show gross income (what you pay yourself). If you want to show deductions, you can, but it’s not required in every situation.
What if my income changes every month?
That’s normal for self-employed people. You can still create pay stubs based on what you actually paid yourself for each period. Over time, your stubs will reflect your real average income.
Is a template enough, or do I need a generator?
A template works if you’re comfortable building and formatting documents on your own. If you want something fast, consistent, and polished, an instant generator is usually easier.
What to Do Next
If you’ve been putting off applications because you don’t have pay stubs, you don’t have to wait anymore. You can either:
- Use the example template above to build your own, or
- Use our instant generator to create a finished stub in minutes
You can learn more about who’s behind this site on the About page, or reach out with questions on the Contact Us page.
When you’re ready to turn your self-employed income into a clean, professional pay stub, start here: