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New York Pay Stub Generator: What Every NY Pay Stub Must Show

Create accurate New York pay stubs with the correct state income tax brackets, NY SDI withholding, and fields required under New York Labor Law Article 6.

7 min readUpdated 2026-09-25

New York pay stubs carry more detail than those in many states because New York employees pay state income tax, New York State Disability Insurance (NY SDI), and, if they work in New York City, an additional NYC income tax on top of state tax. The combination makes calculating an accurate New York net pay more involved than in states with no state income tax.

This guide covers what every New York pay stub must show under New York Labor Law, the current NY state income tax brackets, the SDI withholding amount, and how to create a complete and accurate New York pay stub for any income level.

What New York Law Requires on a Pay Stub

New York Labor Law Section 195(3) requires that every employer provide employees with a statement of wages with each payment. The statement must include the dates of work covered, the employee's name, the employer's name and address, the rate or rates of pay and basis (hourly, salary, commission, etc.), gross wages, all deductions, and net wages.

For hourly workers, the statement must also show the number of regular and overtime hours worked. New York takes wage statement compliance seriously; violations can result in per-employee penalties. A pay stub created with correct fields and accurate math satisfies Section 195(3).

  • Pay period start and end dates
  • Employee name and employer name and address
  • Rate of pay and basis of pay (hourly, salary, etc.)
  • Gross wages for the period
  • Federal income tax withheld
  • Social Security and Medicare
  • New York state income tax withheld
  • New York City income tax (if applicable)
  • New York SDI: $0.60 per week maximum
  • Net wages

New York State Income Tax Brackets

New York uses a nine-bracket progressive income tax. Rates run from 4% on the first $17,150 of taxable income (single filers in 2026) up to 10.9% on income over $25,000,000. For most wage earners, the effective state income tax rate falls in the 5% to 8% range after the $8,000 standard deduction for single filers is applied.

New York City residents pay an additional NYC income tax on top of state tax, with rates from 3.078% to 3.876%. NYC tax appears as a separate withholding line on the pay stubs of employees who live in the five boroughs. Yonkers residents pay a smaller Yonkers resident surcharge as well. The New York Department of Taxation and Finance publishes withholding tables (Publications NYS-50-T-NYS and NYS-50-T-NYC) that translate the bracket schedules into per-paycheck withholding amounts based on filing status and allowances.

New York State Disability Insurance (NY SDI)

New York State requires most employers to provide SDI coverage and allows them to deduct a contribution from employee wages. The employee deduction is capped at $0.60 per week, which is the maximum that can be withheld regardless of salary. On a biweekly pay stub this appears as a $1.20 deduction; on a weekly pay stub it is $0.60.

NY SDI funds short-term disability benefits for non-occupational illness or injury. Unlike California SDI, the New York SDI employee contribution is a nominal flat amount rather than a percentage of wages, so it has no material effect on net pay for most workers.

How to Create an Accurate New York Pay Stub

A correct New York pay stub requires applying the NYS withholding tables, adding the $0.60/week SDI, and, for NYC employees, adding the New York City income tax withholding on top of state. This is more than one tax calculation, which is why using a pay stub generator calibrated to New York's rules is faster and more reliable than manual arithmetic.

Swift Paystubs handles New York state income tax withholding, the flat $0.60/week SDI deduction, and the optional NYC income tax add-on. Enter the employee's gross wages, pay frequency, filing status, and allowances, and the generator produces a pay stub that matches what a New York payroll system would generate.

Key Takeaways

  • New York Labor Law Section 195(3) requires pay stubs to show pay period dates, rate and basis of pay, gross wages, all deductions, and net wages.
  • New York state income tax is progressive from 4% to 10.9%, using a standard deduction of $8,000 for single filers.
  • New York City residents pay an additional NYC income tax on top of state, with rates from 3.078% to 3.876%.
  • New York SDI is withheld at a maximum of $0.60 per week, a flat amount that does not vary with income.
  • Getting a New York pay stub right requires at least two separate state-level calculations (NYS income tax and SDI), and three for NYC workers.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is NY SDI on a pay stub?

NY SDI stands for New York State Disability Insurance. It is a mandatory deduction from employee wages to fund short-term disability benefits. The maximum employee contribution is $0.60 per week, so on a biweekly pay stub you will see a $1.20 NY SDI deduction. The amount is the same regardless of salary.

Does New York have state income tax?

Yes. New York has a progressive state income tax with nine brackets, starting at 4% and reaching 10.9% at the highest income levels. Most wage earners in New York see an effective state tax rate in the 5% to 8% range. New York City residents also pay a separate NYC income tax withheld on the same paycheck.

What is the New York state income tax rate?

New York state income tax rates for 2026 run from 4% on income up to $17,150 (single filers) to 10.9% on income above $25,000,000. The rate that applies to each dollar of income depends on which bracket it falls into, not a single flat rate. For a single filer earning $70,000, the effective New York state income tax rate is roughly 5% to 6% after the standard deduction.

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