The short answer
Pay stubs are easy to edit or invent, so a stub alone is weak proof of income. Check each document for internal consistency, confirm income through a second source and use the same steps for every applicant. A mismatch is a reason to ask questions, not proof of fraud.
On this page
Why a pay stub needs a second check
A pay stub is a document the applicant controls. Templates and editing tools can produce one that looks real in minutes. That does not make most applicants dishonest. It means your process should not rest on a single document anyone can create. Compare the stub with a source the applicant cannot easily change.
Signs a document may have been altered
- The math does not work. Gross pay minus the listed deductions does not equal net pay, or year-to-date totals do not fit the number of pay periods so far.
- Dates do not line up. The pay period, pay date and year-to-date figures disagree with each other.
- Employer details are thin. There is no address, the email uses a free domain, or the phone number appears nowhere but the stub.
- Formatting shifts within the page, such as mixed fonts, misaligned columns or blurred numbers next to sharp text.
- Deposits do not match. Net pay on the stubs never appears as deposits on the bank statements the applicant provided.
Honest documents can have quirks too: payroll corrections, bonuses or a job change. Treat each sign as a question.
Confirm income through an independent source
- Employer verification. With the applicant's written authorization, call the employer using a number you find yourself, not one printed on the stub, and confirm employment, start date and pay.
- Bank statements that show regular deposits matching the stubs.
- IRS transcripts. Applicants can get transcripts of past tax returns and wage and income statements from their IRS online account or by mail; mailed transcripts arrive in 5 to 10 calendar days. The IRS says financial data stays visible on transcripts to allow for income verification.
- Award or benefit letters for Social Security, pensions, child support or housing assistance.
- An income verification service that connects to payroll or bank data with the applicant's permission.
Self-employed and nonstandard income
Gig workers, contractors and business owners may have no pay stubs at all. Ask for tax returns or transcripts, 1099 forms and several months of bank statements. Name these alternatives in your written criteria so every self-employed applicant is asked for the same things.
Count lawful income the same way regardless of where it comes from where the law requires it. New Jersey bars refusing to rent because of a source of lawful income used for rent (N.J.S.A. 10:5-12(g)), and Washington bars refusing or treating differently a tenant because of a lawful source of income such as a housing voucher (RCW 59.18.255).
Use one written process
Decide before you advertise which documents you require, how you calculate income and what threshold you use. Ask every applicant for the same documents and run the same verification steps. The Fair Housing Act bars refusing to rent because of race, color, religion, sex, familial status or national origin (42 U.S.C. § 3604(a)). Choosing only some applicants for extra document checks because of a name, accent or appearance can create exactly that problem.
Record what you received, what you checked and what you found, in neutral words.
When the documents do not match
- Tell the applicant what does not match and ask for an explanation or a replacement document.
- Give a short deadline, the same for everyone.
- Decide under your criteria, based on what you could verify.
- If a consumer report played any part in a denial, or in conditions such as a cosigner or larger deposit, the FTC says you must send an adverse action notice.
A false statement can matter after move-in too. In Alabama, an intentional misrepresentation of a material fact in a rental application is a breach you may end the lease for, and it cannot be cured (Ala. Code § 35-9A-421(a)). Talk to a local attorney before you act on a suspicion after move-in.
Keep income documents secure
Pay stubs, bank statements and tax transcripts carry account numbers and other details a thief would want. Collect only what your criteria need, and accept statements with account numbers partly masked when the deposits are still readable. Keep files in one secure place with limited access, never in a shared inbox or text thread. The FTC requires landlords to dispose of consumer reports and information from them securely, for example by shredding paper and making electronic files unreadable; apply the same care to the income documents you collect.
How Rentari helps
Rentari's online rental application asks every applicant for the same information, and income verification gives you a second source to compare with the pay stubs. Tenant screening is ordered only with the applicant's authorization.
Sources and further reading
Common questions
Can I call an applicant's employer?
Get the applicant's written authorization first, then use a phone number you find yourself rather than the one printed on the stub. Ask only to confirm employment and pay.
Do I have to count a housing voucher as income?
In states that protect source of income, you may not refuse to rent because of it. New Jersey and Washington are two examples. Check your state and city rules.
What if an applicant is paid in cash?
Ask for bank statements showing deposits, IRS tax return or wage transcripts, or a letter from the employer you can confirm. Name these options in your written criteria so every applicant gets the same choices.
Can I end a lease if I find out later the pay stubs were fake?
It depends on your state and your lease. In Alabama, an intentional material misrepresentation in a rental application is a breach that allows ending the lease. Talk to a local attorney before acting.
Archive years group longstanding rental topics. This Rentari guide was published on 2026-11-14.
The Rentari team writes and updates this guide. Examples illustrate decisions and do not describe customer results. Found an error or an unclear step? Send a correction with a link to this page and the wording you’d change.
