Where to find your Paylocity username

Your Paylocity username is usually in the welcome email your employer sent when they set up your account. Look for an email from Paylocity or your HR department with the subject line mentioning "Paylocity account" or "employee portal access." The username appears near the top of that email, often labeled as "Username" or "User ID."

If you cannot find that email, check your spam or promotions folder — setup emails sometimes land there. If the email is gone, you have two direct routes: contact your HR or payroll department and ask them for your username, or use Paylocity's username recovery tool on their login page.

Your username is not the same as your password. It is the text you type into the login field before you enter your password. It is usually shorter than an email address and may contain numbers or letters your employer chose for you.

Key Takeaways

  • Your Paylocity username appears in the welcome email your employer sent when setting up your account, usually from HR or Paylocity directly.
  • If you cannot find the email, ask your HR or payroll department — they have a record of every employee's username.
  • Paylocity's login page has a username recovery option that can send your username to your email on file.
  • Your username is different from your password and is what you type first when logging in.
  • If your employer uses a custom portal or single sign-on, your username may be your employee ID or email address instead.

Using Paylocity's built-in recovery tool

Go to the Paylocity login page (paylocity.com) and look for a link that says "Forgot Username" or "Need Help Logging In." Click that link. You will be asked to enter your email address — use the email your employer has on file for you, not a personal email unless your employer uses that one.

After you enter your email, Paylocity will send a message to that address with your username. Check your inbox and spam folder. The email usually arrives within a few minutes. If nothing arrives after 10 minutes, the email address you entered may not match what your employer registered.

Asking your HR or payroll department

This is the fastest route if you are at work or can reach HR by phone or email. Tell them you need your Paylocity username to log in. They will have it in their records and can give it to you when ready, or they may reset your account and send you a new welcome email with fresh login details.

When you contact them, have your employee ID or full name ready. Some companies have multiple employees and HR will want to confirm which person is asking. If your company is large, you may reach a help desk or HR service center rather than your direct manager — that is normal and they handle these requests regularly.

What to do if you have a custom company portal

Some employers do not use Paylocity's standard login page. Instead, they have their own company portal or website where you log in, and that portal connects to Paylocity behind the scenes. In those cases, your username might be your employee ID number, your email address, or something your company created.

Check any welcome emails from your company's IT or HR department — not from Paylocity itself. If your company uses single sign-on (where you log in once and access multiple tools), your username is usually your company email address. When in doubt, ask your IT help desk or HR what username to use for the company portal.

Resetting your password if you know your username

If you found your username but forgot your password, go to the Paylocity login page and click "Forgot Password." Enter your username, and Paylocity will send a password reset link to your email. Click the link in that email and create a new password.

Your new password must meet Paylocity's requirements, which usually include a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters. Write down your new password somewhere safe, or use a password manager to store it. Do not share your password with anyone, including HR or IT — they will never ask for it.

Logging in after you find your username

Once you have your username, go to paylocity.com and enter it in the login field. Then enter your password in the second field. If you see an error message saying the username or password is wrong, double-check that you typed both correctly — usernames are case-sensitive in some systems, so "John123" is different from "john123."

If you still cannot log in after trying a few times, your account may be locked for security reasons. Wait 15 to 30 minutes and try again, or contact your HR department to unlock it. Do not try to log in more than five times in a row, as that can trigger a temporary lock.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is my Paylocity username the same as my employee ID?

Not always. Some employers use the employee ID as the username, but many create separate usernames. Check your welcome email to see what your employer set up. If you are unsure, ask HR — they can tell you whether your username matches your ID or is something different.

Can I change my Paylocity username?

Most employees cannot change their own username — it is set by your employer. If you want a different username, contact your HR or IT department and ask if they can change it. Some companies allow it, others do not, depending on their security policies.

What if my employer never sent me a welcome email?

Contact your HR or payroll department and let them know you never received the setup email. They can resend it or provide your username directly. This sometimes happens when emails are blocked by spam filters or when an employee is added to the system after their first day.

Is my username visible to other employees?

No. Your username is private and only you and your HR department can see it. Other employees cannot look it up or access your account. Paylocity keeps each employee's login information separate and find.

What if I work for a company with multiple locations?

Your username is the same across all locations if your company uses one central Paylocity account. Log in with the same username and password no matter which office you work at. If your company has separate Paylocity accounts for different locations, you may have different usernames for each one — HR can clarify this.