This article is for admins (who are not the primary admin, aka account owner) and signatories who need to take over the primary admin role — for example, when the current primary admin is no longer available or reachable.
If the current Account owner (Primary admin) is available, it's quickest to have them reassign the Primary admin role to someone else.
You can only request the primary admin role for yourself. If you want someone else to take over, they need to sign in to their own Gusto profile and submit the request.
Your name needs to be on the company document you upload. It shows us that you're an authorized member of the company.
If your name is not on any company documents, ask someone whose name is on them, like an owner or officer, to submit the request. Once they're the primary admin, they can make you the primary admin.
If no one named on your company documents can submit the request, contact us for next steps.
To submit a primary admin change request in Gusto, follow these steps:
Click your company name in the left menu to open company settings.
Under Settings, click Permissions, then open the Assignees tab (formerly Users).
Under Account owner, click the listed name, then click View details.
In the pop-up, click Reassign primary admin. Gusto may ask you to verify your identity with 2-step verification or your passkey.
If you do not see Reassign primary admin, what you see instead tells you what to do next:
Change account owner — you already have permission to make this change yourself, so you do not need to submit a request. Follow Change the Account owner (Primary admin).
Request for reassignment is in progress — someone at your company already has a request open, and Gusto allows one at a time. Click View progress to see it. Any admin on the account can view or cancel it, not just the person who submitted it. Once it is canceled or decided, the button comes back.
Neither button — you are probably not an admin or signatory on this company, or you are signed in to a different one. Check the company name in the left menu first. If you are in the right company, ask the Account owner or another admin to add you as an admin, then try again. If no one can add you, contact us for next steps.
Under Can the primary admin be reached?, choose No. If you choose Yes, Gusto asks you to contact your primary admin, since they need to make the change from their account.
Choose a Reason for change. If you choose Other, add more details.
Under Relevant documents, upload at least 1 document that shows your name. Accepted documents:
Articles of incorporation
Articles of operation
Operating agreement
Business license
Tax identification documents
Click Submit.
We'll review your documents and follow up if we need anything else. We'll email you once the review is complete. Review times vary.
Click your company name in the left menu to open company settings.
Under Settings, click Permissions, then open the Assignees tab.
Click the name listed under Account owner.
While we review the request, its status shows Under review.
Any admin on the account can view the status or cancel the request — not just the person who submitted it.
Approved: You'll be set as the new primary admin. A confirmation banner appears in your permissions drawer for up to 5 days, or until you dismiss it.
Rejected: We'll contact you with the next steps. For example, we may ask for a document that shows your name.