When your final paycheck is due, by state
Pick your state and how the job ended to see the deadline for your last paycheck and any penalty for paying late.
If your final paycheck is late
- Put your demand in writing and include the deadline for your state. Many employers pay once they see you know the rule.
- In states with late-payment penalties (California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Oregon and others), the penalty may already be adding up. Each day late can increase what they owe you.
- Most state labor departments take wage claims for free. Where a state has no wage agency, small claims court is the usual route. The U.S. Department of Labor handles federal minimum-wage and overtime claims.
- Put unpaid commissions, accrued vacation (in many states) and expense reimbursements in the same demand.
Every state at a glance
The short version for all 50 states and D.C. Choose a state for the details, the statute and what to do next.
| State | Fired or laid off | If you quit |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | No state law sets a deadline. Federal law does not require immediate payment; the U.S. Department of Labor says to seek help if the regular payday for the last pay period has passed. | No state law sets a deadline. The same federal guidance applies. |
| Alaska | Within 3 working days | Next regular payday that is at least 3 days after the employer gets notice |
| Arizona | Within 7 working days or the end of the next regular pay period, whichever is sooner | By the regular payday for the pay period in which the employee quit |
| Arkansas | By the next regular payday | No statute sets a deadline for employees who quit |
| California | Immediately | Within 72 hours; on the last day if the employee gave at least 72 hours’ notice |
| Colorado | Immediately; if the payroll unit is not open, within 6 hours after its next workday starts (24 hours if payroll is off-site) | Next regular payday |
| Connecticut | By the next business day | Next regular payday |
| Delaware | Next regular payday or 3 business days after the last day worked, whichever is later | Next regular payday or 3 business days after the last day worked, whichever is later |
| Florida | No state law sets a deadline. Federal law does not require immediate payment; the U.S. Department of Labor says to seek help if the regular payday for the last pay period has passed. | No state law sets a deadline. The same federal guidance applies. |
| Georgia | No state law sets a deadline. Federal law does not require immediate payment; the U.S. Department of Labor says to seek help if the regular payday for the last pay period has passed. | No state law sets a deadline. The same federal guidance applies. |
| Hawaii | At the time of discharge, or the next working day if conditions prevent immediate payment | Next regular payday; at the time of quitting if the employee gave at least one pay period’s notice |
| Idaho | Next regular payday or within 10 days (not counting weekends and holidays), whichever is earlier; within 48 hours of a written request | Same as fired |
| Illinois | At separation if possible; no later than the next regular payday | Same as fired |
| Indiana | Regular payday for the pay period in which the separation happened | Next usual and regular payday (if the employer does not know the employee’s address, after a demand and 10 business days, or once an address is given) |
| Iowa | Next regular payday for the pay period in which the wages were earned | Same as fired |
| Kansas | Next regular payday | Same as fired |
| Kentucky | Next normal pay period or 14 days, whichever is later | Same as fired |
| Louisiana | Next regular payday or 15 days after discharge, whichever is first | Next regular payday for the pay cycle worked or 15 days after resignation, whichever is first |
| Maine | Next established payday | Same as fired |
| Maryland | On or before the day the employee would have been paid if still employed | Same as fired |
| Massachusetts | On the day of discharge | Next regular payday |
| Michigan | Immediately, as soon as the amount can be determined with due diligence | As soon as the amount can be determined with due diligence |
| Minnesota | Within 24 hours after the employee’s demand | First regular payday after the last day; if that payday is less than 5 days away, the second payday, but no later than 20 days |
| Mississippi | No state law sets a deadline. Federal law does not require immediate payment; the U.S. Department of Labor says to seek help if the regular payday for the last pay period has passed. | No state law sets a deadline. The same federal guidance applies. |
| Missouri | On the day of discharge | No statute sets a deadline for employees who quit |
| Montana | Immediately if fired for cause or laid off, unless a written policy allows the next regular payday or 15 days, whichever is first | Next regular payday or 15 days, whichever is first |
| Nebraska | Next regular payday or 2 weeks, whichever is sooner | Same as fired |
| Nevada | Immediately | Next regular payday or 7 days, whichever is earlier |
| New Hampshire | Within 72 hours | Next regular payday; within 72 hours if the employee gave at least one pay period’s notice |
| New Jersey | Regular payday for the pay period in which the employment ended | Same as fired |
| New Mexico | Within 5 days (10 days for task, piece or commission pay) | Next regular payday |
| New York | By the regular payday for the pay period in which the employment ended | Same as fired |
| North Carolina | Next regular payday | Same as fired |
| North Dakota | Next regular payday (sent by certified mail if the employer ended the job) | Next regular payday |
| Ohio | No separate final-pay rule; the regular schedule applies (first half of the month paid by the 1st of the next month, second half by the 15th) | Same as fired |
| Oklahoma | Next regular payday for the pay period in which the work was done | Same as fired |
| Oregon | By the end of the first business day after discharge (or mutual agreement) | Immediately if the employee gave at least 48 hours’ notice (not counting weekends and holidays); otherwise within 5 business days or the next regular payday, whichever is first |
| Pennsylvania | Next regular payday | Same as fired |
| Rhode Island | Next regular payday; within 24 hours if the business is liquidating, merging, being sold or moving out of state | Next regular payday |
| South Carolina | Within 48 hours or by the next regular payday, which may not be more than 30 days | Same as fired |
| South Dakota | Next regular payday, or when the employee returns the employer’s property, if later | Same as fired |
| Tennessee | Next regular payday or 21 days, whichever is later | Same as fired |
| Texas | Within 6 calendar days | Next regular payday |
| Utah | Within 24 hours | Next regular payday |
| Vermont | Within 72 hours | Last regular payday, or the following Friday if there is no regular payday |
| Virginia | On or before the day the employee would have been paid if still employed | Same as fired |
| Washington | End of the established pay period | Same as fired |
| Washington, D.C. | By the next working day; 4 days if the employee handled the employer’s money | Next regular payday or 7 days, whichever is earlier |
| West Virginia | Next regular payday | Same as fired |
| Wisconsin | Next regular payday, or the date set by the 31-day pay rule in § 109.03(1), whichever is earlier; within 24 hours if the business merges, liquidates or relocates | Same as fired |
| Wyoming | Next regularly scheduled payroll date | Same as fired |
Kits For That is not a law firm, and nothing here is legal advice. These deadlines summarize state statutes, and the rule for you can change with your industry, a union contract or how the job ended. This lookup is not a substitute for the advice of an attorney, and laws change, so check your state’s current rules. Facts checked against each state’s statute in October 2026.