Written by NotALawyer Legal AI · Reviewed by External Legal AI · Published July 2, 2026
Federal law only requires your last paycheck by the next regular payday. Many states move that deadline up sharply — in some, a fired worker must be paid the same day — and getting fired vs. quitting often changes the clock. The table on this page shows your state's deadline.
Most states run two clocks: a faster one when the employer ends the job (immediately or within a few days, in the strictest states) and a slower one when you quit (often the next regular payday). Giving two weeks' notice doesn't usually change either.
Earned commissions and bonuses that have vested are generally wages. In some states, accrued unused vacation must be paid out too — while others let a clearly disclosed use-it-or-lose-it policy stand.
Many states impose waiting-time penalties: the employer keeps owing your daily wage for each day the final check is late, up to a cap, on top of the wages themselves. Fee-shifting often makes these claims worth pursuing even when the amount is modest.
Employers generally can't hold your final check hostage over unreturned equipment or claimed debts without a valid agreement, and deductions usually can't cut earned wages below the minimum wage. Disputed amounts don't excuse paying the undisputed part on time.
Start with a written demand, then a wage claim with your state labor agency — they investigate and can order payment. Small claims court is the usual backstop, and many wage laws add attorney's fees for workers who win.
More on this topic: the Work hub
This shows how soon your employer must give you your last paycheck after you leave a job, depending on whether you were fired or quit. Each value is cited to the state statute or agency; a state with no sourced figure shows "Not yet sourced."
| State | Final paycheck deadline | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | No state law | FindLaw — no Alabama final-pay statute |
| Alaska | 3 days / next payday | Alaska DOL (AS 23.05.140) |
| Arizona | 7 days / next payday | Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 23-353 |
| Arkansas | Next payday | Arkansas DOL (Ark. Code § 11-4-405) |
| California | Immediately / 72 hours | Cal. Labor Code §§ 201–202 |
| Colorado | Immediately / next payday | Colo. Rev. Stat. § 8-4-109 |
| Connecticut | Next day / next payday | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-71c |
| Delaware | Next payday | 19 Del. C. § 1103 |
| District of Columbia | Next day / next payday | D.C. Code § 32-1303 |
| Florida | No state law | FindLaw — no Florida final-pay statute |
| Georgia | No state law | FindLaw — no Georgia final-pay statute |
| Hawaii | Next day / next payday | Haw. Rev. Stat. § 388-3 |
| Idaho | Next payday or 10 days | Idaho Code § 45-606 |
| Illinois | Next payday | 820 ILCS 115/5 |
| Indiana | Next payday | Ind. Code § 22-2-5-1 |
| Iowa | Next payday | Iowa Code § 91A.4 |
| Kansas | Next payday | Kan. Stat. § 44-315 |
| Kentucky | Next payday (≤14 days) | Ky. Rev. Stat. § 337.055 |
| Louisiana | 15 days / next payday | La. Rev. Stat. § 23:631 |
| Maine | Next payday | 26 M.R.S. § 626 |
| Maryland | Next payday | Md. Lab. & Empl. § 3-505 |
| Massachusetts | Immediately / next payday | Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 149 § 148 |
| Michigan | Next payday | Mich. Comp. Laws § 408.475 |
| Minnesota | 24 hours / next payday | Minn. Stat. §§ 181.13–.14 |
| Mississippi | No state law | FindLaw — no Mississippi final-pay statute |
| Missouri | Immediately / no rule | Mo. Rev. Stat. § 290.110 |
| Montana | Immediately / next payday | Mont. Code § 39-3-205 |
| Nebraska | Next payday or 2 weeks | Neb. Rev. Stat. § 48-1230 |
| Nevada | Immediately / 7 days | Nev. Rev. Stat. §§ 608.020–.030 |
| New Hampshire | 72 hours / next payday | N.H. Rev. Stat. § 275:44 |
| New Jersey | Next payday | N.J. Stat. § 34:11-4.3 |
| New Mexico | 5 days / next payday | N.M. Stat. § 50-4-4 |
| New York | Next payday | N.Y. Labor Law § 191 |
| North Carolina | Next payday | N.C. Gen. Stat. § 95-25.7 |
| North Dakota | Next payday | N.D. Cent. Code § 34-14-03 |
| Ohio | Next payday (≤15 days) | Ohio Rev. Code § 4113.15 |
| Oklahoma | Next payday | 40 Okla. Stat. § 165.3 |
| Oregon | Next day / 5 days | Or. Rev. Stat. § 652.140 |
| Pennsylvania | Next payday | 43 Pa. Stat. § 260.5 |
| Rhode Island | Next payday | R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-14-4 |
| South Carolina | 48 hours / next payday | S.C. Code § 41-10-50 |
| South Dakota | Next payday | S.D. Codified Laws § 60-11-10 |
| Tennessee | Next payday (≤21 days) | Tenn. Code § 50-2-103 |
| Texas | 6 days / next payday | Tex. Labor Code § 61.014 |
| Utah | 24 hours / next payday | Utah Code § 34-28-5 |
| Vermont | 72 hours / next payday | 21 V.S.A. § 342 |
| Virginia | Next payday | Va. Code § 40.1-29 |
| Washington | Next payday | Wash. Rev. Code § 49.48.010 |
| West Virginia | Next payday | W. Va. Code § 21-5-4 |
| Wisconsin | Next payday | Wis. Stat. § 109.03 |
| Wyoming | Next payday | Wyo. Stat. § 27-4-104 |
General information, not legal advice. Rules change and exceptions apply — confirm the current rule with the cited source for your state.
NotALawyer.com provides general legal information, not legal advice.