Final Paycheck Laws by State

Learn about the final paycheck laws for each state.

By Carolin Hewitt, Apr 23, 2024

Carolin is a Copywriter for Betterteam. She has a background in marketing communication and brand building, and has written articles about HR, branding, and small business guides.

In the event that one of your employees quits or is fired, there are particular final paycheck laws that govern exactly how and when your last payment to them must be made.

In some states, an employee must be paid immediately when their employment is terminated. In others, the paycheck must be received within a certain number of days. We've put together a table with the laws for each state.

Final Paycheck Laws by State:

State	Employee is Fired	Employee Quits
Alabama	No law.	No law.
Alaska	Within three working days of termination.	On the next scheduled payday.
Arizona	Within seven working days, or on the next payday. Whichever occurs first.	On the next scheduled payday.
Arkansas	On the next scheduled payday.	No law.
California	Final pay must be granted at the time of termination.	Within 72 hours, unless prior notice has been provided.
Colorado	Final paycheck must be given to employee immediately.	On the next scheduled payday.
Connecticut	The next business day.	On the next scheduled payday.
Delaware	On the next scheduled payday.	On the next scheduled payday.
District of Columbia	The next business day.	On the next scheduled payday, or within seven days - whichever comes first.
Florida	No law.	No law.
Georgia	No law.	No law.
Hawaii	Immediately or on the next business day if necessary.	On the next scheduled payday, or at the time of quitting if prior notice has been provided.
Idaho	On the next scheduled payday, or within 10 days, whichever occurs first.	On the next scheduled payday, or within 10 days, whichever occurs first.
Illinois	Immediately, if possible, but no later than the next scheduled payday.	Immediately, if possible, but no later than the next scheduled payday.
Indiana	On the next scheduled payday.	On the next scheduled payday.
Iowa	On the next scheduled payday.	On the next scheduled payday.
Kansas	On the next scheduled payday.	On the next scheduled payday.
Kentucky	On the next scheduled payday or within 14 days, which ever occurs later.	On the next scheduled payday or within 14 days, whichever occurs later.
Louisiana	On the next scheduled payday or within 15 days, which ever occurs earlier.	On the next scheduled payday or within 15 days, whichever occurs earlier.
Maine	On the next scheduled payday.	On the next scheduled payday.
Maryland	On the next scheduled payday.	On the next scheduled payday.
Massachusetts	Final check must be provided immediately.	On the next scheduled payday, or on the Saturday following an employee's resignation.
Michigan	On the next scheduled payday.	On the next scheduled payday.
Minnesota	Final check must be provided immediately.	On the next scheduled payday, or on the following payday if the next one is less than 5 days away, but within 20 days of separation.
Mississippi	No law.	No law.
Missouri	Final paycheck must be provided immediately.	No law.
Montana	Final paycheck must be provided immediately.	On the next scheduled payday, or within 15 days, whichever is earlier.
Nebraska	On the next scheduled payday or within 2 weeks, whichever occurs first.	On the next scheduled payday or within 2 weeks, whichever occurs first.
Nevada	Final paycheck must be provided within three days.	On the next scheduled payday or within 7 days, whichever occurs first.
New Hampshire	Within 72 hours.	On the next payday or within 72 hours if prior notice was given.
New Jersey	On the next scheduled payday.	On the next scheduled payday.
New Mexico	Within 5 days.	On the next scheduled payday.
New York	On the next scheduled payday.	On the next scheduled payday.
North Carolina	On the next scheduled payday.	On the next scheduled payday.
North Dakota	On the next scheduled payday.	On the next scheduled payday.
Ohio	On the first day of the month for wages that were earned in the first half of the previous month, or on the 15th day of the month for wages earned in the second half of the previous month.	On the first day of the month for wages that were earned in the first half of the previous month, or on the 15th day of the month for wages earned in the second half of the previous month.
Oklahoma	On the next scheduled payday.	On the next scheduled payday.
Oregon	By the end of the next business day.	Immediately if the employee has provided 48 hours notice. With less than 48 hours notice, within 5 days or on next payday, whichever occurs first.
Pennsylvania	On the next scheduled payday.	On the next scheduled payday.
Rhode Island	On the next scheduled payday.	On the next scheduled payday.
South Carolina	Within 48 hours, or on the next scheduled payday. which may not exceed 30 days.	Within 48 hours, or on the next scheduled payday. which may not exceed 30 days.
South Dakota	On the next scheduled payday or when employer's property is returned.	On the next scheduled payday or when the employer's property is returned.
Tennessee	On the next scheduled payday or within 21 days, whichever is later.	On the next scheduled payday or within 21 days, whichever is later.
Texas	Within 6 days.	On the next scheduled payday.
Utah	Within 24 hours.	On the next scheduled payday.
Vermont	Within 72 hours.	On the next scheduled payday, or if there is no regular payday, on the following Friday.
Virginia	On the next scheduled payday.	On the next scheduled payday.
Washington	On the next scheduled payday.	On the next scheduled payday.
West Virginia	On the next scheduled payday.	On the next scheduled payday.
Wisconsin	On the next scheduled payday.	On the next scheduled payday.
Wyoming	On the next scheduled payday.	On the next scheduled payday.

FAQs:

How long does an employer have to give you your last check?

It depends. If an employee is fired, the employer may wait until the next payday. However, if an employee resigns, typically employers will have to pay within 72 hours.

Are employers required to mail final paychecks?

It depends on your state laws and your personal preferences. However, typically an employer is not required to only mail final paychecks. Paychecks can be given by hand, deposited automatically, or mailed.

Can final paychecks be directly deposited?

Yes, it can. However, if your employer only has 72 hours to pay, the deposit may come in late.

Can an employer withhold pay if an employee quit without notice?

No employer can legally refuse to pay you what you are owed when you quit. However, the timing of your final paycheck depends on the governing state laws for final paychecks.

Can an employer hold your paycheck for any reason?

No, an employer cannot withhold a paycheck for any reason.

Can an employer withhold a final paycheck?

No, you can't withhold a final paycheck that is due to an employee, even if you fired them.

Which states have no final paycheck laws?

Alabama.
Arkansas.
Florida.
Georgia.
Mississippi.
Missouri.

Should employees provide advanced notice if they are going to quit?

Technically, an employee can quit at any time. However, for scheduling purposes and as a courtesy to their employer, employees should give notice. Most employment agreements actually stipulate a certain length of time that the employee must allow when providing their notice.

Should an employee be removed from the payroll once they quit?

An employee's information can be removed from your payroll system after their last paycheck has been paid out.

Final Paycheck Laws by State

Final Paycheck Laws by State:

FAQs:

How long does an employer have to give you your last check?

Are employers required to mail final paychecks?

Can final paychecks be directly deposited?

Can an employer withhold pay if an employee quit without notice?

Can an employer hold your paycheck for any reason?

Can an employer withhold a final paycheck?

Which states have no final paycheck laws?

Should employees provide advanced notice if they are going to quit?

Should an employee be removed from the payroll once they quit?

Related Articles:

How to Fire an Employee

Employee Termination Letter

Job Abandonment

Severance Agreement Template

Employee Warning Notice