Final Paycheck Rules by State

The last paycheck is the one people wait for most anxiously, and it's the one with the most varied rules. Federal law doesn't set a deadline. The U.S. Department of Labor says employers aren't required by federal law to hand over a final paycheck immediately. So the deadline depends on the state, and often on whether the employee was fired or quit.

The table above lists every state and D.C. as of November 1, 2026, with an official source for each. Where we couldn't confirm a rule from an official source, the entry says "unverified" rather than guessing. This is general information, not legal advice.

Patterns when an employee is fired

Deadline	States
Immediately, at discharge	California, Colorado (with short extensions if the payroll unit is closed), Massachusetts, Missouri; Hawaii (or the next working day); Nevada (Labor Commissioner treats it as late after 3 days)
Within 24 hours	Utah; Minnesota within 24 hours of the employee's written demand
Next business or working day	Connecticut, D.C., Oregon (end of the first business day)
Within 72 hours or a few days	New Hampshire and Vermont (72 hours), Alaska (3 working days), New Mexico (5 days), Texas (6 days)
Next regular payday, sometimes with a day cap	Most other states, including New York, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Washington, Virginia, North Carolina and Michigan. Kentucky allows the later of the next payday or 14 days; Tennessee the later of the next payday or 21 days
No specific state rule	Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Ohio. Ohio's general payday rule still applies

Patterns when an employee quits

• Notice matters in some states. California requires pay within 72 hours, or on the last day if the employee gave at least 72 hours' notice. Hawaii, New Hampshire and Oregon also speed up payment when proper notice is given.
• A short fixed window. D.C. and Nevada require the earlier of the next regular payday or 7 days.
• Next regular payday. The most common rule for quits in the table above.
• No statute for quits. Arkansas and Missouri set a deadline for discharges only.

Worked example: a Texas discharge

An employee in Texas, paid $22.00 an hour biweekly with Friday paydays, is let go on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, after working 24 hours in the current pay period. The next regular payday is Friday, April 17, but Texas requires a discharged employee to be paid in full not later than the sixth day after discharge: Tuesday, April 14.

Final stub line	Amount
Regular pay, 24 hrs × $22.00	$528.00
Federal income tax	$0.00
Social Security	$32.74
Medicare	$7.66
Net pay	$487.60

Why no federal income tax? The final check is a short pay period. Under the IRS percentage method, $528 biweekly annualizes to $13,728, which falls below the withholding threshold for a single filer once the standard amount is subtracted. Social Security and Medicare still apply. The stub's YTD columns close out the year at this employer, and those totals become the W-2.

Had she quit instead, Texas would allow payment by the next regularly scheduled payday, April 17.

What else belongs in a final paycheck

• All wages earned through the last day, including overtime.
• Accrued vacation, where state law or the employer's policy requires payout. California, for example, requires accrued vacation to be paid with final wages.
• Commissions and bonuses already earned under their terms. Several states have special timing rules for these.
• A pay stub, in any state that requires wage statements. The final payment is a payment of wages like any other.

If the final paycheck is late

1. Ask the employer in writing for payment and a final stub.
2. Contact your state labor agency. Each state's entry above links to its official source.
3. Know the penalties. California can assess a waiting time penalty of the employee's daily wage for each day final pay is willfully late, up to 30 days.

Year-end paperwork after leaving

The W-2 for the year is still due by February 1, 2027 for 2026 wages. If a former employee asks for it sooner, the employer must provide it within 30 days of the request or the final wage payment, whichever is later.

Making the final stub

Our pay stub generator handles short final pay periods: enter the hours actually worked and any payout, and the stub calculates the taxes and closes out the year-to-date totals from your prior figures. Corrections are free for 30 days, and each stub includes a free direct deposit advice slip. To check whether your state requires a stub at all, see pay stub laws by state.