Final Paycheck Demand Letter

What's included

A correctly structured Final Paycheck Demand ready to edit and send
Plain-language prompts so you don't miss a required detail
Wording aligned to your state's rules and notice periods
Download as PDF or copy as text

How to generate your Final Paycheck Demand letter

Five steps, usually under ten minutes total.

Sign in or create an account. Only your email and a password are required — no card until you unlock your finished letter.
Click "Start my letter". On any Final Paycheck Demand page, click the Start button. We create a draft you can come back to.
Fill in your facts. Names, addresses, dates, and amounts. Plain-language prompts guide every field. Save as a draft if you need to gather information.
Click Finalize. Traquor renders your letter with your state's statutory citations and notice periods where they apply.
Print or save as PDF. Your finalized letter is in a clean paper layout. Use your browser to print or save as a PDF, then mail, email, or hand-deliver.

Sample Final Paycheck Demand letter

Bracketed fields are placeholders — the generator fills them from your answers and applies the correct statutory citations for your jurisdiction.

[YOUR FULL NAME]
[YOUR MAILING ADDRESS]

July 24, 2026

[EMPLOYER NAME]
[EMPLOYER ADDRESS (OR HR / PAYROLL)]

Re:  Demand for Final Wages
     Separation date: [date]

Dear Sir or Madam:

My employment with [EMPLOYER NAME] ended on [date] ([SEPARATION TYPE]). I have not yet received my final paycheck.

Final wages owed: $[AMOUNT]

This amount includes earned wages, any earned commissions, and any earned but unused PTO that is payable under your policies and your state law.

your state wage-payment law generally requires prompt payment of final wages. Please remit the full amount of $[AMOUNT] within 7 days of receipt of this letter.

If the amount is not paid within 7 days, I will file a wage claim with the your state labor department and seek all available remedies under your state wage-payment statute, including any statutory damages, interest, and attorney fees.

Please send payment and any explanation of withholdings to the address above.

Sincerely,



[YOUR FULL NAME]

Download this template (Word) — free, no signup

Final-paycheck deadlines by state

State	If you were fired	If you quit	Statute
Alabama	By the next regular payday (no dedicated state statute — the federal FLSA standard applies)	By the next regular payday	the federal Fair Labor Standards Act
Alaska	Within three working days of termination	On the next regular payday at least three days after notice	Alaska Statute § 23.05.140(b)
Arizona	Within seven working days or by the end of the next regular pay period, whichever is sooner	On the next regular payday	Arizona Revised Statutes § 23-353
Arkansas	On the next regular payday	On the next regular payday	Arkansas Code § 11-4-405
California	Immediately at the time of termination	Within 72 hours (immediately if you gave at least 72 hours' notice)	California Labor Code §§ 201–203
Colorado	Immediately upon termination (within six hours of payroll's next workday start, or 24 hours if the payroll unit is off-site)	On the next regular payday	Colorado Revised Statutes § 8-4-109
Connecticut	By the next business day after discharge	On the next regular payday	Connecticut General Statutes § 31-71c
Delaware	On the next regular payday	On the next regular payday	19 Delaware Code § 1103
Florida	By the next regular payday (no dedicated state statute — the federal FLSA standard applies)	By the next regular payday	the federal Fair Labor Standards Act
Georgia	By the next regular payday (no dedicated state statute — the federal FLSA standard applies)	By the next regular payday	the federal Fair Labor Standards Act
Hawaii	Immediately or by the next working day	On the next regular payday	Hawaii Revised Statutes § 388-3
Idaho	By the next payday or within 10 days (excluding weekends and holidays), whichever is earlier — within 48 hours of a written demand	By the next payday or within 10 days, whichever is earlier	Idaho Code § 45-606
Illinois	At the time of separation if possible, and no later than the next regularly scheduled payday	No later than the next regularly scheduled payday	Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act, 820 ILCS 115/5
Indiana	On the next regular payday	On the next regular payday	Indiana Code § 22-2-9-2
Iowa	On the next regular payday	On the next regular payday	Iowa Code § 91A.4
Kansas	On the next regular payday	On the next regular payday	Kansas Statutes § 44-315
Kentucky	By the next regular payday or within 14 days, whichever is later	By the next regular payday or within 14 days, whichever is later	Kentucky Revised Statutes § 337.055
Louisiana	By the next regular payday or within 15 days, whichever is earlier	By the next regular payday or within 15 days, whichever is earlier	Louisiana Revised Statutes § 23:631
Maine	By the next regular payday or within two weeks of a demand, whichever is earlier	By the next regular payday or within two weeks of a demand, whichever is earlier	26 Maine Revised Statutes § 626
Maryland	On the next regular payday	On the next regular payday	Maryland Labor & Employment Code § 3-505
Massachusetts	On the day of discharge	On the next regular payday	Massachusetts General Laws ch. 149, § 148
Michigan	Immediately — as soon as the amount can be determined with due diligence	On the next regularly scheduled payday	Michigan Compiled Laws § 408.475
Minnesota	Within 24 hours of a written demand	On the next payday (no more than 20 days out)	Minnesota Statutes §§ 181.13–181.14
Mississippi	By the next regular payday (no dedicated state statute — the federal FLSA standard applies)	By the next regular payday	the federal Fair Labor Standards Act
Missouri	On the day of discharge	On the next regular payday	Missouri Revised Statutes § 290.110
Montana	Immediately (within four hours or by end of the business day), unless a written policy extends it to the next payday	By the next regular payday or within 15 days, whichever is earlier	Montana Code § 39-3-205
Nebraska	By the next regular payday or within two weeks, whichever is earlier	By the next regular payday or within two weeks, whichever is earlier	Nebraska Revised Statutes § 48-1230
Nevada	Immediately upon discharge (penalty wages begin accruing if unpaid after three days)	By the next regular payday or within seven days, whichever is earlier	Nevada Revised Statutes §§ 608.020–608.040
New Hampshire	Within 72 hours of discharge	On the next regular payday	New Hampshire RSA 275:44
New Jersey	On the next regular payday	On the next regular payday	New Jersey Statutes § 34:11-4.3
New Mexico	Within five days for fixed-amount wages (10 days for task or commission-based pay)	On the next regular payday	New Mexico Statutes §§ 50-4-4 and 50-4-5
New York	No later than the regular payday for the pay period in which the separation occurred	No later than the regular payday for the pay period in which the separation occurred	New York Labor Law § 191
North Carolina	On the next regular payday	On the next regular payday	North Carolina General Statutes § 95-25.7
North Dakota	By the next regular payday or within 15 days, whichever is earlier	On the next regular payday	North Dakota Century Code § 34-14-03
Ohio	By the next regular payday or within 15 days, whichever is earlier	By the next regular payday or within 15 days, whichever is earlier	Ohio Revised Code § 4113.15
Oklahoma	On the next regular payday	On the next regular payday	40 Oklahoma Statutes § 165.3
Oregon	By the end of the next business day	Within five business days or on the next payday, whichever is earlier (immediately if you gave 48 hours' notice)	Oregon Revised Statutes § 652.140
Pennsylvania	On the next regular payday	On the next regular payday	43 Pennsylvania Statutes § 260.5
Rhode Island	On the next regular payday	On the next regular payday	Rhode Island General Laws § 28-14-4
South Carolina	Within 48 hours or by the next regular payday (not exceeding 30 days)	Within 48 hours or by the next regular payday (not exceeding 30 days)	South Carolina Code § 41-10-50
South Dakota	On the next regular payday (or when any company property is returned)	On the next regular payday	South Dakota Codified Laws § 60-11-10
Tennessee	By the next regular payday or within 21 days, whichever is later	By the next regular payday or within 21 days, whichever is later	Tennessee Code § 50-2-103(g)
Texas	Within six days of discharge	On the next regular payday	Texas Labor Code § 61.014
Utah	Within 24 hours of separation	On the next regular payday	Utah Code § 34-28-5
Vermont	Within 72 hours of discharge	On the next regular payday (or the following Friday if there is no regular payday)	21 Vermont Statutes § 342
Virginia	On or before the next regular payday	On or before the next regular payday	Virginia Code § 40.1-29
Washington	By the end of the established pay period	By the end of the established pay period	Revised Code of Washington § 49.48.010
West Virginia	On or before the next regular payday	On or before the next regular payday	West Virginia Code § 21-5-4
Wisconsin	On the next regular payday (within 31 days at most)	On the next regular payday	Wisconsin Statutes § 109.03
Wyoming	On the usual payday	On the usual payday	Wyoming Statutes § 27-4-104
District of Columbia	By the next working day	On the next regular payday or within seven days, whichever is earlier	D.C. Code § 32-1303

Summarized for orientation; statutes change and carve-outs apply (entries marked * have additional conditions — see the state page). Last reviewed June 2026. Verify the current rule on your state's page before relying on a deadline.

Choose your state

Frequently asked questions

What is a Final Paycheck Demand?

Demand a final paycheck owed after separation, with the statutory deadline cited.

Is this Final Paycheck Demand specific to my state?

Choose your state to generate a version aligned to local rules and notice periods.

Related Employment letters