HR topics · Final paycheck by state

Final paycheck deadline in California

California has some of the strictest final-pay deadlines in the country (Labor Code sections 201 to 203).

When is the final paycheck due if an employee is fired in California?

All wages, including accrued vacation, are due immediately at the time of termination.

When is it due if the employee quits?

If the employee gave at least 72 hours' notice, all wages are due at the time of quitting. Without 72 hours' notice, they are due within 72 hours of quitting. The employee can ask for the final check to be mailed.

What happens if the final pay is late?

If an employer willfully fails to pay on time, the Labor Commissioner explains that a waiting time penalty may apply: the employee's daily rate of pay for each day the wages remain unpaid, up to 30 calendar days.

General information, AI-prepared and checked against the official sources listed, not legal advice. Laws change, and cities, contracts and union agreements can add rules. Last reviewed October 2026. How answers are made