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Final Paycheck Laws in North Carolina

In North Carolina, final wages are due on or before the next regular payday for any separation, and vacation must be paid according to company policy unless employees were notified of a forfeiture rule.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

North Carolina at a glance

Deadline if fired
Next regular payday
Deadline if employee quits
Next regular payday
Accrued vacation paid out
Depends on policy (forfeiture needs notice)
Employers must follow their vacation policy; a forfeiture rule only applies if employees were notified of it.

Sources

Last checked

The rules in North Carolina

When is a final paycheck due in North Carolina if the employee is fired or laid off?

Deadline if fired in North Carolina: Next regular payday.

When is a final paycheck due in North Carolina if the employee quits?

Deadline if employee quits in North Carolina: Next regular payday.

Does North Carolina law require employers to pay out accrued vacation when a job ends?

Depends on policy (forfeiture needs notice). Accrued vacation paid out in North Carolina: depends on policy (forfeiture needs notice). Employers must follow their vacation policy; a forfeiture rule only applies if employees were notified of it.

Where do the North Carolina final paycheck laws come from?

The rules above come from N.C. Gen. Stat. 95-25.7 and N.C. Gen. Stat. 95-25.12. Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

Good to know

Wages based on bonuses or commissions are due on the first regular payday after the amount can be calculated.

What this means in practice

Note the exact last day of work and how the job ended, since the deadline often runs from that date and may differ for a firing, a layoff or a resignation. Some statutes also change the deadline when an employee quits without giving notice.

Read the employer's written vacation or paid time off policy and any employment contract. Where state law leaves vacation payout to the employer, the policy terms usually decide whether unused time is paid out or forfeited.

If a final paycheck is late or short, the state labor department usually accepts wage claims, often without a lawyer. Some statutes add penalties for late payment, such as extra daily wages, so keep pay stubs, timesheets and any written communication about the final pay.

General information, not legal advice. Laws change, and cities can add their own rules, so check the current statute before you rely on it.