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Tennessee Final Paycheck and Pay Frequency Laws (2026)

Last updated: 2026-10-12 · Rules checked against Tennessee's statutes and labor agency on 2026-10-03

In Tennessee, a final paycheck for an employee who is fired or laid off is due by the next regular payday or 21 days after discharge, whichever is later. If the employee quits: same: the later of the next regular payday or 21 days. Pay frequency: Tennessee employers with 5 or more employees must pay at least monthly on regular, posted paydays. Monthly pay is due by the 5th of the next month; with two or more paydays a month, wages earned through the 15th are due by the 5th of the next month and the rest by the 20th.

Final pay: fired
Later of next payday or 21 days
Final pay: quits
Later of next payday or 21 days
Pay frequency
At least monthly (5+ employees)
Payday deadline
By 5th / 20th of next month
after the pay period ends

Tennessee final paycheck law

Fired or laid off
By the next regular payday or 21 days after discharge, whichever is later.
Quits
Same: the later of the next regular payday or 21 days.
Final-pay source
TN Labor & Workforce Development: wages (T.C.A. § 50-2-103(g))

14 states require final pay immediately or within about three days of a firing (California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, Oregon, Utah and Vermont); most others allow the next regular payday. Final wages include all earned pay; whether unused vacation must be paid out is a separate state rule.

How often Tennessee employers must pay

Tennessee employers with 5 or more employees must pay at least monthly on regular, posted paydays. Monthly pay is due by the 5th of the next month; with two or more paydays a month, wages earned through the 15th are due by the 5th of the next month and the rest by the 20th.

  • Employees of employers with 5+ staffWeekly (allowed)Biweekly (allowed)Semimonthly (allowed)Monthly (allowed)
  • Employers with fewer than 5 employeesWeekly (allowed)Biweekly (allowed)Semimonthly (allowed)Monthly (allowed)Not covered by the frequency and deadline rules.

Green: allowed. Amber: allowed only if a condition is met. Struck through: not allowed without approval.

Rule
At least monthly (5+ employees) (at least monthly)
Who is covered
Private employers with 5 or more employees.
Salaried / exempt staff
Same rule as other employees.
Payday deadline after the pay period
Monthly payers: by the 5th of the following month. Two or more paydays a month: wages earned before the 16th by the 5th of the next month, and wages earned before the 1st by the 20th of the next month.
Posting / notice of paydays
Post the regular paydays in at least two conspicuous places where employees can see them (T.C.A. § 50-2-103(d)).
Changing paydays
No specific advance-notice rule in the wage payment law; give written notice before the change as a best practice.
  • The DOL's 2023 table marks Tennessee as semimonthly; the statute requires only monthly pay (with the date deadlines above) and only for employers of 5 or more.

Same category (at least monthly): Colorado, Delaware, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Washington and Wisconsin.

Build a Tennessee payroll calendar

Generate every 2026–2028 payday for your schedule, moved for bank holidays, and check it against Tennessee's frequency and payday-deadline rules. Download it as Excel, CSV, PDF or a calendar file.

Payroll calendar settings

Pay periods run Sunday–Saturday; payday is Friday, 6 days after the period ends (e.g. Dec 14, 2025 – Dec 27, 2025 → Fri, Jan 2, 2026).

Paychecks in 2026
27
Usual is 26 — plan for the extra payroll
Months with 3+ paychecks
3
January, July, December
Paydays moved
2
Weekend or holiday
First / last payday
Jan 2 – Dec 31
Fri / Thu

Year-end shift: the payday scheduled for Fri, Jan 1, 2027 moves to Thu, Dec 31, 2026 and is paid in 2026, so it counts toward 2026 — W-2 wages, Social Security wage base and 401(k) limits follow the date wages are paid.

27 biweekly paychecks. If salaried staff are paid annual salary ÷ 26, a 27th check pays about 3.8% more than the salary for the year; dividing by 27 lowers each check about 3.7% instead. Decide before January and adjust per-paycheck benefit deductions and 401(k) deferrals.

Check #Pay periodPay dateSubmit payroll byDays after period endNotes
1Dec 14, 2025 – Dec 27, 2025Fri, Jan 2, 2026Tue, Dec 30, 20256
2Dec 28, 2025 – Jan 10, 2026Fri, Jan 16, 2026Wed, Jan 14, 20266
3Jan 11, 2026 – Jan 24, 2026Fri, Jan 30, 2026Wed, Jan 28, 202663rd check in January.
4Jan 25, 2026 – Feb 7, 2026Fri, Feb 13, 2026Wed, Feb 11, 20266
5Feb 8, 2026 – Feb 21, 2026Fri, Feb 27, 2026Wed, Feb 25, 20266
6Feb 22, 2026 – Mar 7, 2026Fri, Mar 13, 2026Wed, Mar 11, 20266
7Mar 8, 2026 – Mar 21, 2026Fri, Mar 27, 2026Wed, Mar 25, 20266
8Mar 22, 2026 – Apr 4, 2026Fri, Apr 10, 2026Wed, Apr 8, 20266
9Apr 5, 2026 – Apr 18, 2026Fri, Apr 24, 2026Wed, Apr 22, 20266
10Apr 19, 2026 – May 2, 2026Fri, May 8, 2026Wed, May 6, 20266
11May 3, 2026 – May 16, 2026Fri, May 22, 2026Wed, May 20, 20266
12May 17, 2026 – May 30, 2026Fri, Jun 5, 2026Wed, Jun 3, 20266
13May 31, 2026 – Jun 13, 2026Thu, Jun 18, 2026Tue, Jun 16, 20265Moved from Fri, Jun 19, 2026 (Juneteenth).
14Jun 14, 2026 – Jun 27, 2026Fri, Jul 3, 2026Wed, Jul 1, 20266
15Jun 28, 2026 – Jul 11, 2026Fri, Jul 17, 2026Wed, Jul 15, 20266
16Jul 12, 2026 – Jul 25, 2026Fri, Jul 31, 2026Wed, Jul 29, 202663rd check in July.
17Jul 26, 2026 – Aug 8, 2026Fri, Aug 14, 2026Wed, Aug 12, 20266
18Aug 9, 2026 – Aug 22, 2026Fri, Aug 28, 2026Wed, Aug 26, 20266
19Aug 23, 2026 – Sep 5, 2026Fri, Sep 11, 2026Wed, Sep 9, 20266
20Sep 6, 2026 – Sep 19, 2026Fri, Sep 25, 2026Wed, Sep 23, 20266
21Sep 20, 2026 – Oct 3, 2026Fri, Oct 9, 2026Wed, Oct 7, 20266
22Oct 4, 2026 – Oct 17, 2026Fri, Oct 23, 2026Wed, Oct 21, 20266
23Oct 18, 2026 – Oct 31, 2026Fri, Nov 6, 2026Wed, Nov 4, 20266
24Nov 1, 2026 – Nov 14, 2026Fri, Nov 20, 2026Wed, Nov 18, 20266
25Nov 15, 2026 – Nov 28, 2026Fri, Dec 4, 2026Wed, Dec 2, 20266
26Nov 29, 2026 – Dec 12, 2026Fri, Dec 18, 2026Wed, Dec 16, 20266
27Dec 13, 2026 – Dec 26, 2026Thu, Dec 31, 2026Tue, Dec 29, 20265Moved from Fri, Jan 1, 2027 (New Year's Day). 3rd check in December.

Holidays: Federal Reserve Bank closures, when ACH direct deposits don't settle (the Reserve Banks stay open on the Friday before a Saturday holiday, such as July 3, 2026 and Dec. 24, 2027). Submit-payroll dates count Federal Reserve business days; your provider's cutoff may differ.

Other Tennessee payroll rules

Tennessee final paycheck and payday FAQ

When is a final paycheck due in Tennessee if an employee is fired?

By the next regular payday or 21 days after discharge, whichever is later. Source: TN Labor & Workforce Development: wages (T.C.A. § 50-2-103(g)).

When is a final paycheck due in Tennessee if an employee quits?

Same: the later of the next regular payday or 21 days. Source: TN Labor & Workforce Development: wages (T.C.A. § 50-2-103(g)).

How often do Tennessee employers have to pay employees?

Tennessee employers with 5 or more employees must pay at least monthly on regular, posted paydays. Monthly pay is due by the 5th of the next month; with two or more paydays a month, wages earned through the 15th are due by the 5th of the next month and the rest by the 20th. Who is covered: Private employers with 5 or more employees.

Can I pay employees monthly in Tennessee?

Yes. Monthly pay periods are allowed for employees of employers with 5+ staff. Salaried / exempt staff: Same rule as other employees.

How soon after a pay period ends must Tennessee employees be paid?

Monthly payers: by the 5th of the following month. Two or more paydays a month: wages earned before the 16th by the 5th of the next month, and wages earned before the 1st by the 20th of the next month.

Do I have to give notice before changing paydays in Tennessee?

The wage payment law has no specific advance-notice rule for changing paydays. Give employees written notice before the change as a best practice, and keep paying at least as often as the law requires.

Official Sources

Figures checked against these sources on 2026-10-03

Related Resources on This Site

Final paycheck and payday laws in other states

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General information, not legal advice. Confirm the current rules with Tennessee's labor department before relying on them.