The Colorado final paycheck law sets the deadline for your final paycheck: immediately; if the payroll office is not operating, within 6 hours of the start of its next regular workday, or within 24 hours if payroll is off-site (delivered to the work site, the local office or your last known address) if your employer ended the job, and next regular payday if you quit.
This guide gives the exact Colorado final paycheck law deadline with the date we verified it, what the employer owes if the check is late, whether your unused vacation must be paid, and how to file a wage claim.
Rules verified against Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, Division of Labor Standards and Statistics on 2026-10-08; confirm the current rule with Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, Division of Labor Standards and Statistics or an attorney before you rely on it.
Colorado Final Paycheck Law at a Glance
| If you were fired | Immediately; if the payroll office is not operating, within 6 hours of the start of its next regular workday, or within 24 hours if payroll is off-site (delivered to the work site, the local office or your last known address) |
| If you quit | Next regular payday |
| If you were laid off | Immediately; if the payroll office is not operating, within 6 hours of the start of its next regular workday, or within 24 hours if payroll is off-site (delivered to the work site, the local office or your last known address) |
| Statute | Colo. Rev. Stat. 8-4-109 |
| Penalty for a late check | After a written demand, the greater of 2x the unpaid wages or $1,000 (3x / $3,000 if willful) |
| Unused vacation owed? | Yes — accrued vacation must be paid out |
| Where to file a wage claim | Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, Division of Labor Standards and Statistics |
In This Colorado Final Paycheck Law Guide:
The Colorado Final Paycheck Law Deadline
If the employer fires you or lays you off, the Colorado final paycheck law sets the due date like this: immediately; if the payroll office is not operating, within 6 hours of the start of its next regular workday, or within 24 hours if payroll is off-site (delivered to the work site, the local office or your last known address) (Colo. Rev. Stat. 8-4-109).
Colorado generally requires payment of commissions and bonuses that are earned under the terms of the agreement and can be calculated in dollars, including after a worker quits or is fired, unless the agreement says otherwise (CDLE INFO #3D, January 23, 2026). If the agreement adds a condition, such as the customer paying first, the commission may not be owed until that condition is met.
A worker cannot waive wages already earned.
Enter your last day and how the job ended, and get the exact Colorado due date, the statute and the penalty if it is late.
Colorado Final Paycheck Law at a Glance
Rules verified against Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, Division of Labor Standards and Statistics on 2026-10-08; confirm the current rule with Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, Division of Labor Standards and Statistics or an attorney before you rely on it. The statute row is where to check it yourself.
| Deadline if fired | Immediately; if the payroll office is not operating, within 6 hours of the start of its next regular workday, or within 24 hours if payroll is off-site (delivered to the work site, the local office or your last known address) |
| Deadline if quit | Next regular payday |
| Deadline if laid off | Immediately; if the payroll office is not operating, within 6 hours of the start of its next regular workday, or within 24 hours if payroll is off-site (delivered to the work site, the local office or your last known address) |
| Statute | Colo. Rev. Stat. 8-4-109 |
| Late-payment penalty | After a written demand, the greater of 2x the unpaid wages or $1,000 (3x / $3,000 if willful) |
| Unused vacation / PTO | Yes — accrued vacation must be paid out |
| PTO rule | Earned vacation cannot be forfeited and must be paid at separation (C.R.S. 8-4-101(14)(a)(III)); the CDLE enforces this. |
| Deductions allowed | Under C.R.S. |
| Wage-claim agency | Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, Division of Labor Standards and Statistics |
| File a wage claim | https://cdle.colorado.gov/wage-and-hour-law/wage-complaint |
Colorado Final Paycheck Law If You Quit
If you quit, the Colorado final paycheck law rule is: next regular payday. The final paycheck covers wages already earned, and the Colorado Wage Act requires it to be paid. Severance is extra pay that is generally owed only if a contract, policy or agreement promises it, and Colorado law does not generally require it. Under C.R.S.
8-4-102, wages may be paid by check, by direct deposit the worker voluntarily authorized, or by a paycard that meets the statute’s conditions. An employer generally cannot require direct deposit. Confirm paycard rules for final pay with the Division.
Unused Vacation and PTO Under Colorado Final Paycheck Law
Earned vacation cannot be forfeited and must be paid at separation (C.R.S. 8-4-101(14)(a)(III)); the CDLE enforces this. A policy cannot take away vacation the law treats as earned wages.
What the Colorado Final Paycheck Law Does If the Check Is Late
The penalty is the lever: after a written demand, the greater of 2x the unpaid wages or $1,000 (3x / $3,000 if willful). A Colorado employer may lawfully withhold only deductions the Wage Act allows, such as unreturned property or money when the written-agreement, audit and notice requirements in C.R.S. 8-4-105 are met. A commission or bonus whose agreed conditions were not met by separation is generally not yet owed.
What Can Be Deducted From a Final Check in Colorado
Under C.R.S. 8-4-105, a Colorado employer may deduct the value of unreturned money or property, such as equipment or cash, only if it trusted the worker with it, the worker agreed to return it, and there is a written agreement. Deductions for property also require an audit and a detailed written notice to the worker within 10 calendar days. Every deduction must be itemized on the pay statement.
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Confirm deductions for loans, advances or uniforms with the Division.
How to File a Wage Claim Under the Colorado Final Paycheck Law
Workers file a wage complaint with the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, Division of Labor Standards and Statistics, through its online wage complaint page. Attach pay stubs, time records, any offer letter or commission agreement, and the separation date and final paycheck you received, if any.
The Division can generally recover wages for the 2 years before the complaint is filed, or 3 years if the violation is found to be willful. Confirm the current filing details with the Division.
The Division sends the employer notice of the complaint and asks both sides for records and their positions on the claim and any defenses. Under the Wage Protection Rules (7 CCR 1103-7), the Division then issues a determination that can order back wages, penalties and fines. Either side may appeal, and the Division can enforce unpaid orders. Yes.
A Colorado worker can sue for unpaid wages in the small claims division of county court for up to 7500, not counting interest and costs (C.R.S. 13-6-403).
Other Colorado Final Paycheck Law Rules to Know
Colorado treats workers who were misclassified as independent contractors as employees for wage claims, so they may file with the Division or in court. Agreement terms that waive Wage Act rights to earned wages cannot be enforced.
Think your employer owes you money or broke the law?
You do not need a lawyer to file a wage claim: Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, Division of Labor Standards and Statistics takes the complaint for free and can order the employer to pay. If the amount is large or the employer has a history, an employment attorney can take the case — the state bar referral service is the place to start.
Colorado — the bottom line
- The Colorado final paycheck law sets a deadline that runs from your last day: immediately; if the payroll office is not operating, within 6 hours of the start of its next regular workday, or within 24 hours if payroll is off-site (delivered to the work site, the local office or your last known address) if the employer ended the job.
- Under the Colorado final paycheck law, a late check costs the employer — the penalty is the lever that makes a wage claim worth filing.
- The Colorado final paycheck law treats unused vacation as wages that must be paid out; check the policy, then the statute.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is my final paycheck due in Colorado if I was fired?
Under the Colorado final paycheck law, immediately; if the payroll office is not operating, within 6 hours of the start of its next regular workday, or within 24 hours if payroll is off-site (delivered to the work site, the local office or your last known address).
When is my final paycheck due in Colorado if I quit?
Next regular payday
Does Colorado have to pay out my unused vacation?
Earned vacation cannot be forfeited and must be paid at separation (C.R.S. 8-4-101(14)(a)(III)); the CDLE enforces this.
What happens if a Colorado employer pays the final check late?
After a written demand, the greater of 2x the unpaid wages or $1,000 (3x / $3,000 if willful)
How do I file a wage claim in Colorado?
Workers file a wage complaint with the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, Division of Labor Standards and Statistics, through its online wage complaint page. Attach pay stubs, time records, any offer letter or commission agreement, and the separation date and final paycheck you received, if any.
Official Colorado Sources & Resources
- Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, Division of Labor Standards and Statistics: https://cdle.colorado.gov/wage-and-hour-law
- File a Colorado wage claim: https://cdle.colorado.gov/wage-and-hour-law/wage-complaint
- Colorado final-pay statute: Colo. Rev. Stat. 8-4-109
- Verified source: https://cdle.colorado.gov/sites/cdle/files/info_%233a_timing_of_wage_payments%2C_%26_required_record-keeping_07.11.23.pdf
- Verified source: https://colorado.public.law/statutes/crs_8-4-109
- U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division — state payday requirements: dol.gov
This Colorado final paycheck law guide was last verified against official Colorado sources in October 2026. Rules change — confirm the current figure with the state agency or a licensed attorney.
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Disclaimer: This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. My Unemployment Rights is an independent educational resource, not a government agency and not a law firm. Final-paycheck deadlines, penalties and non compete rules change — every figure here carries the date we verified it. Confirm the current rule with your state labor department or a licensed attorney before you act.