Pay frequency is how often an employer pays its staff, and the four standard choices are weekly, biweekly, semimonthly and monthly. In the US, state law limits which ones you can use: some states require weekly pay, many require at least twice a month, and only some allow monthly pay for hourly workers.
This page uses the U.S. Department of Labor's table of state payday requirements, last revised January 1, 2023, and the IRS pay period table in Publication 15-T for 2026. The insight most small business owners miss is that biweekly and semimonthly aren't the same thing. They give you a different number of paydays a year, and some states allow one but not the other.
The pay periods per year
| Pay frequency | Pay periods per year | How it works |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly | 52 | Every week, usually the same weekday |
| Biweekly | 26 | Every other week, same weekday |
| Semimonthly | 24 | Twice a month on set dates, such as the 15th and last day |
| Monthly | 12 | Once a month |
| Quarterly | 4 | Rare for wages |
| Daily | 260 | Used in IRS tables for daily payroll |
Those counts come from Table 3 of IRS Publication 15-T, which payroll systems use to annualise wages for tax withholding. Because a year has 26 biweekly periods but only 24 semimonthly ones, a biweekly payroll produces two months each year with three paydays. That's useful for staff and awkward for cash flow if you don't plan for it.
Biweekly or semimonthly?
Biweekly pay lands on the same weekday every two weeks, which makes hourly overtime easy because each pay period holds exactly two workweeks. Semimonthly pay lands on fixed dates, so the payday moves around the week and a pay period can split a workweek. Semimonthly suits salaried teams because each paycheck is the same amount; biweekly suits hourly teams because the workweeks never split.
States that require weekly pay
A handful of states push employers toward weekly pay. The Department of Labor's table notes these rules.
- Connecticut: weekly, with longer intervals up to monthly only if the labor commissioner approves.
- New York: weekly paydays for manual workers, with semi-monthly only upon approval.
- Rhode Island: most employers must pay weekly.
- Massachusetts: hourly employees weekly or biweekly; salaried staff can be paid semi-monthly.
- New Hampshire: weekly or bi-weekly, with semi-monthly or monthly only with written permission.
Connecticut's Department of Labor quotes its own statute: each employer shall pay weekly all moneys due each employee on a regular payday designated in advance.
States that allow monthly pay
The table marks only monthly for Colorado, Delaware, Idaho, Kansas, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Washington and Wisconsin, which means monthly meets the minimum there. Wisconsin adds that most employers must pay at least monthly with no longer than 31 days between pay periods. Some states allow monthly pay only for executive, administrative and professional staff, including Illinois, Nevada, New Mexico and Virginia.
Twice a month or more
Many states fall in the middle and require pay at least twice a month. Oklahoma is a good example: its Department of Labor says every non-exempt employee must be paid at least twice each calendar month, with paydays set within 11 days after the end of each pay period. Arizona requires two or more paydays a month, not more than 16 days apart, and Maine requires regular intervals not exceeding 16 days.
States with no set frequency
The Department of Labor's table lists Alabama and Florida as having no payday regulations. North Carolina specifies none, so pay periods may be daily, weekly, bi-weekly, semi-monthly or monthly. In Nebraska the employer designates the payday, and in Montana a semimonthly period is presumed if none is set. South Carolina has no frequency rule but requires employers with 5 or more employees to give written notice of the time and place of payment at hiring.
How to choose a pay frequency
- Check your state's rule first, for every state where you have an employee.
- Match the schedule to the type of worker: hourly staff often suit weekly or biweekly, salaried staff suit semimonthly.
- Count the paydays in your cash flow forecast, including the two three-payday months that biweekly creates.
- Pick a schedule your payroll provider supports in every state you hire in.
- Put the payday in writing at hiring, which several states require.
Pay frequency also affects final pay, because many states tie the last paycheck to the next regular payday. My final paycheck guide covers those deadlines, and my overtime laws guide explains why a weekly or biweekly cycle makes overtime easier to calculate.
Some states split the rule by type of worker. Texas, for example, requires employees who are exempt from federal overtime rules to be paid at least once a month and everyone else at least twice a month, according to the Department of Labor's table. Iowa allows any predictable schedule as long as employees are paid at least monthly and no later than 12 days, excluding Sundays and legal holidays, after the period ends.
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My verdict
For most small US employers, biweekly is the easiest safe choice: it meets the twice-a-month rule in most states and keeps overtime simple. Use weekly where the state demands it, semimonthly for salaried teams if you like even paychecks, and monthly only where your state's table says you can.
Frequently asked questions
What does pay frequency mean?
It's how often an employer pays its employees, such as weekly, biweekly, semimonthly or monthly.
How many pay periods are in a year if you're paid biweekly?
IRS Publication 15-T lists 26 biweekly pay periods a year.
What's the difference between biweekly and semimonthly?
Biweekly is every other week, 26 times a year. Semimonthly is twice a month on set dates, 24 times a year.
Which states require weekly pay?
The Department of Labor's table shows weekly rules in Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York for manual workers, and weekly or biweekly for hourly staff in Massachusetts and for all staff in New Hampshire.
Can I pay employees monthly?
Only where your state allows it. The Department of Labor's table lists monthly as acceptable in states such as Colorado, Oregon, Washington and Wisconsin.
Is there a federal rule on how often to pay?
The rules on this page come from state law, collected in the U.S. Department of Labor's table of state payday requirements.
What is the most flexible state for pay frequency?
Alabama and Florida have no payday regulations, and North Carolina specifies none, according to the Department of Labor's table.
How many pay periods are there with semimonthly pay?
IRS Publication 15-T lists 24 semimonthly pay periods a year.
