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Certified payroll for public works: federal and state deadlines

By the Public Works Desk Team · Last verified · How we check every number · Corrections

Source: 29 CFR 5.5 Contract provisions and related matters. (eCFR, current as of 2026-11-10)

On federal Davis-Bacon work you submit a certified payroll every week with work on the job,

and the prime contractor answers for every subcontractor's payroll.

State public works add their own schedule on top:

weekly or every payroll period in Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Pennsylvania;

every two weeks in Minnesota; monthly or every 30 days in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Nevada,

New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island and Washington;

no fixed schedule in the statute in Michigan and Missouri.

  • Federal rule quoted from eCFR
  • 18 state statutes quoted
  • Checked November 13, 2026
A payroll and compliance manager reviews a stack of weekly payroll forms at a desk inside a construction site office trailer, with road work visible through the window.

Deadlines side by side

Certified payroll filing rules, federal and by state (statutes as retrieved 2026-11-13)
Federal (Davis-Bacon)WeeklyContracting agency (through the prime)3 years after the prime contract is completed
CaliforniaAt least monthly (every 30 days)Labor Commissioner (DIR), onlineYou keep: Labor Code § 1771.4 sets no period for registered contractors (unregistered on an exempt job: 3 years after completion)
ColoradoMonthly by statute; weekly in LCPtracker on state projectsContracting agency (state projects: LCPtracker)You keep: per the state contract; C.R.S. 24-92-204 sets no period
ConnecticutMonthlyContracting agency (or DECD / developer where applicable)You keep: keep and preserve them; § 31-53(f) sets no period
HawaiiWeeklyGovernmental contracting agencyYou keep: 3 years after the work
IllinoisMonthly, by the 15thIDOL certified payroll databaseYou keep: 5 years from the last payment
MarylandEach payroll period, within 14 daysCommissioner of Labor and Industry, electronicallyYou keep: per the Commissioner's rules; § 17-220 and COMAR 21.11.11.02 set no period
MassachusettsWeeklyAwarding authority, by mail or emailYou keep: 3 years from completion of the contract
MichiganNo schedule in the statute (contract decides)On request: contracting agent or LEO commissionerYou keep: an accurate record open to inspection; Act 10 sets no period
MinnesotaEvery two weeksContracting authority AND project ownerYou keep: 3 years after final payment by the contracting authority
MissouriNo schedule in the statute; affidavit at the endRecords open to the public body and the department; affidavit to the public bodyYou keep: 1 year after completion, and the records stay in Missouri
NevadaMonthly, by the 15thPublic body that awarded the contractYou keep: NRS 338.070 sets no period for you. The public body may discard its copies 2 years after final payment
New JerseyEach payroll period, within 10 days of paydayPublic body AND NJDOL online (both)You keep: 2 years from the date of payment
New MexicoWeekly records, submitted monthlyContracting agency (director on request, 10 business days)You keep: 3 years from final payment
New YorkEvery 30 daysDepartment of jurisdiction; electronic via NYSDOL MPWRYou keep: originals, sworn; § 220 sets no period for you. The department of jurisdiction keeps them 5 years
OhioFirst within 2 weeks of first payday, then monthlyPrevailing wage coordinator of the public authorityYou keep: ORC 4115.071 sets no period for you. The coordinator keeps the files open to inspection
PennsylvaniaWeekly, plus a final statementContracting agency (public body)You keep: 2 years from the date of payment
Rhode IslandMonthly, for the preceding monthAwarding authority (DLT uniform form)You keep: § 37-13-13 sets no period; hand records to DLT within 10 days of a request
WashingtonAt least once per monthDept. of Labor & Industries (L&I)You keep: 3 years from project acceptance

Sorting "How often" orders from most to least frequent; states whose statute sets no schedule sort last.

What the federal rule says

“The contractor or subcontractor must submit weekly,

for each week in which any DBA- or Related Acts-covered work is performed, certified payrolls”

29 CFR 5.5 Contract provisions and related matters. · eCFR, current as of 2026-11-10

“The prime contractor is responsible for the submission of all certified payrolls by all

subcontractors.”

29 CFR 5.5 Contract provisions and related matters. · eCFR, current as of 2026-11-10

“The required weekly certified payroll information may be submitted using Optional Form WH-347 or

in any other format desired.”

29 CFR 5.5 Contract provisions and related matters. · eCFR, current as of 2026-11-10

“The contractor or subcontractor must preserve all certified payrolls during the course of the work

and for a period of 3 years after all the work on the prime contract is completed.”

29 CFR 5.5 Contract provisions and related matters. · eCFR, current as of 2026-11-10

State pages

Guides and tools

Limits. Federal rows quote 29 CFR 5.5 (eCFR as of 2026-11-10). State rows quote the statute cited on each state page, retrieved 2026-11-13. If a statute sets no filing schedule or no contractor retention period, the page says so and gives the federal 3-year floor; that is not a finding that nothing is due.

Sources