Your Workers’ Comp Claim Was Denied. How Long Do You Have?
In 36 of 51 US jurisdictions, nothing starts when the denial letter arrives. The clock has been running since your accident — and it keeps running while you argue with the insurer. Only 15 jurisdictions give you a separate deadline measured from the denial itself.
That difference is why some workers find out their claim expired while they were still waiting for the insurer to call back. Find your state below. Every row cites the statute it comes from.
Updated · 51 jurisdictions · statute citations on every row
15 Jurisdictions Where the Denial Starts a Clock
These are the urgent ones. Ohio is the shortest at 14 days from receipt of the bwc order, and it has no relief for a missed deadline. Note carefully whether the clock starts when the insurer mails the denial or when you receive it — several states use the mailing date, so the deadline is earlier than most people assume.
| Jurisdiction | Deadline from denial | Statute of limitations | What starts the clock | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio | 14 days from receipt of the BWC order | 1 year from the injury to file the claim | 14 calendar days from RECEIPT (presumed 3 days after mailing); arrival counts, not the postmark. | Ohio Rev. Code § 4123.511(B)(1); OAC 4121-3-18(C)(1); § 4123.84(A) (1 year) |
| Heads upDo not confuse this with the 60 days to file suit in court (§ 4123.512). Mailing is not enough - the appeal must ARRIVE on time. | ||||
| Wyoming | 15 calendar days from mailing of the Final Determination | 1 year from injury/discovery (W.S. 27-14-503(a), verified) | 15 calendar days from the notice's mailing date; your objection counts as filed on the postmark date. | W.S. 27-14-601(k)(iv), (k)(vi); 16-4-301(a); 16-4-303; Painter, 931 P.2d 953 (Wyo. 1997) |
| Heads upIf day 15 falls on a weekend/holiday, the next business day counts (W.S. 16-4-303). Late = final; the Division may redecide within 1 year. | ||||
| District of Columbia | 34 BUSINESS DAYS from Memorandum of Informal Conference | 1 year from injury/death or from the last payment | From issuance of the Memorandum of Informal Conference — not from the denial; otherwise only the 1-year limit. | 7 DCMR § 219.22 (business days: § 299 via § 259.5); D.C. Code § 32-1514(a) |
| Heads up34 BUSINESS DAYS (Sat/Sun/holidays don't count) = about 48-50 calendar days; NEVER show as '34 days'. Also: 14 business days for a written objection to OWC. | ||||
| North Dakota | 45 days from issuance of the denial (Reconsideration) | 1 year from injury (N.D.C.C. 65-05-01); 2 years for death | From WSI's issuance of the notice of decision - not from when you receive it. Calendar days. | N.D.C.C. § 65-01-16(4), i.d.F. SB 2109 (Ch. 595, 2025) |
| Heads upIt must ARRIVE at WSI within 45 days - mailing it is not enough. After that the decision is final and every further appeal is lost. | ||||
| Oregon | 60 days from the denial's mailing date | n/a; NOT the 90-day injury report (ORS 656.265) | Calendar days from the denial's mailing date; filing counts from mailing; up to day 180 with good cause. | ORS 656.319(1)(a)+(b); OAR 438-005-0055 (Fassung ab 01.11.2024); OAR 438-005-0046(1) |
| Heads upRegular mail is risky: if it arrives after day 60, it is presumed late until you prove otherwise - use certified mail or email the Board. | ||||
| Washington | 60 calendar days from receipt of denial (RCW 51.52.060) | 1 year from injury (claim, RCW 51.28.050) | From receipt, calendar days; e-orders count as received on the send date; arrival counts, not mailing | RCW 51.52.060(1)(a); RCW 51.52.050(1)(c),(d); RCW 51.28.050 |
| Heads upRehab/vocational orders: only 15 days. The 65 days (electronic) printed on orders since 6/11/2026 are unsettled - RCW 51.52.060 still says 60. | ||||
| West Virginia | 60 days from receipt; up to 120 on request (good cause) | Claim: 6 months from injury (§23-4-15), no deadline in days | From RECEIPT of the decision, not its date. Calendar days; the protest must ARRIVE within 60 days. | W. Va. Code §23-5-1a(b)(1), §23-5-6a; W. Va. Code R. §102-1-6.2 (Fassung 1.7.2022) |
| Heads upSince 7/1/2022 the protest goes to the Board of Review; some handouts/carrier kits still name the dissolved Office of Judges. 30 days = next level, ICA. | ||||
| Nevada | 70 days from the denial's mailing date (calendar days) | not applicable - the clock runs from the denial | From the mailing date of the denial; calendar days; 30 days of insurer silence counts as a denial. | Nev. Rev. Stat. § 616C.315(3) (Fassung 2025, SB 376); NAC 616C.091(4)(g) |
| Heads upWhat counts is the insurer's mailing date, not your receipt - and the request must ARRIVE at the Hearings Division within 70 days. | ||||
| Arizona | 90 days from mailing of the Notice of Claim Status (Form 104) | 1 year from the injury or when the connection became apparent | From mailing of the Notice of Claim Status; calendar days, mailing day doesn't count; receipt by the ICA counts. | A.R.S. § 23-947(A),(B); § 23-1061(A),(F); A.A.C. R20-5-105 (Supp. 26-2) |
| Heads upA postmark is not enough: 'filed' = received by the ICA. Don't confuse this with the 30 days to request review of an ALJ award after the hearing. | ||||
| Vermont | 6 months from denial — only after voluntary payment | 6 months from discoverable injury (§ 656(a)/(b)) | From the denial date (mailing). Otherwise no clock from denial — then 3 years from the injury date. | 21 V.S.A. § 656(a)-(c), § 660(a); VT WC Rules 3.1520/3.1700 (Fassung 1.1.2025) |
| Heads upCORRECTION: no 6-vs-3-year dispute — § 660(a) was cut from 6 to 3 years in 2004. Hartman's 6 years are outdated; after 3 years you are barred. | ||||
| New Mexico | 1 year from the insurer's refusal to pay | No separate filing deadline - the same 1-year period | From nonpayment or denial (silence counts); tolled up to 1 year while you stay employed there. | NMSA 1978 § 52-1-31(A); NM WCA Worker Guidebook, Kap. 8 (S. 39) |
| Heads upDo not wait for a written denial: the WCA also counts the year from when you knew the injury was work-related. Separate: 15 days to report to your employer. | ||||
| New Hampshire | 18 months from receipt of the denial (Petition for Hearing) | 3 years from injury to file (discovery rule applies) | 18 months from the denial to request a hearing; after that, only 30 days to the Appeals Board. | N.H. RSA 281-A:42-d (18 mos.); :21-a (3 yrs.); :43 I(b) (30 days to Board) |
| Heads upCORRECTION: The 3-year statute of limitations does NOT cut off the 18 months (NH Supreme Court 2025). The law runs from receipt; DOL forms from the denial date. | ||||
| Alaska | 2 years from Controversion — must file hearing request (ARH) | 2 years from discovery, max. 4 years from accident | From filing of the Controversion with the Division (not from receipt); without one, from the last payment. | AS 23.30.110(c) u. (h); AS 23.30.105(a); 8 AAC 45.070/.182 |
| Heads upDon't confuse these: 15 days to report to your employer (since 01/01/2025, was 30); appeal of a Board decision only 30 days (AS 23.30.127(a)). | ||||
| Montana | 2 years from the insurer's denial of benefits | separate: 30-day report, 12-month claim (39-71-601/603) | From the day after the denial; mediation is required before suit and tolls the clock. Not the injury date. | Mont. Code Ann. § 3-9-111(2) (bis 30.06.2025: § 39-71-2905(2)) |
| Heads upIf the employer was uninsured (UEF), it's instead 90 days to mediation and 60 days from the mediator's report (§ 39-71-520), not 2 years. | ||||
| South Dakota | 2 years from the insurer's written denial | 3 years from the last payment (if never denied) | From written denial to you AND the Department; the petition must reach the agency. | SDCL 62-7-35 (2 yrs.); 62-7-35.1 (3 yrs.); 62-6-3 (20-day denial); ARSD 47:03:01:02 |
| Heads upOnly a letter with all required items (ARSD 47:03:01:02) counts as a petition; a late denial letter does not revive a time-barred claim. | ||||
36 Jurisdictions Where the Denial Changes Nothing
This is the larger group and the more dangerous one, because there is no letter and no form telling you a clock is running. The statute of limitations started at your accident, your diagnosis, or your last payment — and the insurer has no duty to remind you. In Louisiana, a claim from an older accident can already be time-barred on the day the denial arrives.
| Jurisdiction | Statute of limitations | What starts the clock | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 2 years from the accident (verified complaint, Circuit Court) | From the date of the accident; if compensation was already paid, from the last such payment. | Ala. Code § 25-5-80 i.V.m. § 25-5-88 |
| Heads upThe 15-day deadline you will find quoted online belongs to unemployment compensation, not workers' comp. | |||
| Arkansas | 2 years from injury - file Form AR-C with the AWCC | From the injury date, calendar days; receipt by the AWCC counts. Gradual onset: from manifestation + lost wages. | Ark. Code Ann. 11-9-702(a)(1); dazu (b)(1) u. (a)(4); Rechtsmittel 11-9-711(a)(1) |
| Heads upIf anything was paid (even medical): 11-9-702(b)(1) - 1 yr from last payment or 2 yrs from injury, whichever is longer. Request a hearing within 6 mos. of AR-C. | |||
| California | 1 year (Application for Adjudication, WCAB) | From the accident, the end of wage-replacement payments, or the last medical treatment. | Cal. Lab. Code § 5405 |
| Colorado | 2 years from the accident (WC15), 3 with reasonable excuse | From the accident; the clock does not run while your employer has not reported it to the Division. | C.R.S. § 8-43-103(2); § 8-43-203(1)(a) |
| Connecticut | 1 year from the accident, 3 years for occupational disease | From the accident; for occupational disease, from the first symptom (then 3 years). | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-294c(a) |
| Delaware | 2 years from the accident (petition with the IAB) | From the accident or death; for occupational disease, 1 year from learning it is work-related. | 19 Del. C. § 2361(a) i.V.m. § 2345 |
| Florida | 2 years - Petition for Benefits with the OJCC | From when you knew the injury was work-related; each payment or treatment extends it by 1 year. | Fla. Stat. § 440.19(1), (2); § 440.192 |
| Georgia | 1 year from the accident (Form WC-14 with the SBWC) | From the accident; 1 year from the last paid treatment, or 2 years from the last wage payment. | O.C.G.A. § 34-9-82(a); SBWC Rule 82 |
| Hawaii | 2 years from manifestation AND max. 5 years from accident | From when the effects of the injury appear; plus an absolute limit of 5 years from the accident. | Haw. Rev. Stat. § 386-82 |
| Idaho | 1 year from when the claim was made | From when you made the claim to your employer or insurer, not from the accident or the denial. | Idaho Code § 72-706(1) |
| Illinois | 3 years from the accident / 2 years from the last payment | From the accident; if paid, from the last payment (including a paid medical bill) — whichever is later. | 820 ILCS 305/6(d) (Illinois Workers' Compensation Act) |
| Indiana | 2 years from the accident or from the last TTD/TPD payment | From the accident; after TTD/TPD benefits, from the last payment date. A denial starts nothing. | Ind. Code § 22-3-3-3(a), (b) |
| Heads upPaid medical bills do NOT extend the deadline — only TTD/TPD payments restart the clock. | |||
| Iowa | 2 years from the injury, 3 years from the last weekly payment | From the day you knew or should have known the injury was work-related; otherwise from the last weekly payment. | Iowa Code § 85.26(1), (3) |
| Kansas | 3 years from the accident / 2 years from the last payment | From the accident, or from the last payment if paid — whichever ends later. At least 3 years from the accident. | K.S.A. 44-534(b); Verfahren: K.S.A. 44-534(a) |
| Kentucky | 2 years from the accident or from when payments stopped | From the accident; if income benefits were paid, from when they stopped — whichever is later. | KRS 342.185(1); KRS 342.316 (Berufskrankheiten) |
| Louisiana | 1 year from injury or from last payment (SEB: 3 years) | From the injury; after payments, from the last one. The denial letter starts NO new deadline. | La. R.S. 23:1209(A)(1)-(3),(B),(C); 23:1201.1(G)(2); 23:1203.1(J)(1),(K) |
| Heads upLaw firm blogs write '1 year from the denial' - wrong. Denied TREATMENT: only 15 calendar days to the Medical Director (Form 1009). | |||
| Maine | 2 years from the injury or the employer's first report | From the injury or the First Report of Injury — whichever is LATER. After payments: 6 years from the last. | 39-A M.R.S. § 306(1), (2) |
| Maryland | 2 years from injury (absolute bar, § 9-709(b)(3)) | 2 years from the injury date (occupational disease: from disablement or knowledge), calendar days. Not the denial. | Md. Code, Lab. & Empl. § 9-709(a),(b)(3); § 9-711(a)(1); COMAR 14.09.03.02; § 9-737 |
| Heads upThe widely repeated "30 days after the denial" (e.g. koonz.com) is wrong: the 30 days in § 9-737 apply to Judicial Review of a WCC order. | |||
| Massachusetts | 4 years from learning the injury was work-related | From the day you became aware that your disability was work-related. Death claims: 4 years. | M.G.L. c. 152, § 41; § 10(1) (Einreichung des Claim) |
| Michigan | 2 years from the latest of three trigger dates | 2 yrs from the LATEST of: the accident, when the disability appeared, or your last day working there. | MCL 418.381(1)-(3) |
| Heads upBenefits are payable at most 2 years back from the date you file the WC-104A — every month you wait costs you real money. | |||
| Minnesota | 3 yrs from the written injury report, max. 6 yrs from injury | From the written report to the DLI Commissioner; with no report, only the 6-year limit applies. | Minn. Stat. § 176.151(a); § 176.106 subd. 7, 8 |
| Heads upThe widely quoted 30 days applies only to a decision after an Administrative Conference — not to the insurer's NOPLD. | |||
| Mississippi | 2 years from injury (1 year from Form B-31 after payment) | From the injury or death; latent conditions when they become apparent. After payment: 1 year from Form B-31. | Miss. Code Ann. § 71-3-35(1); § 71-3-53 (Form B-31) |
| Heads upThe insurer's Form B-52 is not an 'application for benefits' — the 2-year clock keeps running even while the case sits with the Commission. | |||
| Missouri | 2 yrs from accident/death or last payment; 3 yrs if no report | From the accident/death or the last payment (medical care counts). 3 years if the employer never reported. | Mo. Rev. Stat. § 287.430; § 287.380 (accident report) |
| Nebraska | 2 years from the accident, or from the last payment | From the accident date; if benefits were paid, from the last payment. A denial starts no clock. | Neb. Rev. Stat. § 48-137 (Petition: § 48-173) |
| Heads upOnly a settlement or a petition filed with the WC Court preserves the deadline - voluntary mediation does not pause it. | |||
| New Jersey | 2 years from the accident or the last payment | From the accident date or the last compensation payment - whichever comes later. | N.J.S.A. 34:15-51 |
| Heads upFiling for an informal hearing does NOT stop the 2-year clock - only the formal Claim Petition preserves it. | |||
| New York | 2 years from the accident (death: from date of death) | From the accident date; after a denial the Board schedules the hearing on its own. | N.Y. Workers' Comp. Law § 28 (Rechtsmittel: WCL § 23) |
| North Carolina | 2 years from the accident (Form 18 with the NCIC) | From the accident date; if only medical bills were paid, from the last such payment. Not from the denial. | N.C. Gen. Stat. § 97-24(a); 11 NCAC 23A .0602 (Form 33) |
| Heads upThe hearing request (Form 33) has no deadline of its own - but the 2-year bar from the accident date still applies. | |||
| Oklahoma | 1 year from the accident, or 6 months from last benefit | From the accident date; if benefits were paid, instead 6 months from the last benefit received. | 85A O.S. § 69(A)(1) |
| Pennsylvania | 3 years from the accident (Claim Petition LIBC-362) | From the accident date; if indemnity benefits were paid, 3 years from the last payment. | 77 P.S. § 602 (Section 315, PA Workers' Compensation Act) |
| Heads upThere is a hard deadline before that: report the injury to your employer within 120 days or you get no benefits at all. | |||
| Rhode Island | 2 years from onset or manifestation of the injury | From the onset or manifestation of the injury or disability — not from the denial. | R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-35-57(a); § 28-35-12(a) (21-day waiting period) |
| Heads upYou cannot file a petition until day 21 after the accident, and the insurer need not tell you it is disputing — the 2 years run silently. | |||
| South Carolina | 2 years from the accident (Form 50 with the Commission) | Date of accident; death: 2 years from death; occupational disease from definite diagnosis. A denial starts nothing. | S.C. Code Ann. § 42-15-40; S.C. Code Regs. R.67-207 (Form 50) |
| Tennessee | 1 year from the accident or last benefit (latest date) | The latest of three dates: the accident, the last wage benefit, the last medical benefit. | Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-6-203(b); Regel 0800-02-21-.10(1) (PBD) |
| Texas | 1 year from injury: DWC Form-041 with the Division | From the injury date (occupational disease: from knowledge); a denial starts no separate deadline. Calendar days. | Tex. Lab. Code 409.003; 410.023; 28 TAC 141.1 (no deadline); 410.202 (15 days after CCH) |
| Heads upNo deadline to appeal doesn't mean unlimited: the 1-year deadline from injury keeps running, and MMI/impairment ratings are disputable only within 90 days. | |||
| Utah | 6 years from the accident (Application for Hearing) | Date of accident; plus a 12-year outer limit on proof. Death: 1 year from the date of death. | Utah Code § 34A-2-417(2)(a); (1)(a) (Kosten); (3) (Tod) |
| Heads upDespite the 6 years, medical bills must be filed within 1 year (§ 34A-2-417(1)(a)) — wait, and you lose reimbursement for them. | |||
| Virginia | 2 years from the accident (Claim Form with the Commission) | Date of accident; death: 2 years from the date of death; occupational disease from notice it is work-related. | Va. Code § 65.2-601; § 65.2-406 (Berufskrankheit); § 65.2-705 |
| Heads upReporting to your employer does NOT replace the Claim Form with the Commission — fight only with the insurer and after 2 years you lose everything. | |||
| Wisconsin | 6 yrs traumatic / 12 yrs occupational, from injury or payment | The later of the injury date and the last compensation payment; a settlement order restarts it. | Wis. Stat. § 102.17(4)(a)-(c); § 102.18(3) (21 days LIRC) |
| Heads upPaid medical and burial expenses do NOT extend the deadline (unlike Illinois); continued wage payments can extend it. | |||
Three Deadlines People Mix Up
Reporting the injury to your employer
Short — often 15 to 90 days. This is about telling your employer you were hurt. It is not the deadline on this page, and meeting it does not protect your claim by itself. Virginia is explicit about this: notifying your employer does not replace filing a claim with the Commission.
Challenging the insurer’s denial
What this page covers. In 15 jurisdictions it is a separate clock started by the denial. Everywhere else, the statute of limitations is the only deadline that exists.
Appealing a decision that has already been issued
A different rule again, usually much shorter, and it applies after a judge or commission has ruled. Several of the wrong numbers circulating online — the “30 days” often quoted for Maryland, for example — come from this category and do not apply to an insurer’s denial. The full table of these post-decision deadlines for all 51 jurisdictions is directly below.
After the Judge Rules: Board-Review Deadlines
Once a workers’ compensation judge has issued a decision, a different — usually much shorter — clock starts: the deadline to ask the state’s board or commission to review that decision before it becomes final. It ranges from 5 to 30 days. A dash means the state has no board stage at all — the rule column shows where the decision goes instead.
| Jurisdiction | Days to seek review | The rule | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | — | Alabama has no administrative Workers' Compensation Board or Commission. Disputed claims are heard and decided directly by a circuit court judge under Ala. Code § 25-5-81, and the judge's decision is appealed directly to the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals under ordinary civil appellate procedure — there is no intermediate administrative board-review stage between the trial decision and appellate court. | Ala. Code § 25-5-81(a)(1) |
| Alaska | 30 days | 30 days after the compensation order is filed with the office of the board to appeal to the Alaska Workers' Compensation Appeals Commission | AS 23.30.127(a) |
| Arizona | 30 days | 30 days after service of the administrative law judge's award to file a Request for Review; note Arizona has no separate Board — the review is conducted by the presiding ALJ within the ICA's ALJ division, functioning as the first review tier before judicial review (special action to the Court of Appeals) | A.R.S. § 23-942(D) |
| Arkansas | 30 days | 30 days from receipt of the administrative law judge's order or award to petition in writing for review by the Full Commission | Ark. Code Ann. § 11-9-711(a)(1) |
| California | 20 days | 20 days after service of the WCJ's final order, decision, or award to petition for reconsideration by the Workers' Compensation Appeals Board | Cal. Lab. Code § 5903 |
| Colorado | 20 days | 20 days after the date of the certificate of mailing of the order to file a petition to review (with the Division if the order was entered by the Director, or with the Denver office of the Office of Administrative Courts if entered by an ALJ), leading to Industrial Claim Appeals Office review | Colo. Rev. Stat. § 8-43-301(2)(a)(II) |
| Connecticut | 20 days | 20 days after entry of the administrative law judge's award, decision on a motion, or order to appeal to the Compensation Review Board | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-301(a) |
| Delaware | — | Delaware has no separate internal board-review stage above the Industrial Accident Board (IAB) — the IAB hearing itself is the trial-level decision, and the actual first appeal is directly to Superior Court within 30 days of the day the notice of the award was mailed to the parties or electronically received by secured email. | 19 Del. C. § 2349 |
| District of Columbia | 30 days | 30 days of the issuance of the compensation order to file an application for review with the Compensation Review Board | D.C. Code § 32-1522(b)(2A)(A) |
| Florida | — | Florida has no intermediate administrative Board/Commission review stage. Review of a Judge of Compensation Claims (JCC) order is by direct appeal to the District Court of Appeal, First District, under procedures adopted by the Florida Supreme Court. A JCC order becomes final 30 days after mailing of copies to the parties unless appealed within that period. | Fla. Stat. § 440.25(5)(a) |
| Georgia | 20 days | A party dissatisfied with a decision of an Administrative Law Judge of the State Board of Workers' Compensation Trial Division may appeal to the Appellate Division within 20 days of issuance of the notice of award. | O.C.G.A. § 34-9-103(a) |
| Hawaii | 20 days | A decision of the Director of Labor and Industrial Relations is final unless, within 20 days after a copy has been sent to each party, either party appeals to the Labor and Industrial Relations Appeals Board (LIRAB) by filing a written notice of appeal. | Haw. Rev. Stat. § 386-87(a) |
| Idaho | — | Idaho has no separate Board/Commission review stage distinct from the deciding body. Hearing officers/referees only issue recommended findings, which are automatically submitted to the Industrial Commission itself for review and decision (no party-initiated appeal needed for that step). The Commission's own decision becomes final and conclusive upon filing, unless a party moves for reconsideration or rehearing before the same Commission within 20 days of filing; final decisions are then appealed directly to the Idaho Supreme Court under rules prescribed by the Supreme Court (no additional administrative body). | Idaho Code §§ 72-717, 72-718, 72-724 |
| Illinois | 30 days | The decision of an Arbitrator becomes the decision of the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission unless a party files a petition for review with the Commission within 30 days after receipt of the copy of the Arbitrator's decision. | 820 ILCS 305/19(b) |
| Indiana | 30 days | If either party is dissatisfied with a Single Hearing Member's award, a party may seek review by the Full Worker's Compensation Board by filing an Application for Review by Full Board (State Form 1042) within 30 days of the date of the award, per Indiana Code 22-3-4-7. (Note: this is a distinct, earlier stage from the separate 30-day deadline in IC 22-3-4-8 to appeal a Full Board award to the Court of Appeals.) | Ind. Code § 22-3-4-7; consistent with Indiana Worker's Compensation Board official guidance and State Form 1042 |
| Iowa | 20 days | Iowa Code 86.24 authorizes appeal from a deputy workers' compensation commissioner's decision to the workers' compensation commissioner 'in the time and manner provided by rule'; that implementing rule sets the deadline at 20 days from the date of the deputy's decision. | Iowa Code § 86.24(1); Iowa Admin. Code r. 876-4.27 |
| Kansas | 10 days | Final orders, awards, modifications of awards, or preliminary awards made by an Administrative Law Judge are subject to review by the Workers Compensation Appeals Board upon written request of any interested party filed within 10 days (computed excluding intermediate Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays). | K.S.A. 44-551(l)(1) |
| Kentucky | 30 days | An award or order of an Administrative Law Judge, if a petition for reconsideration is not filed, is conclusive unless a party appeals to the Workers' Compensation Board for review. The implementing regulation sets the appeal window at 30 days from the date the ALJ's final award, order, or decision is filed. | KRS 342.285(1); 803 KAR 25:010 Section 22(2)(a) |
| Louisiana | — | Louisiana has no separate administrative Board/Commission review stage between the Workers' Compensation Judge (WCJ) and the courts. A WCJ's decision is final unless an appeal is taken directly to the appropriate Louisiana Court of Appeal: 30 days if the appeal suspends the effect/execution of the judgment, 60 days if it does not (delay runs from the day after the judgment is signed or, if later, the day after notice of judgment is mailed). | La. R.S. 23:1310.5 |
| Maine | 20 days | A party in interest must file a Notice of Intent to Appeal a single Administrative Law Judge's decision with the Appellate Division of the Workers' Compensation Board within 20 days after receipt of notice of the filing of the ALJ's decision. | 39-A M.R.S. § 321-B(1)(A) |
| Maryland | — | Maryland has no distinct appellate Board separate from the Workers' Compensation Commission that issued the order. A party may (a) file an optional Motion for Rehearing with the same Commission within 15 days after the date of the Commission's decision (LE § 9-726), which the Commission may grant only for error of law or newly discovered evidence, or (b) skip rehearing and file a Petition for Judicial Review directly with the Circuit Court within 30 days after the date the Commission's order was mailed (LE § 9-737). There is no separate Appeals Board comparable to NY's Board or CA's Appeals Board. | Md. Code Ann., Lab. & Empl. §§ 9-726 (rehearing), 9-737 (judicial review) |
| Massachusetts | 30 days | Any party aggrieved by a hearing decision of an Administrative Judge of the Department of Industrial Accidents must file an appeal to the Reviewing Board (Form 112) no later than 30 days from the filing date of the decision. | Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 152, § 11C |
| Michigan | 30 days | A claim for review of a Workers' Compensation Magistrate's order must be filed with the Michigan Compensation Appellate Commission (MCAC) not more than 30 days after the mailing date of the order (Mich. Comp. Laws § 418.859a; Mich. Admin. Code R 418.64(2)(a)). EXCEPTION: certain orders issued by the Workers' Disability Compensation Agency Director — redemption review, vocational rehabilitation, and fee-dispute orders — carry only a 15-day claim-for-review deadline, not 30 (Mich. Admin. Code R 418.64(2)(b)). The bare statutory text ('magistrate or director') does not distinguish the two on its face, but the implementing administrative rule does. | Mich. Comp. Laws § 418.859a; Mich. Admin. Code R 418.64(2) |
| Minnesota | 30 days | Within 30 days after a party in interest has been served with notice of an award or disallowance of compensation, or other order affecting the merits of a compensation judge's decision, the party may appeal to the Workers' Compensation Court of Appeals (WCCA). | Minn. Stat. § 176.421, subd. 1 |
| Mississippi | 20 days | Once an Administrative Judge's order is written, it becomes final unless, within 20 days of the date of the decision, either party files an appeal (Petition for Review) with the full Mississippi Workers' Compensation Commission. | Miss. Code Ann. § 71-3-47; corroborated by Mississippi Workers' Compensation Commission Procedural Rule 2.10 (Review Hearings) |
| Missouri | 20 days | If an application for review of an Administrative Law Judge's award is made to the Labor and Industrial Relations Commission within 20 days from the date of the award, the full Commission reviews the evidence and issues its own award, order, or decision. | Mo. Rev. Stat. § 287.480 |
| Montana | — | Montana has no separate administrative Board/Commission review stage. The Workers' Compensation Court (WCC) itself is the trial-level adjudicator of disputed claims, and its final decisions are appealed directly to the Montana Supreme Court under the same procedure as civil appeals from district court — not to any intermediate agency board. | Mont. Code Ann. § 3-9-107 (renumbered from former § 39-71-2904, "Direct appeal to supreme court") |
| Nebraska | — | Nebraska has no intermediate Board/review-panel stage. The former three-judge review panel (ex-Neb. Rev. Stat. § 48-179) was repealed in 2011; a single-judge decision of the Nebraska Workers' Compensation Court is appealed directly to the Nebraska Court of Appeals, with a notice of appeal due within 30 days after entry of the judgment, decree, or final order. | Neb. Rev. Stat. § 48-185 |
| Nevada | 30 days | 30 days after the date of the hearing officer's decision to file a notice of appeal with an appeals officer. | Nev. Rev. Stat. § 616C.345(1) |
| New Hampshire | 30 days | 30 days from the date of the commissioner's (hearing officer's) decision to appeal to the Compensation Appeals Board (CAB). | N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 281-A:43, I(b) |
| New Jersey | — | New Jersey has no intermediate administrative board. A workers' compensation judge's final judgment is appealed directly to the Appellate Division of the Superior Court, within 45 days of entry of the judgment. | N.J. Ct. R. 2:4-1(a) (implementing N.J.S.A. 34:15-66) |
| New Mexico | — | New Mexico has no intermediate administrative board. A workers' compensation judge's final compensation order is appealed directly to the Court of Appeals, within 30 days of mailing of the order. | N.M. Stat. Ann. § 52-5-8(A) |
| New York | 30 days | 30 days after notice of the filing of the Workers' Compensation Law Judge's award or decision to apply to the Board for modification, rescission, or review (Application for Board Review) | N.Y. Workers' Comp. Law § 23 |
| North Carolina | 15 days | 15 days from the date notice of the Deputy Commissioner's Opinion and Award was given, to file an application for review with the Full Commission. | N.C. Gen. Stat. § 97-85(a) |
| North Dakota | — | North Dakota has no intermediate administrative board. After a Workforce Safety & Insurance (WSI) hearing before an administrative law judge, the resulting final order is appealed directly to district court, within 30 days after notice of the order has been given. | N.D. Cent. Code § 28-32-42(1) |
| Ohio | 14 days | 14 days after receipt of the district hearing officer's order, to appeal to a staff hearing officer (first level of Industrial Commission administrative review). | Ohio Rev. Code § 4123.511(C) |
| Oklahoma | 10 days | 10 days after issuance of the administrative law judge's order to appeal to the Workers' Compensation Commission (three-Commissioner panel). This applies to injuries on or after Feb. 1, 2014, under the Administrative Workers' Compensation Act, Title 85A. The ALJ's decision is stayed automatically until all appeal rights are waived or exhausted. | 85 Okla. Stat. § 78(A) (Title 85A O.S. § 78(A)) |
| Oregon | 30 days | 30 days after the date a copy of the Administrative Law Judge's order is mailed to the parties to request Workers' Compensation Board review. If one party requests review, the other party gets the remainder of the 30-day period, but never less than 10 days from that request. | ORS 656.289(3) |
| Pennsylvania | 20 days | 20 calendar days (not business days) from the circulation/issuance date of the Workers' Compensation Judge's (WCJ) decision to file a Notice of Appeal with the Workers' Compensation Appeal Board (WCAB). If the 20th day falls on a weekend or holiday, the deadline moves to the next business day. | 77 P.S. § 853 (Section 423 of the Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation Act) |
| Rhode Island | 5 days | 5 days (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays) from the entry of a trial judge's decree to file a claim of appeal with the Appellate Division of the Workers' Compensation Court. A trial judge may, on a showing of excusable neglect, extend this deadline by up to 30 additional days. Following the claim of appeal, the appellant must file more detailed 'reasons of appeal' within a court-set time, and briefs are due 10 days after that. | R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-35-28(a)(1) |
| South Carolina | 14 days | 14 days from the date notice of the Single Commissioner's award/order is given to file an application for review (Form 30, Request for Commission Review) with the full Commission's Appellate Panel. This deadline is jurisdictional. | S.C. Code Ann. § 42-17-50 |
| South Dakota | 10 days | 10 days after service of the Department of Labor and Regulation's decision (issued by the ALJ under SDCL § 62-7-13) to file a petition for review with the Department (heard by the Secretary of Labor and Regulation). This is South Dakota's only intra-agency review step before circuit court. | S.D. Codified Laws § 62-7-16 |
| Tennessee | 30 days | 30 calendar days after issuance of a Compensation Hearing Order (the final trial-level decision under Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-6-239(c)(2)) to appeal to the Workers' Compensation Appeals Board by filing a notice of appeal with the clerk of the Court of Workers' Compensation Claims. A $75 filing fee is due at filing or within 10 additional calendar days (or an Affidavit of Indigency may be filed instead). | Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-6-217(a)(2)(B) |
| Texas | 15 days | 15 days to file a written request for appeal with the appeals panel after receipt of the administrative law judge's decision from the division. Saturdays, Sundays and state holidays do not count toward the 15 days, and the clock runs from deemed receipt — five days after mailing — not from the decision date. | Tex. Lab. Code § 410.202(a); implemented by 28 Tex. Admin. Code § 143.3(a)(3), (d) |
| Utah | 30 days | 30 days after issuance of the administrative law judge's decision to file a 'motion for review' with the Labor Commission's Division of Adjudication (heard either by the Commissioner or, if a party requests it, the three-member Appeals Board). This deadline stems from Utah's general Administrative Procedures Act agency-review provision, which the workers'-comp review statute and Labor Commission rule both incorporate by reference rather than restating a day-count of their own. | Utah Labor Commission, Adjudication Division — Employee's Guide to a Workers' Compensation Hearing, section 'Filing a Motion for Review'; read with Utah Admin. Code R602-2-1(O)(1), Utah Code § 34A-1-303 and Utah Code § 63G-4-301(1)(a) |
| Vermont | — | Vermont has no separate administrative Board/Commission review stage after a Commissioner's decision. The Commissioner's award is directly appealable to Superior Court within 30 days, with a right to jury trial (21 V.S.A. § 670); if no such appeal is taken within that time, either party may instead transfer the cause to the Vermont Supreme Court, whose jurisdiction is limited to questions of law certified by the Commissioner (21 V.S.A. § 672). | 21 V.S.A. § 670 |
| Virginia | 30 days | Request for review of a deputy commissioner's award to the full Virginia Workers' Compensation Commission must be filed within 30 days after issuance of the award. | Va. Code § 65.2-705(A) |
| Washington | 20 days | Petition for Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals (BIIA) review of an industrial appeals judge's proposed decision and order must be filed within 20 days from the date the proposed decision and order is communicated to the parties or their representatives. | RCW 51.52.104 |
| West Virginia | — | West Virginia abolished the separate Office of Judges review stage effective July 1, 2022. A single Workers' Compensation Board of Review member (assisted by hearing examiners employed by the Board) now conducts the initial administrative hearing on objections to a claims administrator's decision, and that member's ruling is itself the final Board of Review decision — no further internal board-level review layer exists. The first (and only) appeal from that decision goes directly to the Intermediate Court of Appeals of West Virginia, within 30 days after receipt of notice of the action complained of, or in any event, regardless of notice, within 60 days after the date of the action. | W. Va. Code § 23-5-12a(a) |
| Wisconsin | 21 days | A party in interest may petition the Labor and Industry Review Commission (LIRC) for review of a worker's compensation examiner's decision if the department or the commission receives the petition within 21 days after the department mailed a copy of the examiner's findings and order to the last-known addresses of the parties in interest. | Wis. Stat. § 102.18(3) |
| Wyoming | — | Wyoming has no intra-agency board review stage after a workers' compensation hearing examiner's (or Medical Commission's) decision. Review proceeds directly to the district court under the Wyoming Administrative Procedure Act by filing a petition for review within 30 days after service upon all parties of the agency's final decision. | Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 27-14-602(b)(iii) (no board stage); W.R.A.P. Rule 12.04(a)-(b), quoted in Douglass v. Wyoming Dep't of Transportation, 2008 WY 77, 187 P.3d 850 |
Researched against the statutes and official board rules with an independent adversarial verification pass; supporting quotes were additionally machine-checked against archived copies of the sources. Deadlines run from service or filing of the decision — the rule column notes which. This is legal information, not legal advice.
Where These Numbers Come From
Every row was researched against official sources — state workers’ compensation boards and industrial commissions, the statutes themselves, and official claim forms — then checked a second time by an independent pass looking specifically for the reporting-versus-appeal confusion. Short deadlines went through a further jurisdiction-by-jurisdiction verification. Law firm articles were used only as leads, never as the source of a number.
Where a widely circulated figure turned out to be wrong for this purpose, we say so in the row rather than quietly omitting it. Deadlines change quietly: West Virginia moved these appeals from the Office of Judges to the Board of Review in 2022, so older guides still describe an agency that no longer exists. Check the linked source before relying on any row, and treat this page as a starting point rather than legal advice.
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