The 60-day election clock starts on the later of these two dates.
Enter both dates to see your COBRA election deadline and first-payment reminder.
About the COBRA deadline calculator
The COBRA deadline calculator shows the latest date you can elect COBRA continuation coverage after losing employer health benefits. Enter the date your coverage was lost and the date your COBRA election notice was provided, and it returns the election deadline based on the federal 60-day window.
Federal COBRA gives you 60 days to elect, counted from the later of your coverage-loss date or the date you received the election notice. After you elect, your first premium is generally due within 45 days. Rules and plan terms vary, so this is a planning guide, not legal, tax, or benefits advice. Confirm dates with your plan administrator and the U.S. Department of Labor page, which the tool links to.
How to use
- Enter the date your employer health coverage was lost in the first date field.
- Enter the date your COBRA election notice was provided in the second date field.
- Select Check COBRA deadline.
- Read the election deadline, which counts 60 days from the later of the two dates.
- Note the first-payment reminder: your first premium is generally due within 45 days of electing.
Worked examples
Coverage lost June 1, notice received June 1: election deadline is 60 days later
When both dates match, the 60-day clock starts that day, so the latest election date is about July 31.
Coverage lost June 1, notice received June 15: the clock starts June 15
The election window always counts from the later date, so a delayed notice pushes the deadline out to roughly August 14.
After electing, the first premium is generally due within 45 days
The first payment can be retroactive to the coverage-loss date, so budget for more than one month of premium at once.
Frequently asked questions
- How is the COBRA election deadline calculated?
- Federal COBRA gives you 60 days to elect continuation coverage. The tool counts those 60 days from the later of two dates: the date your coverage was lost and the date your election notice was provided. It uses the later date because that is when the federal election clock starts.
- Why does the election notice date matter?
- The 60-day clock starts on the later of your coverage-loss date and the date you actually received the election notice. If the notice arrives after coverage ends, the deadline moves out to 60 days from the notice date, so entering both dates gives the more accurate result.
- When is the first COBRA premium due?
- After you elect COBRA, your first premium is generally due within 45 days of the election date. That first payment can be retroactive to the day your coverage was lost, so it may cover more than one month at once. The tool shows this as a reminder, not an exact bill.
- Is this calculator legal or benefits advice?
- No. It is a planning estimate based on the federal COBRA minimums published by the U.S. Department of Labor. Plan documents, employer terms, and some state continuation laws can allow longer windows. Confirm your exact dates with your plan administrator before you act.
- Where do the COBRA rules come from?
- The 60-day election window and 45-day first-payment window are the federal minimums described in the U.S. Department of Labor COBRA guidance. The result panel links to the official Department of Labor page so you can verify the current rules yourself.
- Does this work for state mini-COBRA or other continuation programs?
- The estimate is built around federal COBRA. Some states have mini-COBRA or other continuation programs with different windows, and plan-specific terms can differ. Use the official guidance for those situations rather than relying on this estimate.
- Does the tool store the dates I enter?
- No. The calculation runs entirely in your browser. The tool does not collect your name, employer, plan documents, Social Security number, or any health information, and it does not save the dates you enter.
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