---
title: Your Guide to 2026 Minimum Wages
description: Here is a summary of these changes and guidelines to help you comply with your minimum wage requirements.
image: https://sbshrs.adpinfo.com/hubfs/Elizabeth/ToW_Blog_Ftr_Img_Your%20Guide%20to%202026%20Minimum%20Wages.png
---

[![ADP® logo](https://sbshrs.adpinfo.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Logo/ADP_logo.png?width=55&height=25&name=ADP_logo.png "ADP® logo")](https://www.adp.com/?utm_medium=display&utm_source=https://sbshrs.adpinfo.com/blog&utm_campaign=SBS_FY24_Q1_HR+Tip+of+the+Week+UTM&elqCampaignId=43754)

- [Tip of the Week](https://sbshrs.adpinfo.com/blog)
- Topics 
    - [Compliance](https://sbshrs.adpinfo.com/blog/topic/compliance)
    - [Employee benefits](https://sbshrs.adpinfo.com/blog/topic/employee-benefits)
    - [Hiring and onboarding](https://sbshrs.adpinfo.com/blog/topic/hiring-and-onboarding)
    - [HR101](https://sbshrs.adpinfo.com/blog/topic/hr101)
    - [Nondiscrimination](https://sbshrs.adpinfo.com/blog/topic/nondiscrimination)
    - [Pay](https://sbshrs.adpinfo.com/blog/topic/pay)
    - [Performance management](https://sbshrs.adpinfo.com/blog/topic/performance)
    - [Policies](https://sbshrs.adpinfo.com/blog/topic/policies)
    - [Termination](https://sbshrs.adpinfo.com/blog/topic/termination)
    - [Training and development](https://sbshrs.adpinfo.com/blog/topic/training-and-development)
    - [Workplace safety](https://sbshrs.adpinfo.com/blog/topic/workplace-safety)
- [Webinars](https://sbshrs.adpinfo.com/hrwebcasts)
- [Podcast](https://hrpreneur.podbean.com/)
- Resources 
    - [Newsletter](https://sbshrs.adpinfo.com/newsletter)
    - [ACA Reporting Road Map](https://sbshrs.adpinfo.com/aca-road-map)
    - [FLSA & Overtime Rule Guide](https://sbshrs.adpinfo.com/flsa)
    - [COVID-19 Resource Center](https://sbshrs.adpinfo.com/covid19)

## HR Tip of the Week

 Posted on November 3, 2025 |  [Pay](https://sbshrs.adpinfo.com/blog/topic/pay)

# Your Guide to 2026 Minimum Wages

![Businessman typing on laptop in office](https://sbshrs.adpinfo.com/hubfs/Elizabeth/ToW_Blog_Ftr_Img_Your%20Guide%20to%202026%20Minimum%20Wages.png)

Nearly 20 states and more than 40 local jurisdictions will increase their minimum wage rates on January 1, 2026. Below is a summary of these changes and guidelines to help you understand these minimum wage requirements.

## **State minimum wage increases**

The following table covers state minimum wage increases for January 1, 2026. Key points to know:

- This table applies only to state-level increases that take effect on January 1, 2026.

| **State** | **Hourly minimum wage rate effective 1/1/26** |
| --- | --- |
| **Arizona** | $15.15 |
| **California** | $16.90 |
| **Colorado** | $15.16 |
| **Connecticut** | $16.94 |
| **Hawaii** | $16.00 |
| **Maine** | $15.10 |
| **Michigan** | $13.73 |
| **Minnesota** | $11.41 |
| **Missouri** | $15.00 |
| **Montana** | $10.85 |
| **Nebraska** | $15.00 |
| **New Jersey** | $15.92 (employers with six or more employees) $15.23 (seasonal employers and employers with fewer than six employees) |
| **New York** | $17.00 per hour (New York City, Long Island and Westchester County) $16.00 per hour (rest of the state) |
| **Ohio** | $11.00 |
| **Rhode Island** | $16.00 |
| **South Dakota** | $11.85 |
| **Vermont** | $14.42 |
| **Virginia** | $12.77 |
| **Washington** | $17.13 |

## **Local minimum wage increases**

Dozens of cities and counties are also increasing their minimum wage rates effective **January 1, 2026**. Key points to know:

- The information in the table below applies only to local increases that occur on January 1, 2026. 
- The table includes many of the announced local rate changes for 2026. The table also includes other local jurisdictions that typically make annual adjustments but haven't announced their 2026 rate yet. These are included in the table as “TBD.”

| **Local jurisdiction** | **Hourly minimum wage rate effective 1/1/26** |
| --- | --- |
| **Flagstaff, Arizona** | $18.35 |
| **Tucson, Arizona** | $15.45 |
| **Belmont, California** | $18.95  |
| **Burlingame, California** | $17.86 |
| **Cupertino, California** | $18.70 |
| **Daly City, California** | $17.50 |
| **East Palo Alto, California** | $17.90 |
| **El Cerrito, California** | $18.82 |
| **Foster City, California** | $17.85 |
| **Half Moon Bay, California** | $17.91 |
| **Hayward, California** | $17.79  (26 or more employees) $16.90 (25 or fewer employees) |
| **Los Altos, California ** | $18.70 |
| **Menlo Park, California ** | $17.55 |
| **Mountain View, California      ** | $19.70 |
| **Novato, California  ** | $17.73 (100 or more employees) $17.46 (26 to 99 employees) $16.90 (25 or fewer employees) |
| **Oakland, California** | $17.34 $18.85 (Hotel workers with health benefits) $25.14 (Hotel workers without health benefits) |
| **Palo Alto, California** | $18.70 |
| **Petaluma, California** | $18.31 |
| **Redwood City, California** | $18.65 |
| **Richmond, California** | $19.18 (Employer pays less than $1.50 per hour toward medical benefits)  $17.68 (Employer pays at least $1.50 per hour toward medical benefits) |
| **San Carlos, California** | $17.75 |
| **San Diego, California** | $17.75 |
| **San Jose, California** | $18.45 |
| **San Mateo, California** | $18.60 |
| **San Mateo County, California **(unincorporated areas only) | $17.95 |
| **Santa Clara, California** | $18.70 |
| **Santa Rosa, California** | $18.21 |
| **Sonoma, California** | $18.47 (26 or more employees)  $17.38 (25 or fewer employees) |
| **South San Francisco, California** | $18.15 |
| **Sunnyvale, California** | $19.50 |
| West Hollywood, California | $20.25 (non-hotel workers) |
| **Boulder, Colorado** | $16.82 |
| **Boulder County, Colorado **(unincorporated areas only) | $16.82 |
| **Denver, Colorado** | $19.29 |
| **Edgewater, Colorado** | $18.17 |
| **Portland, Maine** | $16.75 |
| **Rockland, Maine** | $16.00 |
| **Howard County, Maryland** | $15.50 (fewer than 15 employees) |
| **Minneapolis, Minnesota** | $16.37 |
| **St. Paul, Minnesota** | $16.37 (101 or more employees) |
| **Las Cruces, New Mexico** | $13.01 |
| **Bellingham, Washington** | $19.13 |
| Burien, Washington |  Consult legal counsel due to ongoing litigation. |
| Everett, Washington |  $18.77 (15 to 499 EEs or fewer than 15 EEs with more than $2 million in gross revenue) |
| **King County, Washington** (unincorporated areas only) |  $19.82 (16-499 employees)  $19.82 (15 or fewer employees and annual gross revenue of $2 million or greater) $18.32 (15 or fewer employees and annual gross revenue of less than $2 million) |
| **Renton, Washington** | $20.57 (15 to 500 employees worldwide) $20.57 (1 to 14 employees with over $2 million of annual gross revenue in Renton) |
| **Seattle, Washington** | $21.30 |
| **SeaTac, Washington** | $20.74 (Hospitality and transportation employees) |
| **Tukwila, Washington** | $21.65 |

## **Other wage considerations**

### **Tipped employees**

In some jurisdictions, the minimum cash wage required for tipped employees also increases with the minimum wage. For example, in Hawaii, tipped employees must be paid minimum wage, but an employer may take credit for the employee's tips in an amount not to exceed $1.25 per hour. Thus, for an employer to claim the tip credit in 2026 in Hawaii, the employee must receive direct cash wages and tips of at least $16.00 per hour (at least $14.75 per hour of which must be in direct cash wages).

| **Note:** Some jurisdictions, such as California, Minnesota and Montana, don't allow employers to apply a tip credit toward the minimum wage. In such cases, you must pay tipped employees the full minimum in direct cash wages. Check your state and local law for details. |
| --- |

### **Multiple minimum wage rates**

If an employee is subject to more than one minimum wage requirement (such as federal, state and local), you should pay the rate most generous to the employee. For example, if your state minimum wage is $14 and the local minimum wage is $15, you must generally pay the employee at least $15 per hour, since it's higher than the state and federal minimum wage rates. Additionally, if your business is located in one state, but you have employees (such as remote workers) working in another jurisdiction, the minimum wage in the location where the employee performs the work generally applies.

| **Note:** Some requirements may only apply to businesses of a certain size, or employees who perform a certain number of work hours in that jurisdiction. Check your state and local law for details. |
| --- |

### **Employees earning more than the minimum wage**

When the minimum wage increases, some employers provide a raise to employees already earning equal to or more than the new rate. While there's no obligation to provide a raise in such cases, some employees may be expecting one. Consider the potential impact on labor costs, [employee morale](https://sbshrs.adpinfo.com/blog/bolster-employee-morale-avoid-these-10-mistakes), internal equity (how employees are paid when compared with other employees within your company based on skills and experience), and your typical merit increase schedule.

### **New posters and notices**

Most jurisdictions require employers to post an up-to-date minimum wage notice in the workplace. 

State and federal posters are available for downloading in the HR section of the RUN Powered by ADP® (RUN) platform. ADP clients with the Labor Law Poster Compliance Update Service receive updated posters automatically. 

Your state or city may have additional notice requirements. For example, Minnesota employers are required to furnish each employee with a [written notice](https://www.dli.mn.gov/business/employment-practices/employee-notice) of any change in pay before the change takes effect. Check your jurisdiction's requirements to ensure compliance.

### **More 2026 increases coming**

Some jurisdictions schedule their changes at another point during the year. For example, several state and local jurisdictions will increase their minimum wages on July 1, 2026. Florida will increase its minimum wage to $15 per hour on September 30, 2026.

### **Overtime exemptions**

In some states, including California, Colorado, Maine, New York and Washington, the minimum salary required to be classified as exempt from overtime is tied to the minimum wage or is otherwise adjusted annually with the minimum wage and therefore will also increase on January 1, 2026. We will cover changes to minimum salary requirements for 2026 in an upcoming Tip of the Week. 

| **Note:** State and federal law require that certain duties tests also be satisfied to qualify for [exemption from overtime](https://sbshrs.adpinfo.com/flsa).  |
| --- |

## **Conclusion**

Ensure that you understand the minimum wage rules that apply to your employees and, if applicable, make any necessary changes in RUN before January 1, 2026. Additionally, be sure to post updated minimum wage notices in each work location.

 

---

### **Share on social**

[![Share on facebook](https://7528309.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/7528309/hubfs/raw_assets/public/mV0_d-web-default-modules_hubspot/img/facebook-color.png?width=24&name=facebook-color.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fsbshrs.adpinfo.com%2Fblog%2Fyour-guide-to-2026-minimum-wages%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on linkedin](https://7528302.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/7528302/hubfs/raw_assets/public/mV0_d-web-default-modules_hubspot/img/linkedin-color.png?width=24&name=linkedin-color.png)](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Fsbshrs.adpinfo.com%2Fblog%2Fyour-guide-to-2026-minimum-wages%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dlinkedin) [![Share on twitter](https://7528302.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/7528302/hubfs/raw_assets/public/mV0_d-web-default-modules_hubspot/img/x-twitter-color.png?width=24&name=x-twitter-color.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fsbshrs.adpinfo.com%2Fblog%2Fyour-guide-to-2026-minimum-wages%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fsbshrs.adpinfo.com%2Fblog%2Fyour-guide-to-2026-minimum-wages%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=)

 

![](https://sbshrs.adpinfo.com/hubfs/Jaime/search-black.svg)

### Most popular

This content is based on generally accepted HR practices, is advisory in nature, and does not constitute legal advice or other professional services. ADP does not warrant or guarantee the accuracy, reliability, and completeness of the content. Employers are encouraged to consult with legal counsel for advice regarding their organization's compliance with applicable laws. This content is current as of the published date. 

ADP, the ADP logo, HR{preneur}, RUN Powered by ADP and Always Designing for People are registered trademarks of ADP, Inc and its affiliates. All other marks are the property of their respective owners. Copyright © 2026 ADP, Inc. All rights reserved.

[Privacy at ADP](https://www.adp.com/privacy.aspx)<https://www.adp.com/privacy.aspx>