California Minimum Wage 2026

California minimum wage is $16.90 an hour in 2026 (tipped cash wage $16.90). See what it costs your team and whether you are paying under it.

Last update

October 19, 2026

California pays $16.90 an hour in 2026 and does not allow a tip credit: servers, bartenders and other tipped staff get the full $16.90 from the employer before tips. Local rates run higher: 30+ cities set their own rates above the state floor, and the local rate applies to anyone working inside those boundaries. The rate is indexed to inflation and adjusts every Jan 1, so the figure here is good until the next adjustment is announced. Use the calculator to see the annual cost at the California minimum for your headcount and the back-pay exposure if you are paying under it. Hours over 40 are covered by the overtime calculator, the termination side by the California final paycheck rule, and the full table is on the minimum wage by state calculator. Nearby: Nevada, Arizona and Oregon. For payroll taxes, registrations and the rest of what employing in California involves, see CoAd in California.

California minimum wage calculator (2026)

Enter your schedule and rate to see what the California minimum costs and whether you are under it.

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Minimum wage

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Rate changes land on January 1 and July 1. Payroll should already know.

CoAd Pay keeps state and local minimum wage tables current and flags any employee paid below the rate that applies where they work. $55/mo + $5 per employee.

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California rate as of October 2026 from the US Department of Labor state tables. Local rates, where they exist, are higher and take precedence for work performed inside the boundary. Tipped cash wage is the minimum the employer pays directly; tips must bring the employee to the full minimum every workweek. Estimates only.