California minimum wage 2026
$16.90 an hour, and tipped workers get the full minimum before tips. Below: what that means for your paycheck.
In effect on September 20, 2026
How the tip credit works in California
California doesn’t allow a tip credit. Tipped workers get at least $16.90 an hour from their employer, and tips are on top.
Check a week in the calculator.
Good to know
No tip credit allowed. Many cities have a higher local minimum, and some industries have a higher one (fast food, health care).
Overtime
Under federal law, hours over 40 in a workweek are paid at 1.5 times your regular rate. California also has daily overtime: over 8 hours in a day at 1.5 times, and over 12 hours at double time. PayJar applies weekly overtime from the start and lets you turn on daily overtime and double time.
Questions
What is the minimum wage in California?
What is the tipped minimum wage in California?
Other states
- Federal
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
General information, not legal advice. Your state labor department has the final word, and some cities, counties and industries have higher minimums.
Stop wondering if your check is right.
PayJar knows your state’s minimum wage and tipped wage. Log your shifts and tips, and it tells you when a week comes up short.
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