District of Columbia Minimum Wage 2026
Current year
The 2026 District of Columbia Minimum Wage is $18.40.
In force as of 2026-07-01Source: State Minimum Wage Laws (DOL)Verified 2026-09-01
Who it applies to
Employers and employees in the District of Columbia covered by the District's minimum wage law. The Department of Labor's table attaches no employer-size condition to the District's basic minimum rate, unlike its entries for several states, and beyond the rate the entry records a weekly threshold after which premium pay is due and the annual adjustment dated July 1. The table does not display subminimum rates for minors, students or trainees, or any rate set by a local government.
What changed this year, and why
The U.S. Department of Labor's table of state minimum wage laws, updated July 1, 2026, lists the District of Columbia's basic minimum rate as $18.40 per hour. The District's entry is one of the few in that table that states an annual adjustment: it records that the minimum wage is adjusted annually on July 1 based on a set formula. No earlier year of this record is published here, so this page states no year-over-year change.
Common questions
- What is the minimum wage in Washington, D.C. in 2026?
- It is $18.40 per hour. That is the basic minimum rate the U.S. Department of Labor lists for the District of Columbia in its State Minimum Wage Laws table, in the version updated July 1, 2026. The figure published here is read from that entry and from nothing else, so it is the District rate as the department recorded it on that date.
- Does the D.C. minimum wage go up every year?
- The Department of Labor's table states that the District's minimum wage is adjusted annually on July 1 based on a set formula. The entry names neither the formula nor any amount it produces, so this page does not say what the next adjustment yields. The rate shown here is the one the table carried when it was updated on July 1, 2026.
- Does the D.C. minimum wage apply to small employers?
- The table's District of Columbia entry states a basic minimum rate with no employer-size condition attached. For several states the same table opens the entry with a coverage line limiting the rate to employers above a stated headcount; the District's entry carries no such line. The table also does not itself list the exemptions written into the District's own wage law.
- When does overtime pay start in the District of Columbia?
- The Department of Labor's table records premium pay after designated hours for the District on a weekly basis, and its footnote says the overtime premium rate is one and one-half times the employee's regular rate unless otherwise specified. The entry states no separate daily threshold, which the entries for some other jurisdictions in the same table do state.
- Is there a separate tipped minimum wage for the District of Columbia?
- The Department of Labor's table lists one basic minimum rate per hour for the District and no separate cash wage for tipped employees, so this page does not publish one. The same table states plainly that differential provisions are not displayed in it, naming subminimum rates for minors and students and training wages for new hires as its examples.
- Is the D.C. minimum wage higher than the federal minimum wage?
- Yes. The same Department of Labor table cites the current federal minimum wage in its entries for jurisdictions that have no minimum wage law of their own, and the District's basic minimum rate stands above that amount. The District's entry carries no clause adopting the federal rate by reference or displacing the District rate when the federal one is higher, which several states' entries do carry.
- Does the District of Columbia have its own minimum wage law?
- Yes. The Department of Labor's table gives the District a basic minimum rate of its own, rather than the note it prints for states with no minimum wage law, which directs employers subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act to the current federal rate. The District's entry also carries its own annual adjustment statement, dated July 1, and a weekly premium pay threshold.
- Where does the $18.40 figure on this page come from?
- From the Wage and Hour Division's State Minimum Wage Laws table at dol.gov, in the snapshot captured for this record, where the District of Columbia entry gives the basic minimum rate per hour as $18.40. The division notes on the same page that it tries to keep the information accurate and that individuals should consult the relevant state labor office for official information.
Every amount on this page is a published figure rather than yours. The Minimum wage pay calculator takes the number you enter and works it out against them, showing which published figure it used.
Minors, students and training wages: who may be paid less than the rate on this page
Employers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act must pay at least the federal minimum wage. However, certain categories of workers may be paid less than the standard rate. Some states establish subminimum wage rates specifically for minors and students, recognizing that younger or less experienced workers may be compensated at a lower hourly rate. Additionally, some states provide exemptions that remove these workers from minimum wage coverage entirely. Other states permit a training wage for newly hired employees, allowing employers to pay a reduced rate during an initial employment period. These special provisions vary significantly by state and are separate from the $18.40 hourly rate shown on this page. Workers and employers should verify whether any subminimum, training, or exemption rules apply in their jurisdiction, as these exceptions are not reflected in the general rate tables.
Some states set subminimum rates for minors and/or students or exempt them from coverage or have a training wage for new hires.
State Minimum Wage Laws (DOL)
When a city or county sets a higher minimum wage
In addition to state minimum wage laws, many cities and counties enact their own local minimum wage ordinances. When a local government sets a minimum wage rate that is higher than the state minimum wage, employers within that locality must generally pay the higher local rate rather than the lower state rate. This means that workers in certain cities or counties may be entitled to earn more than the state minimum wage, even if the state rate is already above the federal level. The wage table on this page displays state-level rates only and does not show these local variations. Employers operating in multiple jurisdictions must comply with whichever minimum wage is highest among the federal, state, and local rates that apply to their workers. Employees should check whether their city or county has enacted a higher minimum wage that supersedes the state rate.
Some local governments set minimum wage rates higher than their respective state minimum wage.
State Minimum Wage Laws (DOL)
Overtime is paid at one and one-half times the regular rate
Under federal law, non-exempt employees who work overtime hours are entitled to receive increased compensation for those extra hours. The overtime premium rate is calculated as one and one-half times the employee's regular hourly rate. This means that for each overtime hour worked, the employee receives their normal rate plus an additional half of that rate as premium pay. For example, an employee earning $18.40 per hour would receive additional premium compensation for overtime hours based on this multiplier. The exact overtime threshold and calculation method may vary under state law or specific employment agreements. This footnote clarifies that the premium multiplier applies unless a different standard is specified by regulation or contract. Employers must ensure they calculate overtime pay correctly according to applicable federal and state requirements.
The overtime premium rate is one and one-half times the employee's regular rate, unless otherwise specified.
State Minimum Wage Laws (DOL)
Who to ask about this rate, and where to take a wage complaint
The Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor maintains this wage information page and makes reasonable efforts to keep the data accurate. However, because minimum wage laws change frequently and vary by jurisdiction, individuals should not rely solely on this page for official guidance. For authoritative and current information about minimum wage requirements in a specific state, workers and employers should consult the relevant state labor office. State labor offices can provide official interpretations of wage laws, explain any special provisions that may apply, and help resolve wage disputes. If an employee believes they have not been paid the correct minimum wage or overtime compensation, they may file a complaint with the Wage and Hour Division or contact their state labor office directly to seek assistance and enforcement of their rights under applicable wage laws.
The Wage and Hour Division tries to ensure that the information on this page is accurate, but individuals should consult the relevant state labor office for official information.
State Minimum Wage Laws (DOL)
How the rate is adjusted each year, and who announces it
The $18.40 on this page is not a figure the District of Columbia legislature set and left. State law adjusts the minimum wage annually by a formula, so the rate changes on July 1 without a new bill each time, and the number you were paid last year is not evidence of what you are owed now. Two things follow for anyone checking a payslip. The rate is dated: a payslip covering the changeover carries hours at both rates, and an employer paying the old figure after the change is underpaying even though the figure was right a week earlier. And the next rate is normally announced before it takes effect, so it can be checked against the District of Columbia labour department rather than guessed at from inflation.
The minimum wage is adjusted annually on July 1 based on a set formula.
State Minimum Wage Laws (DOL)
How each figure was verified
Each number below was read from a stored copy of the document named beside it, and checked to occur word for word in the quoted sentence. The digest is of that stored text.
State Minimum Wage Laws (DOL)
- Hourly
District of Columbia Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $18.40