2021 Hawaii Minimum Wage
The 2021 Hawaii Minimum Wage is $10.10.
Effective 2021-01-01Source: Notice to Employees Under the Hawaii Wage and Hour Law, HWHL-1 (Rev. 06/22) (Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Wage Standards Division)Verified 2026-08-31
Who it applies to
Employers and employees in Hawaii subject to the Hawaii Wage and Hour Law
What changed this year, and why
Hawaii's minimum wage rate for 2021
Minors, students and training wages: who may be paid less than the rate on this page
Under Hawaii law, the main category of workers who may be paid less than the full $10.10 minimum wage is tipped employees. The Hawaii Wage and Hour Law allows a tip credit, meaning employers may pay tipped workers up to 75 cents less per hour than the regular minimum wage, as long as tips make up the difference and the employee still earns at least $10.10 per hour in total. This tip credit is scheduled to increase to $1.00 per hour on October 1, 2022, to $1.25 on January 1, 2024, and to $1.50 on January 1, 2028. The specific conditions for taking the tip credit are set out in Section 387-2(b) of the Hawaii Revised Statutes. Outside of the tip credit, the document does not identify any other subminimum wage categories such as minors, students, or trainees. All other employees in Hawaii must receive the full $10.10 per hour minimum wage.
TIP CREDIT - Under certain conditions, "tipped employees" may be paid up to 75 cents less per hour; effective October 1, 2022, up to $1.00 less per hour; effective January 1, 2024, up to $1.25 less per hour; and effective January 1, 2028, up to $1.50 less per hour.
Notice to Employees Under the Hawaii Wage and Hour Law, HWHL-1 (Rev. 06/22) (Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Wage Standards Division)
Who to ask about this rate, and where to take a wage complaint
If you believe your employer has not paid you the full minimum wage of $10.10 per hour in Hawaii, the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations is the agency that handles wage complaints. The department's Wage Standards Division may recover back wages for employees who have been underpaid, either through an administrative process or by taking court action on the employee's behalf. For general questions about the Hawaii minimum wage or to file a complaint, you can contact the nearest Department of Labor office. There are offices on Oahu, Kauai, Maui, the island of Hawaii at Hilo, and West Hawaii at Kealakekua. The department also publishes the notice online at www.labor.hawaii.gov. Employers in Hawaii are required to post this notice in a place accessible to their employees so that workers know their rights and where to seek help.
ENFORCEMENT: The Department of Labor and Industrial Relations may recover back wages, either administratively or through court action, for employees who have been underpaid.
Notice to Employees Under the Hawaii Wage and Hour Law, HWHL-1 (Rev. 06/22) (Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Wage Standards Division)
State minimum wage laws that give more than the federal rate
In Hawaii, the state minimum wage of $10.10 per hour applies to workers covered by both the Hawaii Wage and Hour Law and the federal Fair Labor Standards Act whenever the Hawaii standard is higher than the federal standard. This means that an employee in Hawaii who is subject to both laws is entitled to the higher of the two rates. Because Hawaii's rate exceeds the federal minimum wage, workers across the state are paid at the Hawaii rate of $10.10 per hour. The Hawaii Wage and Hour Law is codified in Chapter 387 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes, and the administrative rules are found in Chapter 12-20 of the Hawaii Administrative Rules. Employers in Hawaii must follow whichever law provides the greater benefit to the employee, and the state rate on this page is the one that governs for most workers in Hawaii.
Minimum wage under the Hawaii Wage and Hour Law also applies to employment covered by the federal wage and hour law (Fair Labor Standards Act) when Hawaii standards are higher than the federal law.
Notice to Employees Under the Hawaii Wage and Hour Law, HWHL-1 (Rev. 06/22) (Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Wage Standards Division)
When tips, meals or lodging count toward the minimum wage
Under Hawaii law, employers may pay a lower hourly wage to tipped employees. The $10.10 rate on this page is the full minimum wage, but employers who meet certain conditions may subtract a tip credit of up to 75 cents per hour before October 1, 2022. The tip credit increases over time: up to $1.00 less per hour starting October 1, 2022; up to $1.25 less per hour starting January 1, 2024; and up to $1.50 less per hour starting January 1, 2028. This means that if you work in Hawaii and regularly receive tips, your employer may pay you a cash wage that is lower than $10.10 per hour, as long as your tips make up the difference and bring your total earnings to at least the full minimum wage. If your tips do not bring your total pay up to $10.10 per hour, your employer must make up the shortfall. The specific requirements are found in Section 387-2(b) of the Hawaii Revised Statutes.
TIP CREDIT - Under certain conditions, "tipped employees" may be paid up to 75 cents less per hour; effective October 1, 2022, up to $1.00 less per hour; effective January 1, 2024, up to $1.25 less per hour; and effective January 1, 2028, up to $1.50 less per hour.
Notice to Employees Under the Hawaii Wage and Hour Law, HWHL-1 (Rev. 06/22) (Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Wage Standards Division)
Why the federal rate applies when the state rate is lower
Hawaii's wage law states that its minimum wage applies alongside the federal Fair Labor Standards Act when Hawaii standards are higher than the federal law. This means that when the state rate is above the federal floor, employees in Hawaii receive the state rate of $10.10 per hour. By the same principle, if Hawaii's rate were ever set below the federal minimum wage, the federal rate would control and employers would have to pay at least the federal amount. The rule ensures that workers in Hawaii always receive the higher of the two applicable minimum wages, whether it comes from the state or from federal law. This provision is part of Chapter 387 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes and Chapter 12-20 of the Hawaii Administrative Rules, and it protects employees from being paid less than the strongest standard available to them.
Minimum wage under the Hawaii Wage and Hour Law also applies to employment covered by the federal wage and hour law (Fair Labor Standards Act) when Hawaii standards are higher than the federal law.
Notice to Employees Under the Hawaii Wage and Hour Law, HWHL-1 (Rev. 06/22) (Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Wage Standards Division)
How the rate is adjusted each year, and who announces it
The Hawaii minimum wage is scheduled to increase over time according to the Hawaii Wage and Hour Law. The rate of $10.10 per hour applies through September 30, 2022. Beginning October 1, 2022, the rate rises to $12.00 per hour through December 31, 2023. The law then sets the rate at $14.00 per hour for 2024 and 2025, $16.00 per hour for 2026 and 2027, and $18.00 per hour beginning January 1, 2028. These future rates are established by Chapter 387 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes and Chapter 12-20 of the Hawaii Administrative Rules. The Department of Labor and Industrial Relations publishes this notice to inform employees and employers of the current and upcoming rates. Workers in Hawaii should refer to the department's website at www.labor.hawaii.gov for the most current information about minimum wage rates and any adjustments to the schedule.
$10.10 per hour effective through September 30, 2022 $12.00 per hour effective October 1, 2022 through December 31, 2023 $14.00 per hour effective January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2025 $16.00 per hour effective January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2027 $18.00 per hour effective January 1, 2028
Notice to Employees Under the Hawaii Wage and Hour Law, HWHL-1 (Rev. 06/22) (Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Wage Standards Division)
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.
Notice to Employees Under the Hawaii Wage and Hour Law, HWHL-1 (Rev. 06/22) (Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Wage Standards Division)
- Hourly
$10.10 per hour effective through September 30, 2022
Other years
Every Hawaii Minimum Wage year · Minimum Wage in every state