2023 Hawaii Minimum Wage
The 2023 Hawaii Minimum Wage is $12.
Effective 2023-01-01Source: 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
Compared with 2022
Figures dated from the start of each year. Later steps are listed above with their dates.
| Item | 2022 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly | $10.10 | $12 | +$1.90 (+18.8%) |
Who it applies to
Employees covered by the Hawaii Wage and Hour Law, including those also covered by the federal Fair Labor Standards Act when the Hawaii standard is higher
What changed this year, and why
Hawaii's state minimum wage for 2023
Common questions
- Did the minimum wage change during 2023?
- No. The $12.00 per hour rate applied for the entire year, from January 1 through December 31, 2023. It had increased from $10.10 per hour on October 1, 2022.
- How does the 2023 rate compare to 2022?
- The 2023 rate of $12.00 per hour is higher than the $10.10 per hour that was the verified rate for 2022.
Minors, students and training wages: who may be paid less than the rate on this page
Hawaii does not have a separate subminimum wage category on this poster for minors, students, or trainees in the private sector. The only express below-rate allowance the state authorizes is the tip credit for tipped employees. For any other group – including minors and student learners – an employer in Hawaii must pay the full state minimum wage unless a specific statutory exemption applies under Chapter 387 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes or the federal Fair Labor Standards Act. Because Hawaii's rate of $12 is well above the federal floor, workers here get the more protective state rule. Anyone wondering whether a youth or trainee worker qualifies for a lower rate should check with the Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations Wage Standards Division before paying or accepting less than the posted rate.
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
Employees in Hawaii who believe they have been underpaid can turn to the state's enforcement agency for help. The Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations has authority to recover back wages on behalf of workers, either through its own administrative process or by filing a court action. The department operates offices on each of the main islands: Oahu (Honolulu), Kauai (Lihue), Maui (Wailuku), and Hawaii County (Hilo and Kealakekua). A worker can contact the office nearest them to file a wage complaint or ask questions about the state's minimum wage rules. In addition, the department's website at www.labor.hawaii.gov provides information and downloadable versions of required workplace notices. Employers in Hawaii are required to post the official minimum wage notice in a place accessible to their employees.
FOR MORE INFORMATION contact the nearest Department of Labor office:
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 minimum wage of $12 per hour applies to most workers covered by both state and federal wage law. When both the Hawaii Wage and Hour Law and the federal Fair Labor Standards Act cover the same employment, workers get the higher of the two rates. Because Hawaii's standard is more generous than the federal floor, employees in the state are paid under the Hawaii rule. Employers must also keep time records for their workers. If a worker is underpaid, the Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations can pursue recovery of back wages through administrative action or in court. This means a worker in Hawaii who believes they were paid below $12 an hour can file a complaint and the state will investigate and seek to recover what is owed.
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 claim a tip credit for tipped employees, meaning the direct cash wage can be lower than the full minimum wage by a specified amount. During the period October 1, 2022 through December 31, 2023, the tip credit allows employers to pay tipped workers up to $1.00 less per hour than the full state minimum wage. The tip credit was previously 75 cents and is scheduled to rise to $1.25 on January 1, 2024 and $1.50 on January 1, 2028. This provision appears in Section 387-2(b) of the Hawaii Revised Statutes. Tipped employees in Hawaii must still earn at least the full minimum wage when tips are combined with the reduced cash wage; if they do not, the employer must make up the shortfall. The tip credit is the only subminimum allowance identified on this notice; Hawaii does not separately list reduced rates for minors, students, or trainees.
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
When both state and federal minimum wage laws apply to the same employment, workers receive the higher of the two rates. In Hawaii, the state minimum wage of $12 per hour exceeds the federal floor, so the Hawaii rate controls. The document states that the Hawaii Wage and Hour Law applies to employment covered by the federal Fair Labor Standards Act when Hawaii standards are higher than federal law. This means workers in Hawaii benefit from the more protective state standard. The scenario where a state rate falls below the federal floor does not currently apply in Hawaii. In states where the local rate is lower than the federal minimum, the federal rate would apply instead, ensuring that no worker covered by both laws receives less than the federal floor. This principle of applying whichever standard is more favorable to the worker operates as a safety net across the United States.
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 minimum wage in Hawaii is set by the state legislature through the Hawaii Wage and Hour Law. Effective October 1, 2022 through December 31, 2023, the rate is $12 per hour. This rate is scheduled to increase to $14 per hour on January 1, 2024, then $16 per hour on January 1, 2026, and $18 per hour on January 1, 2028. Unlike some states that tie their minimum wage to inflation, Hawaii's rate changes are set by statute with fixed effective dates and amounts. The Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations enforces these rates. Workers in Hawaii should receive at least $12 per hour for all hours worked during 2023, unless a specific exemption like the tip credit applies. Employers who pay less than the required rate may be required to repay back wages through administrative action or court proceedings.
$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
$12.00 per hour effective October 1, 2022 through December 31, 2023
Other years
Every Hawaii Minimum Wage year · Minimum Wage in every state