2018 Idaho Minimum Wage
The 2018 Idaho Minimum Wage is $7.25.
Effective 2018-01-01Source: Frequently Asked Questions on labor laws (Idaho Department of Labor)Verified 2026-09-01
Compared with 2017
Every figure on this page is unchanged from 2017.
| Item | 2017 | 2018 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly | $7.25 | $7.25 | +$0 (+0.0%) |
Who it applies to
Employers and employees in Idaho subject to state minimum wage requirements
What changed this year, and why
Idaho's state minimum wage for 2018
Common questions
- What was the minimum wage in Idaho in 2018?
- The minimum wage in Idaho in 2018 was $7.25 per hour.
Minors, students and training wages: who may be paid less than the rate on this page
Idaho's minimum wage of $7.25 per hour is the floor that most employers must pay, but the state allows subminimum wages for certain groups. A new hire who is under age 20 may be paid $4.25 per hour, but only during that employee's first 90 consecutive calendar days of employment; after that period the regular $7.25 rate must apply. Tipped workers may be paid a lower cash wage of $3.35 per hour as long as tips bring their total hourly earnings to at least $7.25. These exceptions are set out in Idaho Code Section 44-1502 and are the only subminimum rates the state publishes; there is no separate student or training wage beyond the young-worker and tipped-employee provisions.
The minimum wage for a tipped employee is $3.35 per hour. The minimum wage for new hires under the age of 20 years old is $4.25 per hour but only for the first 90 consecutive calendar days of employment.
Frequently Asked Questions on labor laws (Idaho Department of Labor)
Overtime is paid at one and one-half times the regular rate
Idaho's overtime rule follows the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, not a separate state law. Under it, non-exempt workers must receive one and one-half times their regular rate for every hour worked beyond 40 in a workweek. Each workweek stands alone—employers cannot average hours across multiple weeks to avoid paying the premium. The rule allows no averaging: if someone works more than 40 hours in one week and fewer in the next, the overtime from the busier week is still owed. Only the U.S. Department of Labor can grant or approve an exemption from these requirements for an employer or an individual employee. Workers in Idaho who have questions about overtime, believe they are owed overtime pay, or want to know whether their job qualifies for an exemption should contact the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division offices that serve the state.
In accordance with the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, overtime must be paid at a rate of time and one half for all hours “worked” over 40 in a workweek, unless the employer or the individual employee is considered exempt. An exemption may only be given and/or approved by the U.S. Department of Labor. In figuring overtime each workweek stands alone; there can be NO averaging of two or more workweeks together.
Frequently Asked Questions on labor laws (Idaho Department of Labor)
Who to ask about this rate, and where to take a wage complaint
Idaho workers with questions about the minimum wage, overtime, or other wage-and-hour rules should contact the federal Wage and Hour Division, which enforces the Fair Labor Standards Act in the state. Two U.S. Department of Labor offices serve Idaho: one covering Northern Idaho and another covering Southwestern and Eastern Idaho. Both offices handle questions about overtime provisions and can be reached by phone or toll-free number. Because Idaho does not operate a separate state agency for minimum-wage or overtime enforcement, these federal offices are the appropriate place to consult about this rate and to file complaints about unpaid wages or overtime.
Information about the overtime provisions of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act is available from the U.S. Department of Labor offices below.
Frequently Asked Questions on labor laws (Idaho Department of Labor)
When tips, meals or lodging count toward the minimum wage
Idaho sets a lower cash wage for tipped employees: $3.35 per hour instead of the standard $7.25 per hour. This means an employer can count a portion of the tips a worker receives toward meeting the minimum wage obligation, rather than paying the full amount in wages. However, the document does not explain the specific rules for when tips count toward the minimum wage, whether the employer must make up the difference if tips fall short, or whether meals and lodging provided by the employer can be credited against wages. For details on tip credits, meal and lodging credits, and how they interact with Idaho's minimum wage, workers and employers should contact the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division offices that serve the state.
The minimum wage for a tipped employee is $3.35 per hour.
Frequently Asked Questions on labor laws (Idaho Department of Labor)
What an employer may deduct from your pay
Idaho employers generally may not take money out of an employee’s paycheck unless state or federal law requires it, or the employer has written authorization from the employee to make deductions. Even with a signed authorization, in most cases a deduction cannot reduce the worker’s pay below the minimum wage. There is one narrow exception: if an employer has advanced wages or made a draw against future pay and can provide proof of the advance, the employer may withhold the entire amount of that advance or draw from a future paycheck. Because Idaho does not operate its own wage claim process for minimum-wage or overtime disputes, workers who believe deductions have pushed their pay below $7.25 an hour should contact the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division.
Employers may not withhold any portion of an employee’s wages unless required to by state or federal law or if the employer has written authorization to make deductions from an employee’s paycheck. In most cases, even with written authorization, the deduction cannot reduce wages below the minimum wage. If an employer provides proof of an advance or draw against an employee’s future wages, the employer can withhold the entire amount of that advance or draw from any future paycheck.
Frequently Asked Questions on labor laws (Idaho Department of Labor)
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.
Frequently Asked Questions on labor laws (Idaho Department of Labor)
- Hourly
The current Idaho state minimum wage is $7.25 per hour.
Other years
Every Idaho Minimum Wage year · Minimum Wage in every state