Louisiana Minimum Wage 2026
Current year
The 2026 Louisiana Minimum Wage is $7.25.
Effective 2026-01-01Source: State Minimum Wage Laws (DOL)Verified 2026-09-01
Who it applies to
Employers in Louisiana subject to the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, and the employees that act covers. Because the department's table records no state minimum wage law for Louisiana, the rate on this page reaches the state through that federal act rather than through a state statute, and the entry says nothing at all about employment the act does not cover. No employer-size condition appears in the entry, and the table does not display subminimum rates for minors, students or trainees, or any higher 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, records that Louisiana has no state minimum wage law. The amount on this page, $7.25 per hour, is the current federal minimum wage the entry states employers subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act must pay. There is no state rate here to rise or fall, and 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 Louisiana in 2026?
- It is $7.25 per hour, and it is the federal rate rather than a state one. The U.S. Department of Labor's State Minimum Wage Laws table, in the version updated July 1, 2026, records no state minimum wage law for Louisiana and states that employers subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act must pay the current federal minimum wage of that amount.
- Does Louisiana have its own minimum wage law?
- No. The Department of Labor's entry for Louisiana consists of the words no state minimum wage law, followed by the federal rate that reaches employers subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act. That is the whole of what the table records for the state, so this page publishes no state-level rate, no state coverage rule and no state exemption.
- Why does this page show a rate for Louisiana if the state has no law?
- Because the department's own entry supplies one. Having recorded that Louisiana has no state minimum wage law, the entry states that employers subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act must pay the current federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. The figure on this page is that federal amount as the table gives it, not a state rate the table does not have.
- Does the Louisiana minimum wage change during 2026?
- The table lists no dated step for Louisiana and no annual adjustment formula, and with no state law there is no state rate to adjust. The amount here would change if the federal minimum wage the entry cites changed. That would not appear on this page until the department republishes the table and this record is verified against it again.
- Is there a separate tipped minimum wage in Louisiana?
- The Department of Labor's state table gives one hourly amount for Louisiana 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 own examples.
- Does Louisiana require overtime pay after designated hours?
- The table carries a premium pay after designated hours line for the jurisdictions whose state laws provide one. The Louisiana entry carries no such line, which follows from its first sentence: the department records no state minimum wage law for the state at all. This page therefore publishes no state overtime threshold for Louisiana.
- Can a city or parish in Louisiana set a higher minimum wage?
- The Department of Labor's table does not answer that. It notes that some local governments set minimum wage rates higher than their respective state minimum wage, and that such differential provisions are not displayed in the table. The amount on this page is the federal rate the Louisiana entry cites, so a local ordinance would sit outside what this source records.
- Where does the $7.25 figure for Louisiana 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 Louisiana entry states that employers subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act must pay the current federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. The division notes 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
The federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour is the baseline, but certain workers may legally be paid less under specific circumstances. Some states authorize subminimum wage rates for minors, which allows employers to pay younger workers below the standard rate. Similarly, some states permit subminimum rates for students, often in roles like retail or service jobs where they are still learning. Beyond these age-based exceptions, certain states provide exemptions that remove specific categories of workers from minimum wage coverage entirely. Additionally, some states establish a training wage for new hires, permitting employers to pay a lower rate during an initial employment period. These special provisions vary significantly by state and are not reflected in the federal table. Employers and workers should verify whether any of these exceptions apply in their jurisdiction, as state rules determine eligibility for subminimum rates, exemptions, or training wages.
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
While the federal minimum wage sets a nationwide floor of $7.25 per hour, local governments such as cities and counties can establish their own minimum wage rates that exceed the state level. When a locality enacts a higher minimum wage, employers within that jurisdiction must pay the higher local rate rather than the state rate. These local ordinances are becoming increasingly common across the country. The federal table does not display these local variations, so workers and employers need to check whether their city or county has enacted a minimum wage that differs from the state rate. The highest applicable rate among federal, state, and local law governs the pay an employer must provide.
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 the Fair Labor Standards Act, covered nonexempt employees are entitled to overtime pay when they work more than a full workweek's worth of hours. The overtime premium rate is one and one-half times the employee's regular rate of pay. This multiplier applies to every hour worked beyond the weekly threshold established by federal law. For an employee earning the federal minimum of $7.25 per hour, each overtime hour must be paid at not less than one and one-half times that regular hourly amount. The regular rate used for this calculation includes all remuneration for employment, which may encompass certain bonuses and other compensation in addition to the base hourly wage. Some states or specific industry agreements may establish different overtime thresholds or higher premium multipliers, but the federal floor is set at the one and one-half times standard referenced in the footnote to this page.
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
While the federal table provides a general overview of minimum wage rates by state, individuals should consult the relevant state labor office for official information. State labor offices maintain the authoritative and current records on minimum wage rates, overtime rules, exemptions, and special provisions such as subminimum wages for minors or students. Because state laws can change and local jurisdictions may impose additional requirements, the state labor office is the definitive resource for confirming what rate applies in a particular situation. Workers who believe their employer is not paying the correct minimum wage can file a complaint with their state labor office or with the federal Wage and Hour Division, which enforces the Fair Labor Standards Act.
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)
Why the federal rate applies when the state rate is lower
Louisiana has no minimum wage law of its own, which does not mean there is no minimum wage in Louisiana. The Fair Labor Standards Act reaches most employment directly, and an employer subject to it must pay the federal minimum of $7.25 per hour whatever the state does. That is the rate on this page, and it is federal law rather than Louisiana law that puts it there. The practical difference shows up at the edges. A worker whose employer is genuinely outside the FLSA has no state floor to fall back on, where a worker in a state with its own law would. And a complaint about it is a federal complaint: the Wage and Hour Division enforces it, because there is no Louisiana statute to enforce.
Louisiana No state minimum wage law. Employers subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act must pay the current Federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour.
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
Louisiana No state minimum wage law. Employers subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act must pay the current Federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour.