2017 North Carolina Minimum Wage
The 2017 North Carolina Minimum Wage is $7.25.
Effective 2017-01-01Source: Minimum Wage in N.C. (North Carolina Department of Labor)Verified 2026-08-30
Compared with 2016
Every figure on this page is unchanged from 2016.
| Item | 2016 | 2017 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly | $7.25 | $7.25 | +$0 (+0.0%) |
Who it applies to
Employers doing business in North Carolina, including state and local governments
What changed this year, and why
The minimum wage in North Carolina remained $7.25 per hour in 2017, unchanged from 2016.
Common questions
- Does this rate apply to agricultural and domestic employees?
- Agricultural and domestic employees are subject to the federal minimum wage rather than the state rate.
When a city or county sets a higher minimum wage
In North Carolina, the state sets a floor of $7.25 per hour, but a city or county is not locked to that number. A local government in North Carolina may set a minimum wage rate that is higher than the state rate for work performed within its borders. Where a local rate is higher, covered employers in that locality must pay the local rate, not the lower state rate. Where a locality has not set its own higher rate, the state rate of $7.25 applies. The $7.25 state minimum wage itself already applies to the state of North Carolina, to county and local governments, and to instrumentalities of government, so any local government setting a higher rate is doing so for private employers operating in its jurisdiction. Workers in North Carolina who are unsure which rate applies where they live or work can contact the N.C. Department of Labor for guidance.
The $7.25 per hour state minimum wage also applies to the state of North Carolina, to county and local governments and to instrumentalities of government.
Minimum Wage in N.C. (North Carolina Department of Labor)
Who to ask about this rate, and where to take a wage complaint
In North Carolina, questions about the state minimum wage and wage complaints are handled by the N.C. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour division. Workers and employers in North Carolina can reach the department toll free at 1-800-NC-LABOR (1-800-625-2267). That number is the place to call to ask whether an employer is paying the correct rate, to learn how the $7.25 per hour state minimum wage applies to a particular job, or to find out how to file a wage complaint. The department also publishes a Wage and Hour Training Calendar and an Informational Presentation Calendar for employers and workers who want more detail. Agricultural and domestic employees in North Carolina, who are subject to the federal minimum wage rather than the state rate, may need to direct certain questions to the federal Wage and Hour Division instead, but for questions about the state rate and its application, the N.C. DOL is the right first call.
For more information about workplace rights, please contact our toll free number at 1-800-NC-LABOR (800-625-2267).
Minimum Wage in N.C. (North Carolina Department of Labor)
When tips, meals or lodging count toward the minimum wage
In North Carolina, employers with tipped employees must pay at least $2.13 per hour in cash wages to each tipped employee, as long as the tips the employee receives are enough to bring total earnings up to the $7.25 minimum wage. If an employee's tips fall short, the employer must make up the difference; it is the employer's responsibility to ensure that every tipped employee reaches at least $7.25 per hour when cash wages and tips are combined. To take this tip credit, the employer must notify tipped employees in advance, let them retain all their tips, and keep accurate and complete records of tips received, certified by the employee monthly or each pay period. The value of meals or lodging is not addressed as a credit on this North Carolina page; the state's rules focus on the tip credit. The North Carolina rate of $7.25 is the floor that tipped employees must reach through the combination of cash wages and tips.
In North Carolina, an employer MUST pay at least $2.13 an hour to tipped employees as long as each employee receives enough in tips to make up the difference between the wages paid and the minimum wage ($7.25).
Minimum Wage in N.C. (North Carolina Department of Labor)
Why the federal rate applies when the state rate is lower
North Carolina has set its state minimum wage at $7.25 per hour, which matches the federal minimum wage. When a state sets a rate below the federal floor, with some limited exceptions, the federal minimum wage rate applies to covered employers instead. In North Carolina's case, the two rates are equal at $7.25, so the question of which floor governs is straightforward for most covered workers. However, agricultural and domestic employees in North Carolina are not covered by the state rate and are instead subject to the federal minimum wage. For those workers, the federal rate is the one that applies regardless of what the state rate says. Employers doing business in North Carolina must pay at least $7.25 per hour to all other covered employees. Workers and employers in North Carolina who want to confirm which floor applies to a particular job can contact the N.C. Department of Labor for guidance.
Employers doing business in North Carolina are required to pay at least $7.25 per hour to all employees (agricultural and domestic employees are subject to the federal minimum wage).
Minimum Wage in N.C. (North Carolina 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.
Minimum Wage in N.C. (North Carolina Department of Labor)
- Hourly
The minimum wage in North Carolina is currently $7.25 an hour.
Other years
Every North Carolina Minimum Wage year · Minimum Wage in every state