2023 North Carolina Minimum Wage
The 2023 North Carolina Minimum Wage is $7.25.
Effective 2023-01-01Source: Minimum Wage in N.C. (North Carolina Department of Labor)Verified 2026-09-01
Compared with 2022
Every figure on this page is unchanged from 2022.
| Item | 2022 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly | $7.25 | $7.25 | +$0 (+0.0%) |
Who it applies to
Employees working in North Carolina, including employees of state, county, and local governments. Agricultural and domestic employees are subject to the federal minimum wage.
What changed this year, and why
North Carolina's state minimum wage remains $7.25 per hour for 2023, unchanged from 2022.
Common questions
- Did North Carolina's minimum wage change in 2023?
- No. The state minimum wage remains $7.25 per hour in 2023, the same as in 2022.
Minors, students and training wages: who may be paid less than the rate on this page
In North Carolina, tipped employees may be paid less than the standard minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. Employers are permitted to pay tipped workers a cash wage of $2.13 per hour, provided that the tips received by the employee are sufficient to bring their total hourly earnings up to at least $7.25. If a tipped employee's tips combined with the $2.13 cash wage do not reach $7.25 in a given work period, the employer must increase the cash wage to make up the difference. This means that while the regular minimum wage in North Carolina is $7.25, tipped employees in qualifying businesses may receive a lower base hourly wage from their employer, with the expectation that tips will cover the remainder. Employers are responsible for ensuring that all tipped employees earn at least the minimum wage through the combination of cash wages and tips received.
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)
Who to ask about this rate, and where to take a wage complaint
Workers in North Carolina who have questions about minimum wage rights or need to file a wage complaint can contact the North Carolina Department of Labor. The department provides a toll-free number for workplace rights inquiries: 1-800-NC-LABOR (800-625-2267). This contact line serves as the primary resource for employees seeking information about wage and hour laws, filing complaints about unpaid wages, or reporting violations of North Carolina's minimum wage requirements. The North Carolina Department of Labor maintains offices in Raleigh and provides guidance on workplace rights throughout the state. Employees across North Carolina can use this resource to get direction on whether their employer is complying with the state's minimum wage laws and to take action if they believe their rights have been violated.
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)
State minimum wage laws that give more than the federal rate
In North Carolina, the state minimum wage of $7.25 per hour applies to most employers doing business in the state. However, certain categories of workers are subject to the federal minimum wage instead of the state rate. Specifically, agricultural and domestic employees in North Carolina are subject to the federal minimum wage rather than the state minimum wage. This means that workers in these industries may be governed by different wage requirements depending on whether federal or state law applies to their employment situation. Employers in North Carolina should be aware of which minimum wage standard applies to their workers based on the type of business and the nature of the employment. The state minimum wage of $7.25 applies broadly to employers doing business in North Carolina, with the noted exception of agricultural and domestic workers who fall under federal jurisdiction.
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)
When tips, meals or lodging count toward the minimum wage
In North Carolina, workers who earn tips may have those tips counted toward the minimum wage under certain conditions. Employers with tipped employees are permitted to take a credit for tips earned by their employees toward the employers' payment of the minimum wage. However, to use this tip credit, the employer must notify tipped employees in advance and permit them to retain all tips. The employer must also maintain accurate and complete records of tips received by each employee, and those tips must be certified by the tipped employees monthly or for each pay period. This means that while North Carolina's minimum wage is $7.25 per hour, employers may count employee tips toward meeting that obligation, provided all notice, recordkeeping, and retention requirements are satisfied. The tipped employee must be allowed to keep all of their tips, and the employer must maintain documentation that can be verified by the employee on a regular basis.
However, for an employer to be able to count tips as wages and take a tip credit towards the minimum wage, the law requires that tipped employees be notified in advance and be permitted to retain all tips, and requires that the employer maintains accurate and complete records of tips received by each employee and such tips must be certified by tipped employees monthly or for each pay period.
Minimum Wage in N.C. (North Carolina Department of Labor)
Why the federal rate applies when the state rate is lower
North Carolina's state minimum wage is set at $7.25 per hour, which is identical to the federal minimum wage rate established under the Fair Labor Standards Act. Because the state rate matches rather than exceeds the federal floor, employers in North Carolina are subject to the federal standard in practice. Under federal law, when a state sets its minimum wage below the federal rate, the higher federal rate controls. This means that even if North Carolina were to lower its statutory wage in the future, workers in the state would still be entitled to earn at least $7.25 per hour. Employers doing business in North Carolina must pay this rate to all covered employees, including those working for state and local governments. The rule ensures that no worker in North Carolina falls below the baseline hourly pay established nationwide, regardless of what the state legislature sets.
The minimum wage in North Carolina is currently $7.25 an hour. 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