2026 North Carolina Minimum Wage
The 2026 North Carolina Minimum Wage is $7.25.
Effective 2026-01-01Source: State Minimum Wage Laws (DOL)Verified 2026-08-29
Compared with 2025
Every figure on this page is unchanged from 2025.
| Item | 2025 | 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly | $7.25 | $7.25 | +$0 (+0.0%) |
Who it applies to
Employers and employees in North Carolina covered by the state minimum wage law. The Department of Labor's table gives the basic minimum rate with no employer-size condition attached, and states a weekly threshold after which premium pay is due. The one thing the entry adds is a higher weekly threshold for seasonal amusement or recreational establishments. 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, lists North Carolina's basic minimum rate as $7.25 per hour. The entry carries no dated step inside the year and no statement of an annual adjustment, 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 North Carolina in 2026?
- It is $7.25 per hour. That is the basic minimum rate the U.S. Department of Labor lists for North Carolina in its State Minimum Wage Laws table, in the version updated July 1, 2026. The figure published here is taken from that entry and from nothing else, so it reflects the state rate as the department recorded it on that date.
- Is the North Carolina minimum wage the same as the federal minimum wage?
- The rate listed for North Carolina, $7.25 per hour, is the same amount the same table cites as the federal minimum wage that employers subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act must pay. The North Carolina entry does not itself say the state rate is tied to the federal one: unlike several other entries, it carries no clause equating the two, it simply lists the rate.
- Does North Carolina have its own minimum wage law?
- The table treats it as a state with a rate of its own. Several entries in the same table say plainly that the state has no minimum wage law, and give only the federal rate reaching employers through the Fair Labor Standards Act. North Carolina's entry is not written that way: it lists a basic minimum rate and its own premium pay thresholds, including one specific to seasonal establishments.
- When does overtime start in North Carolina?
- The entry states a weekly threshold after which premium pay is due, and no daily one. A handful of entries in the same table state both a daily and a weekly threshold; North Carolina's is among the majority that state the weekly threshold alone. The hour count itself is a figure in the source that this page does not republish.
- Do seasonal amusement and recreational businesses in North Carolina follow a different overtime rule?
- Yes. The entry states that premium pay is required after a higher weekly hour count in seasonal amusements or recreational establishments than the general weekly threshold it gives for other employers. It names the category without defining it, and both hour counts are figures in the source that this page does not republish.
- Is there a separate tipped minimum wage for North Carolina?
- The Department of Labor's state table lists one basic minimum rate per hour for North Carolina and no separate cash wage for tipped employees, so this page does not publish one. The same table says plainly that differential provisions are not displayed in it, naming subminimum rates for minors and students and training wages for new hires as its examples.
- Does the North Carolina minimum wage go up each year?
- The table states an annual adjustment inside the entry itself for several states, naming a formula or a recalculation date. The North Carolina entry contains no such statement. This page therefore publishes the rate the table listed as of July 1, 2026 and makes no claim about how or when the rate is recalculated, because the source document does not say.
- Can a North Carolina city 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 $7.25 per hour figure on this page is the state-level basic rate only, so a local ordinance would sit outside what this source records.
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
Although the federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour, not every worker must be paid that amount. Some states allow employers to pay subminimum wages to certain categories of workers - for example, minors, students, or newly hired employees during a training period. A state may also completely exempt particular workers from its minimum-wage coverage. The table on this page shows only the general basic minimum rate for each state; it does not list these special lower rates or exemptions. If you are a young worker, a student, or a new hire, check your own state's labor law to find out whether a lower wage may legally apply to you. The verified federal hourly rate of $7.25 remains the floor for covered employees who do not fall into one of those special categories.
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
The federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour serves as a baseline, but many cities and counties have enacted their own minimum wage laws that exceed both the federal and state rates. When a local government sets a higher minimum wage, employers within that jurisdiction must pay the higher local rate to their workers. These local ordinances can vary dramatically even within the same state, creating a patchwork of different minimum wage requirements across neighboring municipalities. The table on this page displays only federal and state minimum wage rates, not the various local rates that may apply in specific cities or counties. Workers and employers in areas with local minimum wage laws should research the specific rate that applies in their city or county, as it may be significantly higher than the state or federal minimum. These local provisions are not reflected in the state-by-state table displayed here.
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
Federal law requires employers to pay overtime at a premium rate to covered, non-exempt employees who work beyond their normal hours. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, the overtime premium rate is one and one-half times the employee's regular rate of pay. This means that for every hour of overtime worked, the employee must receive at least one and one-half times what they normally earn per hour. The rule applies regardless of whether the employee is paid hourly or on a salary basis, as long as the employee is covered by the FLSA and is not exempt. Some states have their own overtime laws that may provide additional protections or different thresholds for when overtime must be paid, but the federal standard of one and one-half times the regular rate serves as the baseline requirement. Employers and employees should also check applicable state law, as it may differ from the federal rule.
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
When workers have questions about minimum wage rates that apply to their specific situation, or when they believe their employer is not paying the correct wage, they should contact the appropriate state labor office. While the Wage and Hour Division administers federal minimum wage laws and maintains information about rates, state labor offices have jurisdiction over state-specific minimum wage requirements and can provide official guidance on which rates apply in particular circumstances. State labor offices can also handle complaints about wage violations and enforce state minimum wage laws. Workers who believe they have not been paid the proper minimum wage or overtime should consult their state labor office for information about filing a wage complaint. These offices can explain whether federal or state law applies to a worker's situation and what remedies may be available for wage violations. Contact information for state labor offices is available through state government websites.
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)
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
North Carolina Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $7.25
Other years
Every North Carolina Minimum Wage year · Minimum Wage in every state