2017 Idaho Tipped Minimum Wage
The 2017 Idaho Tipped Minimum Wage is $3.35.
Effective 2017-01-01Source: Frequently Asked Questions on labor laws (Idaho Department of Labor)Verified 2026-09-01
Compared with 2016
Every figure on this page is unchanged from 2016.
| Item | 2016 | 2017 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum cash wage | $3.35 | $3.35 | +$0 (+0.0%) |
Who it applies to
Employers in Idaho who pay tipped employees
What changed this year, and why
Idaho's minimum cash wage for tipped employees in 2017
Common questions
- What is the tipped minimum wage in Idaho for 2017?
- The minimum cash wage for tipped employees in Idaho is $3.35 per hour.
Who counts as a tipped employee
Idaho law establishes a separate minimum wage for tipped employees at $3.35 per hour, which is lower than the state's general minimum wage. This reduced rate applies to workers who receive tips as part of their compensation. The $3.35 hourly rate represents the direct cash wage that Idaho employers must pay tipped workers. This lower wage acknowledges that tipped employees receive additional compensation through customer tips beyond the base hourly rate paid by their employer. Workers in positions such as servers, bartenders, and other service roles where gratuities are customary may be paid at this reduced rate, provided they meet the legal definition of a tipped employee under state law.
The minimum wage for a tipped employee is $3.35 per hour.
Frequently Asked Questions on labor laws (Idaho Department of Labor)
What a tip credit is, and the cash wage underneath it
Idaho establishes a separate minimum wage structure for tipped employees. While the state's general minimum wage is $7.25 per hour, the minimum cash wage that employers must pay tipped employees is $3.35 per hour. This lower direct wage creates a tip credit system where employers can count a portion of the tips their employees receive toward meeting their minimum wage obligations. The difference between what the employer pays in direct wages ($3.35 per hour) and the full minimum wage ($7.25 per hour) represents the maximum tip credit the employer can take. Employers using this system must ensure that their tipped employees actually receive enough in tips to bring their total hourly compensation up to at least the full minimum wage. If an employee's tips combined with the cash wage fall short of the minimum wage in any workweek, the employer must make up the difference to ensure the worker receives at least the minimum required compensation.
The current Idaho state minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. The minimum wage for a tipped employee is $3.35 per hour.
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)
- Minimum cash wage
The minimum wage for a tipped employee is $3.35 per hour.
Other years
Every Idaho Tipped Minimum Wage year · Tipped Minimum Wage in every state