2022 Utah Tipped Minimum Wage
The 2022 Utah Tipped Minimum Wage is $2.13.
Effective 2022-01-01Source: Wage Claim (Utah Labor Commission, Utah Antidiscrimination and Labor Division)Verified 2026-09-01
Compared with 2021
Every figure on this page is unchanged from 2021.
| Item | 2021 | 2022 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum cash wage | $2.13 | $2.13 | +$0 (+0.0%) |
Who it applies to
Utah employers who pay tipped employees
What changed this year, and why
The 2022 tipped minimum cash wage in Utah is $2.13 per hour, set by the U.S. Department of Labor. Employers may pay tipped employees this base rate only if the employee's tips, combined with the cash wage, equal at least the full minimum wage; otherwise the employer must make up the difference.
Common questions
- Can an employer pay a tipped employee less than the full minimum wage?
- The cash wage is $2.13 per hour, but only if the employee's tips plus that base pay together reach at least the full minimum wage.
- What happens if a tipped employee's tips plus the cash wage do not reach the full minimum wage in a given pay period?
- The employer must make up the difference so the employee receives at least the full minimum wage for that hour.
What a tip credit is, and the cash wage underneath it
Under Utah law, employers may pay tipped employees a lower cash wage than the standard minimum wage. The Utah Minimum Wage Act states that tipped employees, both adults and minors, may be paid $2.13 per hour, but only if the tips they earn plus that base wage together equal or exceed the full minimum wage. This means your employer pays you a reduced hourly rate on the understanding that your tips will bring your total compensation up to at least the minimum wage for all hours worked. If your tips plus the $2.13 cash wage do not reach the minimum wage in any given pay period, your employer must increase your pay to make up the shortfall. Utah's administrative rules for the Minimum Wage Act outline additional requirements for individuals earning tips beyond the basic wage floor. The key protection is that you are guaranteed to receive at least the full minimum wage when your cash wages and tips are combined.
Tipped employees (adults and minors) may be paid $2.13 per hour, but only so long as the tips they earn, in addition to the base wage paid, combined are equal to or exceed the minimum wage.
Wage Claim (Utah Labor Commission, Utah Antidiscrimination and Labor Division)
When state law gives more than the federal rule
In Utah, when federal and state employment laws differ, employers must follow the standard that provides greater protection to workers. This principle applies across all employment areas in Utah, including tipped employee wage rules. While Utah's Minimum Wage Act sets a cash wage of $2.13 per hour for tipped employees and requires their tips plus that wage to equal or exceed the minimum wage, federal law may provide additional protections in areas like notice requirements, tip pooling, and dual job situations. Utah workers in tipped positions benefit from whichever standard - state or federal - gives them more protection. If federal law requires employers to give specific notice before taking a tip credit, or restricts tip pooling more than Utah law does, Utah employers must comply with those federal requirements. The key principle is that employees receive the benefit of the higher standard, not the lower one.
However, there are some Federal standards that are stricter than Utah law, and if the Federal law applies the employer must comply with the stricter requirement.
Wage Claim (Utah Labor Commission, Utah Antidiscrimination and Labor Division)
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.
Wage Claim (Utah Labor Commission, Utah Antidiscrimination and Labor Division)
- Minimum cash wage
Employees receiving tips of at least $30.00 per month may be paid a cash wage of $2.13 per hour
Other years
Every Utah Tipped Minimum Wage year · Tipped Minimum Wage in every state