California minimum wage rates
| Rate | Scope | Effective date | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| $16.90/hr | All employers, all employees not covered by a higher sector rate | January 1, 2026 | DIR DLSE |
| $20.00/hr | Covered fast food restaurant employees (AB 1228) | April 1, 2024 | DIR DLSE |
How these two rates work together
California's general minimum wage and the fast-food minimum wage are separate legal floors. The general rate of $16.90/hr applies to workers at any employer not covered by a higher sector-specific law. The fast-food rate of $20.00/hr applies to employees of covered fast food chains under AB 1228 and does not affect what other employers owe. An employer subject to both (for example, a covered fast-food chain that also employs workers in another role) must pay the highest applicable rate for each worker.
California minimum wage and overtime
California overtime is based on the regular rate of pay, which must be at least the applicable minimum wage floor. An employee paid below the minimum wage is therefore also owed the correct overtime premium. Use the California Overtime Calculator to estimate daily overtime (after 8 hours), double time (after 12 hours), weekly overtime (after 40 hours), and seventh-consecutive-day pay once the hourly rate is established.
Annual indexing — how the statewide rate changes
California's statewide minimum wage adjusts on January 1 each year. Under California Labor Code § 1182.12, the rate is set annually by the Department of Finance based on a formula tied to inflation; the DIR announces each year's rate in the fall preceding the effective January 1 date. The current rate of $16.90/hr was announced in 2025 and took effect January 1, 2026. Check the DLSE minimum wage page each January for the updated rate.
No tip credit in California
California does not allow employers to apply a tip credit toward the minimum wage. Tips received by an employee are the property of the employee; they may not reduce the employer's obligation to pay the full minimum wage floor. This applies to both the statewide rate and the fast-food sector rate. The DLSE FAQ at dir.ca.gov/dlse/faq_minimumwage.htm addresses tip credit questions explicitly.
Local city and county minimum wages
Many California cities and counties set minimum wages above the state floor. When a local ordinance applies to an employer and its rate exceeds the state rate, the local rate governs. This calculator covers the state floor only. UC Berkeley's Labor Center maintains a public inventory of California city and county minimum wage ordinances, linked from the DLSE minimum wage page.
Filing a wage claim with the DLSE
Workers who believe they were paid below the applicable minimum wage may file a wage claim with California's Labor Commissioner's Office — the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE). Claims can be filed online, by mail, or in person at a local DLSE office. The DLSE has authority to investigate, hold hearings, and order payment of back wages plus penalties. Start at dir.ca.gov/dlse/dlseWagesandHours.html.
Worked examples
Example 1: General employee, 40-hour week
Example 2: Covered fast-food employee, 40-hour week
Example 3: Underpayment flag (general employee)
What this calculator does not determine
- Local city and county minimum wages — many California jurisdictions set rates above the state floor. This calculator covers the state floor only.
- Health-care-worker minimum wage — California established a separate minimum wage for certain health care workers, effective October 16, 2024, with multiple facility-type tiers and a clinic waiver program. This calculator does not apply that rate. See the DLSE Health Care Worker Minimum Wage FAQ for current rates and coverage rules.
- Whether the worker qualifies as a "covered fast food restaurant employee" under AB 1228.
- California daily overtime (after 8 hours), double time (after 12 hours), weekly overtime, or seventh-consecutive-day pay — use the California Overtime Calculator.
- Meal and rest break premium pay — see the Meal & Rest Break Premiums Calculator.
- Split-shift premium or reporting-time pay — see the Split Shift & Reporting Time Calculator.
- Exempt-employee salary thresholds or whether an exemption applies.
- Agricultural, domestic-worker, or other occupation-specific exceptions.
Sources and verification
All rates displayed and used by this calculator are drawn from the site's source registry, which records each rate with its effective date and primary source URL. The statewide rate of $16.90/hr and the fast-food sector rate of $20.00/hr were verified against the California DIR's DLSE minimum wage page at https://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/minimum_wage.htm. No rate figure on this page is hardcoded in the calculator code; the page supplies rates to the JavaScript via data attributes read at runtime, so a stale constant can never be silently computed. Automated tests assert the correct calculation for both sectors and verify that the fast-food rate is never applied to general employees.