District of Columbia minimum wage: $18.40 an hour
Checked November 7, 2026Source: D.C. Department of Employment Services, Office of Wage-Hour
Short answer
The District of Columbia’s minimum wage is $18.40 an hour, in effect since July 1, 2026, according to the D.C. Department of Employment Services, Office of Wage-Hour.
Employers may pay tipped employees $10.30 an hour in cash, as long as tips bring them up to at least $18.40.
No increase is scheduled yet. Adjusted every July 1 by the Washington-area CPI-U (the Consumer Price Index) for the prior calendar year, rounded to the nearest $0.05, and published at least 30 days ahead. Tipped cash wage is 56% of the minimum until July 1, 2028 (60%), then 65% (2030), 70% (2032) and 75% (2034).
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- Minimum wage today
- $18.40
- Tipped employees, cash wage
- $10.30
- Full-time year at today’s rate (2,080 hours)
- $38,272
We found no city or county in District of Columbia with its own higher minimum wage.
District of Columbia minimum wage by date
| Effective | Minimum wage | Tipped cash wage | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 1, 2026Current | $18.40 | $10.30 | All employers regardless of size. Tipped cash wage is 56% of the minimum wage.source |
| July 1, 2025 | $17.95 | $10.00 | DOES’s January 2025 notice had announced $18.00 and a $12.00 tipped wage; its 2026 notice gives the July 2025 rates as $17.95 and $10.00.source |
Adjusted every July 1 by the Washington-area CPI-U (the Consumer Price Index) for the prior calendar year, rounded to the nearest $0.05, and published at least 30 days ahead. Tipped cash wage is 56% of the minimum until July 1, 2028 (60%), then 65% (2030), 70% (2032) and 75% (2034).
Other District of Columbia pay rules
- Paydays
- At least twice a month, within 10 working days after the pay period ends. Executive, administrative and professional employees may be paid monthly.
- Overtime
- Time and a half after 40 hours in a workweek, the same as the federal rule.
- Final paycheck
- Fired: By the next working day after the discharge. Quit: By the next regular payday or within 7 days of quitting, whichever is earlier.
From the Department of Employment Services (DOES) and the U.S. Department of Labor’s state tables. All District of Columbia employer rules.
Minimum wage in states next to District of Columbia
If you hire across a state line, the worker’s state sets the rate.
Questions employers ask
What is the minimum wage in the District of Columbia in 2026?
The District of Columbia’s minimum wage is $18.40 an hour, in effect since July 1, 2026, according to the D.C. Department of Employment Services, Office of Wage-Hour.
What is the tipped minimum wage in the District of Columbia?
Employers may pay tipped employees $10.30 an hour in cash, as long as tips bring them up to at least $18.40.
When does the District of Columbia minimum wage go up next?
No increase has been announced yet. Adjusted every July 1 by the Washington-area CPI-U (the Consumer Price Index) for the prior calendar year, rounded to the nearest $0.05, and published at least 30 days ahead. Tipped cash wage is 56% of the minimum until July 1, 2028 (60%), then 65% (2030), 70% (2032) and 75% (2034).
Does the District of Columbia have a higher local minimum wage?
No. The District of Columbia sets one minimum wage for the whole District.
Does District of Columbia require overtime pay?
Time and a half after 40 hours in a workweek, the same as the federal rule.
Compare every state’s minimum wage · Everything employers in District of Columbia must do
Sources
- D.C. Department of Employment Services, Office of Wage-Hour
- Public Notice: District of Columbia Minimum Wage Increase (July 1, 2026), D.C. Department of Employment Services, Office of Wage and Hour (read Nov 7, 2026)
- Public Notice: District of Columbia Minimum Wage Increase (July 1, 2025; superseded figures), D.C. Department of Employment Services, Office of Wage and Hour (read Nov 7, 2026)
- D.C. Code section 32-1003, Minimum wages (as amended by D.C. Law 26-55), Council of the District of Columbia (read Nov 7, 2026)
- Minimum Wages for Tipped Employees (November 5, 2026 table), U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division (read Nov 7, 2026)