State Minimum Wage and Overtime Laws
By Melissa Bender, Esq. | Legally reviewed by Melissa Bender, Esq. | Last reviewed January 21, 2024
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Workers covered by the federal wage law called the Fair Labor Standards Act (the FLSA) are entitled to at least the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. In states with no established minimum wage rate or one lower than the federal wage rate, the higher minimum wage federal rate will apply to many workers who are paid hourly. This may not be true for professional employees who are paid a salary.
Nearly half of the states have a rate equal to the federal rate of $7.25. But several other states and D.C. have set a rate higher than the federal minimum wage through their own state minimum wage laws. Some local governments and cities have also passed their own minimum wage laws. The higher rates these states and municipalities set will apply to most workers. But the minimum wage and overtime pay requirements below do not apply to exempt employees, farm workers, or public sector employees, as defined by both federal and state laws. Some laws also include a minimum wage increase tied to inflation or the federal rate. Others have a different minimum hourly wage for minors. It is important to understand your pay period and hourly wages to figure out if you have any sort of wage claim.
Minimum Wages and Overtime Requirements by State
Summaries of state minimum wage and overtime laws are listed in the following table. Please select from the list or browse below to answer your FAQ about minimum wage requirements and exemptions in different states.
Summaries of Minimum Wage and Overtime Requirements by State
| Alabama No state minimum wage or overtime law. Instead, federal minimums and overtime rules under the FLSA apply. The Alabama Department of Labor website may have additional specific information on labor laws in the state. Alaska's minimum wage is $10.85 per hour. Alaska requires overtime pay for any time worked over eight hours in any workday or 40 hours in any given workweek. Employers with less than four employees are exempt from the state's overtime pay rule. The Alaska Department of Labor website may have additional specific information on wage laws in the state. Arizona's hourly minimum wage is $13.85 per hour and increases annually based on the cost-of-living formula. Overtime requirements are based on federal law. The Industrial Commission of Arizona website may have additional specific information on wage laws in the state. The minimum wage in Arkansas is $11.00 per hour, which applies only to employers with four or more employees. Overtime pay is required for employees who work over 40 hours in a given week. The Arkansas Department of Labor website may have additional specific information on wage laws in the state. California requires a minimum wage of $15.50 per hour. Overtime pay of time-and-a-half is required for hours worked over eight in a day, 40 in a week, and for the first eight hours of the seventh consecutive day worked in a week. Double pay is required for any hours worked over 12 in a day or more than eight hours on any seventh day of a workweek. Some California cities and counties have their own minimum wage laws with a higher hourly rate. The California Department of Industrial Relations website may have additional specific information on wage laws in the state. The minimum wage in Colorado is $13.65 per hour and varies annually based on a cost-of-living formula. Overtime pay is required for hours worked over 40 in a week, over 12 hours in a given day, or over 12 consecutive hours. The Colorado Department of Labor website may have additional specific information on wage laws in the state. The minimum wage in Connecticut is $15.00 per hour. Overtime pay is required for hours worked over 40 in a week. Federal overtime rules apply. The Connecticut Department of Labor website may have additional specific information on wage laws in the state. The minimum wage in Delaware is $11.75. Federal overtime rules apply. The Delaware Department of Labor website may have additional specific information on wage laws in the state. The minimum wage in D.C. is $17.00 per hour. Overtime pay is required for hours worked over 40 in a week or eight hours in a day. The D.C. Department of Employment Services website may have additional specific information on wage laws in the state. The minimum wage in Florida is $12.00, and this rate is increased annually based on a cost-of-living formula. Federal overtime rules apply. The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity website may have additional specific information on wage laws in the state. The minimum wage in Georgia is $5.15 per hour, but the federal minimum wage applies to employers with six or more employees covered by the FLSA. State law specifies that the federal minimum wage applies in any circumstances where it exceeds the state minimum. Federal overtime rules apply. The Georgia Department of Labor website may have additional specific information on wage laws in the state. The minimum wage in Hawaii is $12.00 per hour. Employers covered by the FLSA are excluded unless the state rate is higher. Overtime pay is required for hours worked over 40 in a week. The Hawaii Department of Labor website may have additional specific information on wage laws in the state. The minimum wage in Idaho is $7.25 per hour, equal to the federal rate. Federal overtime rules apply. The Idaho Department of Labor website may have additional specific information on wage laws in the state. The minimum wage in Illinois is $13.00 per hour. Overtime is required after 40 hours in a workweek. The Illinois Department of Labor website may have additional specific information on wage laws in the state. The minimum wage in Indiana is $7.25 per hour, with overtime required after 40 hours worked. The Indiana Department of Labor website may have additional specific information on wage laws in the state. The minimum wage in Iowa is $7.25 per hour, with an automatic increase to match a greater federal minimum wage. Federal overtime rules apply. The Iowa Workforce Development website may have additional specific information on wage laws in the state. The minimum wage in Kansas is $7.25 per hour, with overtime required by state law after 46 hours worked in a week. For workers covered under the FLSA, federal wage/overtime requirements will apply for qualified workers and those who work over 40 hours in a week. The Kansas Department of Labor website may have additional specific information on wage laws in the state. The minimum wage in Kentucky is $7.25 per hour, with an automatic increase if the federal minimum wage rises. Overtime pay is required for employees working over 40 hours in a week, and also for any employees who work seven days in a single work week (overtime will apply on the seventh day). The Kentucky Labor Cabinet website may have additional specific information on wage laws in the Commonwealth. Louisiana has established no minimum wage laws. Instead, federal wage (requiring $7.25 per hour) and overtime laws apply. The Louisiana Workforce Commission website may have additional specific information on wage laws in the state. The minimum wage in Maine is $13.80 per hour, with a cost of living increase each year. Overtime is required for time worked more than 40 hours. The Maine Department of Labor website may have additional specific information on wage laws in the state. The minimum wage in Maryland is $13.25 per hour for employers with more than 15 employees and $12.80 per hour for employers with less than 15 employees. Minors can be paid 85% of the minimum wage. Overtime is required for time worked in excess of 40 hours in a week. Some counties have a higher minimum wage than the state amount. The Maryland Department of Labor website may have additional specific information on wage laws in the state. The minimum wage in Massachusetts is $15.00 per hour. Overtime is required for time worked beyond 40 hours in a week. The Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor & Workforce Development website may have additional specific information on wage laws in the Commonwealth. The minimum wage in Michigan is $10.10 per hour for employers with two or more employees. Overtime is required for time worked beyond 40 hours in a given seven-day week. The Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity website may have additional specific information on wage laws in the state. Minnesota established two minimum wage rates lower than the federal minimum. For employers with annual receipts of $500,000 or more, the minimum wage is $10.59 an hour. For those with receipts of less than that amount, the minimum wage is $8.63 per hour. A temporary training wage of $8.63 per hour is also allowed in specific circumstances. Overtime is required after 48 hours worked in a week. Federal wage and overtime laws supersede the state's laws for qualified employees. The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry website may have additional specific information on wage laws in the state. Mississippi does not have a minimum wage law. Employers who fall under the FLSA must pay the federal minimum wage, which is currently $7.25. Federal wage and overtime laws apply. The Mississippi Department of Employment Security website may have additional specific information on wage laws in the state. The minimum wage in Missouri is $12.00 per hour for all employers with an annual gross income of $500,000 or more. Overtime is required for time worked in excess of 40 hours in a week. The Missouri Labor and Industrial Relations Commission website may have additional specific information on wage laws in the state. The minimum wage in Montana is $9.95 an hour for employers with gross sales of more than $110,000 per year. Overtime is required for time worked beyond 40 hours in a week. The Montana Department of Labor and Industry website may have additional specific information on wage laws in the state. The minimum wage in Nebraska is $10.50 an hour for employers with four or more employees. Overtime is required for time worked beyond 40 hours in a week. The Nebraska Department of Labor website may have additional specific information on wage laws in the state. The minimum wage in Nevada is $10.25 an hour for employees who are receiving employer-provided health benefits and $11.25 for those who do not receive such benefits. Overtime is required for time worked beyond 40 hours in a week or eight hours in a given day. The Nevada Office of the Labor Commissioner website may have additional specific information on wage laws in the state. No minimum wage law (repealed in 2011 by HB 133). Instead, federal wage and overtime laws apply. The New Hampshire Department of Labor website may have more information on state wage and hour laws. The minimum wage in New Jersey is $14.13 an hour. Overtime is required for time worked in excess of 40 hours in a week. The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development website may have additional specific information on wage laws in the state. The minimum wage in New Mexico is $12.00 an hour. Overtime is required for time worked in excess of 40 hours in a week. The New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions website may have additional specific information on wage laws in the state. The minimum wage in New York is $14.20 per hour except in Long Island, New York City, and Westchester, where the minimum wage is $15.00 per hour. Overtime is required for time worked beyond 40 hours in a week. The New York Department of Labor website may have additional specific information on wage laws in the state. The minimum wage in North Carolina is $7.25 an hour. Overtime is required for time worked in excess of 40 hours in a week. The North Carolina Department of Labor website may have additional specific information on wage laws in the state. The minimum wage in North Dakota is $7.25 an hour. Overtime is required for time worked in excess of 40 hours in a week. The North Dakota Department of Labor website may have additional specific information on wage laws in the state. The minimum wage in Ohio is $10.10 an hour for employers with annual gross receipts of $372,000 or more and $7.25 for employers with annual gross receipts under $372,000. Overtime is required for time worked in excess of 40 hours in a week. The Ohio Labor Law website may have additional specific information on wage laws in the state. The minimum wage is $7.25 per hour, with the state rate based on whatever the current federal rate may be. This rate applies to employers with 10 or more employees and employers of any size with over $100,000 in gross annual sales. Overtime pay is covered by federal law. The Oklahoma Department of Labor website may have additional specific information on wage laws in the state. The minimum wage in Oregon changes depending on the municipality, also varying annually based on an inflation calculation. The standard minimum wage is $14.20, but it is $15.45 in the Portland metro area and $13.20 in non-urban counties. Overtime is required for time worked in excess of 40 hours in a week. A few industries, including factories and manufacturing establishments, also require overtime pay after 10 hours worked in a workday. The Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries website may have additional specific information on wage laws in the state. The minimum wage in Pennsylvania is $7.25 an hour. Overtime is required for time worked in excess of 40 hours in a week. The Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry website may have additional specific information on wage laws in the Commonwealth. The minimum wage in Rhode Island is $13.00 an hour. Overtime is required for time worked in excess of 40 hours in a week. Retail and other specified businesses must also pay overtime for work on Sundays and holidays. The Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training website may have additional specific information on wage laws in the state. The state has established no minimum wage laws. Instead, federal wage (requiring $7.25 an hour) and overtime laws apply. The South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulations website may have additional specific information on wage laws in the state. The minimum wage in South Dakota is $10.80 an hour. Federal overtime requirements apply. The South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation website may have additional specific information on wage laws in the state. The state has established no minimum wage laws. Instead, federal wage and overtime laws apply. The Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development website may have additional specific information on wage laws in the state. Texas mandates a minimum wage of $7.25 an hour, which is based on the existing federal minimum wage rate at any point in time. Federal overtime requirements apply. The Texas Workforce Commission website may have additional specific information on wage laws in the state. The minimum wage in Utah is $7.25 per hour, based on the existing federal minimum wage rate. Federal overtime requirements apply. The Utah Labor Commission website may have additional specific information on wage laws in the state. The minimum wage in Vermont is $13.18 per hour for employers with two or more employees, with a yearly increase. The minimum wage is also set to match the federal minimum should it exceed Vermont's. Overtime pay is required for time worked over 40 hours, but state law exempts a variety of industries, including retailers, hotels, and restaurants, from the overtime rule. Federal overtime requirements may nevertheless apply. The Vermont Department of Labor website may have additional specific information on wage laws in the state. The minimum wage in Virginia is $12.00 per hour. Virginia law will require overtime pay of one and one-half times the pay rate for any hours over 40 per week. The Virginia Department of Labor and Industry website may have additional specific information on wage laws in the Commonwealth. The minimum wage in Washington is $15.74 per hour, adjusted for inflation every year. Overtime pay is required for time worked in excess of 40 hours in a week. The Washington Department of Labor and Industries website may have additional specific information on wage laws in the state. The minimum wage in West Virginia is $8.75 an hour for employers with six or more employees at a single location. Overtime is required for time worked in excess of 40 hours in a week. The West Virginia Division of Labor website may have additional specific information on wage laws in the state. The minimum wage in Wisconsin is $7.25 an hour. Overtime is required for time worked in excess of 40 hours in a week. The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development website may have additional specific information on wage laws in the state. The minimum wage in Wyoming is $7.25 per hour. Federal overtime rules apply. The Wyoming Department of Workforce Services website may have additional specific information on wage laws in the state. |
Minimum Wage and Overtime Pay Requirements for Select U.S. Territories
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The minimum wage is $9.25 per hour. Overtime is required for time worked in excess of 40 hours in a week. The Guam Department of Labor website may have additional specific information on wage laws in Guam. The minimum wage in Puerto Rico is $9.50 per hour, with overtime pay required after eight hours worked in a day or 40 hours in a week. The Puerto Rico Department of Labor and Human Resources website may have more helpful information on Puerto Rico's wage and labor laws. $10.50 per hour with overtime required after eight hours on any day or 40 hours in a given workweek. Overtime includes any hours worked on the sixth or seventh consecutive day of work. The Virgin Islands Department of Labor website may have more helpful information on the U.S. Virgin Islands' wage and labor laws. |
Is Your Pay Lower Than the Minimum Wage? Talk to a Local Attorney
Most workers would like to be paid more, and it is against the law to pay workers below the federal or state minimum wage (whichever is higher). If you believe you're not receiving the correct rate of pay for hours of work, you may have a valid wage and hour claim, depending on whether you are a full-time employee or a tipped employee, or whether you work for a small employer. To learn more about your potential claim, speak to a qualified employment attorney near you.
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