Minimum wage in the District of Columbia in 2026
The minimum wage in the District of Columbia is $18.40 an hour in 2026. It rises with inflation every July 1, and the July 2027 rate has not been announced yet.
Checked against official sources.
District of Columbia minimum wage at a glance
- An hour
- $18.40
- A week, 40 hours
- $736.00
- A year, 2,080 hours
- $38,272
- Tipped cash wage
- $10.30before tips
In effect since . A year means 40 hours a week for 52 weeks, before taxes.
Tipped workers
Employers in the District of Columbia can pay tipped workers as little as $10.30 an hour in cash and count up to $8.10 an hour in tips toward the $18.40 minimum wage. If tips do not make up the difference, the employer must. The tipped cash wage is 56% of the minimum wage since July 1, 2026. By law it rises to 60% in 2028, 65% in 2030, 70% in 2032 and 75% in 2034.
Who gets a different rate
DC's minimum wage covers every employer, whatever its size.
District of Columbia minimum wage by year
| Year | Rate on January 1 |
|---|---|
| 2022 | $16.10 |
| 2023 | $17.00 |
| 2024 | $17.50 |
| 2025 | $17.50 |
| 2026 | $17.95 |
DC raises the rate every July 1 by inflation in the Washington area (CPI-U), rounded to the nearest 5 cents.
Common questions
What is the minimum wage in the District of Columbia in 2026?
The minimum wage in the District of Columbia is $18.40 an hour in 2026. It rises with inflation every July 1, and the July 2027 rate has not been announced yet.
How much is minimum wage a year in the District of Columbia?
At $18.40 an hour, a full-time worker on 40 hours a week earns $736.00 a week and $38,272 a year before taxes.
What is the minimum wage for tipped workers in the District of Columbia?
Employers in the District of Columbia can pay tipped workers as little as $10.30 an hour in cash and count up to $8.10 an hour in tips toward the $18.40 minimum wage. If tips do not make up the difference, the employer must. The tipped cash wage is 56% of the minimum wage since July 1, 2026. By law it rises to 60% in 2028, 65% in 2030, 70% in 2032 and 75% in 2034.
When does the minimum wage go up in the District of Columbia?
It rises with inflation every July 1, and the July 2027 rate has not been announced yet. DC raises the rate every July 1 by inflation in the Washington area (CPI-U), rounded to the nearest 5 cents.
Minimum wage in other Southern states
Sources
Every rate on this page comes from the official pages below. Checked .
- District of Columbia Minimum Wage Increase notice, 2026, DC Department of Employment Services
- District of Columbia Minimum Wage Increase notice, 2025, DC Department of Employment Services
- D.C. Code § 32-1003, Council of the District of Columbia
- State Minimum Wage Laws, U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, updated
- Minimum Wages for Tipped Employees, U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, updated
- Changes in Basic Minimum Wages in Non-Farm Employment Under State Law, 1968 to 2024, U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division
Laws change. If your pay is below these rates, contact your state labor department or the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division at 1-866-487-9243.