Minimum wage in Virginia in 2026
The minimum wage in Virginia is $12.77 an hour in 2026. It rises to $13.75 on January 1, 2027.
Checked against official sources.
Virginia minimum wage at a glance
- An hour
- $12.77
- A week, 40 hours
- $510.80
- A year, 2,080 hours
- $26,562
- Tipped cash wage
- $2.13before tips
In effect since . A year means 40 hours a week for 52 weeks, before taxes.
Upcoming raises
- $13.75 an hour, $28,600 a year (set in state law)
- $15.00 an hour, $31,200 a year (set in state law)
Tipped workers
Employers in Virginia can pay tipped workers as little as $2.13 an hour in cash and count up to $10.64 an hour in tips toward the $12.77 minimum wage. If tips do not make up the difference, the employer must. Tipped workers are those who get more than $30 a month in tips.
Who gets a different rate
- Trainees. Workers in an approved training program of up to 90 days can be paid 75% of the Virginia minimum wage, or the federal $7.25 if that is higher
Virginia minimum wage by year
| Year | Rate on January 1 |
|---|---|
| 2022 | $11.00 |
| 2023 | $12.00 |
| 2024 | $12.00 |
| 2025 | $12.41 |
| 2026 | $12.77 |
A 2026 law sets $13.75 for 2027 and $15.00 for 2028. Yearly inflation increases start again on January 1, 2029. From January 1, 2027, farm workers are covered by Virginia's minimum wage for the first time.
Common questions
What is the minimum wage in Virginia in 2026?
The minimum wage in Virginia is $12.77 an hour in 2026. It rises to $13.75 on January 1, 2027.
How much is minimum wage a year in Virginia?
At $12.77 an hour, a full-time worker on 40 hours a week earns $510.80 a week and $26,562 a year before taxes.
What is the minimum wage for tipped workers in Virginia?
Employers in Virginia can pay tipped workers as little as $2.13 an hour in cash and count up to $10.64 an hour in tips toward the $12.77 minimum wage. If tips do not make up the difference, the employer must. Tipped workers are those who get more than $30 a month in tips.
When does the minimum wage go up in Virginia?
It rises to $13.75 on January 1, 2027 and $15.00 on January 1, 2028. A 2026 law sets $13.75 for 2027 and $15.00 for 2028. Yearly inflation increases start again on January 1, 2029.
Is there a different minimum wage for some workers in Virginia?
Trainees: (workers in an approved training program of up to 90 days can be paid 75% of the Virginia minimum wage, or the federal $7.25 if that is higher).
Minimum wage in other Southern states
Sources
Every rate on this page comes from the official pages below. Checked .
- Virginia minimum wage notice, Virginia Department of Labor and Industry
- Code of Virginia § 40.1-28.10, Minimum wages, Virginia General Assembly
- 2026 Virginia Minimum Wage Poster, Virginia Department of Labor and Industry
- Virginia Minimum Wage Notice, 2025, Virginia Department of Labor and Industry
- 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.