District of Columbia Minimum Wage 2026: $18.40/hr
Last updated: July 31, 2026 — Source: District of Columbia Department of Labor
In District of Columbia, the minimum wage is $18.40 per hour, effective July 1, 2026. District of Columbia sets its own minimum wage, and a tip credit is allowed: the tipped cash wage is $10.30 per hour, with tips expected to bring total pay to at least the full minimum wage. Overtime is paid at 1.5× the regular rate after 40 hours in a workweek. This reflects a state overtime law.
Quick answer
District of Columbia's minimum wage is $18.40/hr in 2026 — $11.15 above the federal $7.25 minimum , ranked #1 of 51 US jurisdictions. The tipped cash wage is $10.30/hr.
Minimum Wage
$18.40
per hour
Tipped Wage
$10.30
per hour (cash wage)
Effective Date
July 1, 2026
How District of Columbia compares
State vs Federal
+$11.15
vs the federal $7.25 minimum (+153.8%)
State Rate
$18.40
per hour
National Rank
#1
of 51 jurisdictions
Ranked by 2026 effective minimum wage across all 51 U.S. states and jurisdictions. Federal comparison source: U.S. Department of Labor.
District of Columbia Overtime Rules
DC requires overtime at 1.5x for hours over 40 per week. DC Wage Theft Prevention Act may provide additional protections.
Additional Information
DC rose from $17.95/hr to $18.40/hr on July 1, 2026 under its CPI-indexed annual adjustment, the highest jurisdiction-wide rate in the country. The tipped minimum cash wage rose from $10.00 to $10.30/hr on the same date. DC adjusts every July 1.