Washington minimum wage rules
$17.13 an hour from January 1 through December 31, 2026, and $17.73 an hour from January 1 through December 31, 2027. Tips and service charges do not count toward it. Workers under 16 may be paid 85% of it (not calculated). Some cities and unincorporated King County have higher minimums (not yet in HoursReady).
Last checked . Not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Labor or any state agency.
In the calculators: Washington rules page available; automatic calculation coming. Until then the HoursReady calculators apply federal rules for Washington and say so on screen.
Washington minimum wage
$17.13 an hour from January 1 through December 31, 2026, and $17.73 an hour from January 1 through December 31, 2027. Tips and service charges do not count toward it. Workers under 16 may be paid 85% of it (not calculated). Some cities and unincorporated King County have higher minimums (not yet in HoursReady).
Rates by date
| Employee | Dates | Minimum wage |
|---|---|---|
| Age 16 or older, or age not given | January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026 | $17.13 an hour |
| Age 16 or older, or age not given | January 1, 2027 through December 31, 2027 | $17.73 an hour |
| Age 16 or older, or age not given | From January 1, 2028 | Washington minimum wage (US-WA): the 2028 value not yet on file. The value on file is confirmed through 2027-12-31; it is not used after that. This needs a human. |
| Under 16 | From January 1, 2026 | Washington minimum wage (US-WA): the employee is under 16 on 2026-01-01. The minimum wage for that age is not computed by HoursReady. This needs a human. |
| Local minimum wages | As read on November 12, 2026 | The official source says: "Seattle, SeaTac, Tukwila, Renton, Bellingham, Everett, Burien, and unincorporated King County currently have higher minimum wages than the state." These local rates are not in HoursReady yet. Source: www.lni.wa.gov. |
Washington minimum wage (US-WA): the date of birth is not known. If the employee is under 16, a lower minimum wage of at least 85% of this one may apply; it is not computed by HoursReady.
Each value is read from the HoursReady rules engine for the dates shown. Source: www.lni.wa.gov. Last checked .
This page explains published rules. It is not legal advice. Exemption questions need a professional. Not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Labor or any state agency.
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