United States · District of Columbia · Minimum wage
District of Columbia minimum wage 2027.
The District of Columbia minimum wage for 2027, when it next adjusts, and what it pays by the week, month and year.
Short answer: The DC minimum wage is $18.40 an hour for all workers regardless of employer size, in force since July 1, 2026, and it stays there from January 1, 2027 until the next annual adjustment on July 1, 2027. The Department of Employment Services set the base wage for tipped employees at $10.30 an hour, with the employer paying any gap between tips and the full minimum. The July 1, 2027 figure is not published as of November 9, 2026.
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Tipped worker top-up
The District of Columbia minimum wage in 2027
The District of Columbia Department of Employment Services public notice states that beginning July 1, 2026 the minimum wage increases from $17.95 to $18.40 an hour for all workers, regardless of size of employer. The District adjusts the rate every July 1 in proportion to the increase, if any, in the Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers in the Washington metropolitan area (D.C. Code § 32-1003). The notice records a 2.4 percent increase in that index in 2025.
| Item | Since July 1, 2026 | In 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| All workers | $18.40 (from $17.95 on July 1, 2026) | $18.40 until June 30, 2027; adjusts July 1, 2027 |
| Tipped employees (base cash wage) | $10.30 (from $10.00) | $10.30 until the July 1 adjustment |
| Tip credit (DOL table) | $8.10 | $8.10 until the July 1 adjustment |
| Overtime | After 40 hours a week | After 40 hours a week |
What changed from 2026
Nothing changes on January 1, 2027, because the District adjusts on July 1 rather than at the start of the calendar year. Workers paid $18.40 in December 2026 are paid $18.40 in January 2027. The next adjustment takes effect July 1, 2027 and will be announced by the Department of Employment Services; this page will not show a number for it until the Department publishes one. The U.S. Department of Labor state table, updated November 5, 2026, lists $18.40 and says the rate is adjusted annually on July 1 based on a set formula.
How tipped pay works in District of Columbia
The Department of Labor state table gives DC a basic minimum rate of $18.40 an hour with premium pay after 40 hours a week. Its tipped-wage table lists a $10.30 minimum cash wage and an $8.10 tip credit. The DOES notice says that if an employee's hourly tip earnings, averaged weekly, added to the $10.30 base do not equal the full District minimum wage, the employer must pay the difference. Employers must post the DC Minimum Wage Poster.
Worked example (2027)
A full-time worker at $18.40 an hour, 40 hours a week, earns $736.00 a week, $1,472.00 every two weeks, $3,189.33 a month and $38,272.00 a year (2,080 hours) before tax. Part-time at 25 hours a week is $460.00 a week and $23,920.00 a year. For a tipped worker the direct cash wage is $10.30. With 30 hours a week and tips averaging $6.00 an hour, pay is $16.30 an hour against $18.40, so the employer owes a top-up of $2.10 an hour, $63.00 for the week.
Common mix-ups
- Do not count a January raise. Unlike most states, DC adjusts in July, so the 2027 figure for the first half of the year is the same $18.40.
- The base tipped wage is not the minimum. $10.30 is the cash wage; tips must bring the average to $18.40 an hour in each week or the employer pays the difference.
- The living wage is a separate rate. It applies to certain contractors and is not the general minimum wage.
- Local minimums can be higher. Some local governments set rates above their state minimum, and the Department of Labor table does not display them.
Method
The converter multiplies the hourly rate by your hours per week for weekly pay, doubles it for two weeks, multiplies by 52 weeks (2,080 hours at 40 a week) for annual pay and divides the annual figure by 12 for a month. It is gross pay before tax. The tipped-worker check adds the $10.30 cash wage and your average tips per hour and compares the total with $18.40. If it falls short, the shortfall times your hours is the weekly top-up. Everything runs in your browser and nothing you type is sent anywhere. Figures were read from the sources below on November 9, 2026.
What this does not cover
- The July 1, 2027 rate, which the Department of Employment Services has not published.
- The DC living wage for government contractors and the sick leave and other wage laws.
- Taxes and deductions: pay here is gross pay before tax.
- Overtime and employees outside the District whose work is performed elsewhere.
Figures read from the sources below on November 9, 2026. Last updated November 9, 2026.
Sources
- DC Department of Employment Services: 2026 Minimum Wage Increase public notice (retrieved November 9, 2026)
- U.S. Department of Labor: State Minimum Wage Laws (updated November 5, 2026) (retrieved November 9, 2026)
- U.S. Department of Labor: Minimum Wages for Tipped Employees (retrieved November 9, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
What is the DC minimum wage in 2027?
It is $18.40 an hour for all workers from January 1 to June 30, 2027, the rate set on July 1, 2026. It adjusts again on July 1, 2027, and that figure is not published as of November 9, 2026.
When does the DC minimum wage go up next?
On July 1, 2027. DC Code section 32-1003 raises it every July 1 in proportion to any increase in the Washington-area consumer price index.
What is the DC tipped minimum wage?
The base cash wage for tipped employees is $10.30 an hour from July 1, 2026, up from $10.00. Tips averaged weekly must bring pay up to the full $18.40 or the employer pays the difference.
How much is $18.40 an hour a year?
At 40 hours a week for 52 weeks it is $38,272.00 before tax, or $736.00 a week.
Does the DC rate depend on the size of the employer?
No. The Department of Employment Services notice says the increase applies to all workers regardless of size of employer.
How did DC set the $18.40 figure?
The 2025 consumer price index for the Washington metropolitan area rose 2.4 percent, according to the Department of Employment Services notice.
Where is the official notice?
The Department of Employment Services Office of Wage-Hour public notice, linked in the sources section.
Not legal advice
This page is general information from an unofficial guide, not legal, payroll or tax advice. Wage laws change and exemptions apply to some workers. Confirm the rate with the state labor agency before you set pay. Nothing you type is sent anywhere.