Current Minimum Wage
San Carlos$17.75since January 1, 2026

City · California

San Carlos minimum wage

$17.75 an hour as of September 2, 2026. The California state rate is $16.90.

  • The San Carlos minimum wage is $17.75 an hour, effective .
  • That is $0.85 above the California state rate of $16.90 and $10.50 above the federal $7.25.
  • The next change is : an indexed adjustment, amount to be announced.
  • Coverage: Any employee who performs at least two hours of work in a calendar week within the geographic boundaries of San Carlos.

Rates and tiers

TierRateSince
all employers$17.75

Indexing

Yes
CPI-U, regional (August) adjusts January 1 (annual) announced City of San Carlos (by November 1) cap 3.5% per year

Tipped

Same as minimum
no tip credit under California law (confirmed: DIR FAQ states an employer may not use an employee's tips as a credit toward its obligation to pay the minimum wage)

Ordinance

San Carlos Municipal Code Chapter 8.10 (effective January 1, 2021)

Scheduled increases

January 1, 20271 jurisdiction
CityTBA
San Carlos, CAall employers · indexed-unannounced · Previous year x (1 + August CPI-U increase), max 3.5%, no rounding; employers notified by November 1
TBAindexed, amount to be announced

Official page: 'San Carlos Minimum Wage, Effective January 1, 2026 $17.75 per hour'. Matches Berkeley inventory.

Common questions

What is the San Carlos minimum wage?

$17.75 an hour for all employers, effective January 1, 2026.

Is the San Carlos minimum wage higher than the California state minimum wage?

Yes, by $0.85: $17.75 versus $16.90.

When does the San Carlos minimum wage change next?

On January 1, 2027, by an indexed amount to be announced.

Sources

  1. https://www.cityofsancarlos.org/business/minimum_wage.php
  2. https://laborcenter.berkeley.edu/inventory-of-us-city-and-county-minimum-wage-ordinances/

Checked 2026-09-02; researcher confidence 0.97.