- The Washington minimum wage is $17.13 an hour, set by state law effective .
- The next change is on : an indexed adjustment, amount to be announced.
- Tipped employees must be paid at least $17.13 in cash and there is no tip credit.
- A youth or training wage of $14.56 applies: Minors under 16 (ages 14-15) may be paid not less than 85% of the adult minimum (85% x $17.13 = $14.56 in 2026, per L&I's 2025-09-30 release); 16-17 year olds get the full rate. Rule now at WAC....
- At $17.13 an hour, full-time work (2,080 hours) pays $35,630 a year before taxes.
- 8 local rates in Washington are higher than the state rate; the highest is $21.78 for Burien.
Tipped cash wage
Youth / training
Next change
Local rates
Local minimum wages in Washington
Where a city or county rate is higher, it governs inside that jurisdiction.
Scheduled increases in Washington
Rate tiers
| Tier | Rate | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle | $21.30 | 2026, all covered employers (single rate). |
| SeaTac | $20.74 | 2026, hospitality and transportation employers only. |
| Tukwila | $21.65 | 2026, employers meeting the ordinance's size/revenue thresholds. |
| Renton | $21.57 | 2026: 500+ employees $21.57; 15-500 employees $20.57 (Jan 1-Jun 30) then $21.57 (Jul 1-Dec 31); 14 or fewer not covered. |
| Burien | $21.63 | 2026: 500+ employees $21.63; 21-499 employees $20.63; 20 or fewer not covered. |
| King County (unincorporated) | $20.82 | 2026: 500+ employees $20.82; 16-499 employees $19.82; 15 or fewer with $2M+ revenue $19.82; 15 or fewer under $2M revenue $18.32. |
| Everett | $20.77 | 2026: 500+ employees $20.77; 15-499 employees $18.77 (Jan 1-Jun 30) then $19.77 (Jul 1-Dec 31); 14 or fewer not affected. |
| Bellingham | $19.13 | 2026, all employers. |
Coverage, exemptions, and history
Who is covered. All workers age 16 and older statewide (L&I: 2026 rate $17.13, up 2.8% from $16.66). Higher local minimums apply in several cities/King County..
Tipped employees. No tip credit. RCW 49.46.020(3) and L&I: 'Businesses may not use tips and service charges paid to an employee as part of an employee's hourly minimum wage.'
Indexing. Adjusted by CPI-W (Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers), 12-month... on January 1 annually... ; announced L&I, by September 30 each year.
Recent history. I-1433 steps: $11.00 (2017), $11.50 (2018), $12.00 (2019), $13.50 (2020); CPI-W indexing since 2021. $16.66 (2025), $17.13 (2026).
The youth 85% rule was recodified mid-2026: WAC 296-125-043 was repealed and WAC 296-125-081 adopted effective 2026-07-01 (WSR 26-11-048) as part of an overhaul of child-labor rules; the percentage is unchanged. Local youth rates are not listed by L&I.
Statute. RCW 49.46.020 (Minimum Wage Act, as amended by Initiative 1433 of 2016).
Common questions
What is the minimum wage in Washington?
$17.13 an hour as of September 2, 2026, under state law effective January 1, 2026.
When does the Washington minimum wage go up next?
On January 1, 2027, by an indexed amount the agency will announce.
What is the tipped minimum wage in Washington?
$17.13 in cash, with no tip credit allowed.
Do any cities in Washington have a higher minimum wage?
Yes: Burien $21.78, Tukwila $21.65, Renton $21.57, Seattle $21.30, King County (unincorporated areas) $20.82.
Sources
- https://lni.wa.gov/workers-rights/wages/minimum-wage/ official
- https://www.lni.wa.gov/news-events/article/25-27 official
- https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/minimum-wage/state official
- https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=49.46.020 official
- https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/state/minimum-wage/tipped official
- https://app.leg.wa.gov/wac/default.aspx?cite=296-125-081 official
- https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/law/wsr/2026/11/26-11-048.htm official
- https://lni.wa.gov/workers-rights/wages/minimum-wage/local-minimum-wage-rates official
- https://www.ncsl.org/labor-and-employment/state-minimum-wages
Checked 2026-09-02 against Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I); researcher confidence 0.96.