California tipped minimum wage
In effect since January 1, 2026
$16.90 an hour, before tips
California doesn't allow employers to count tips toward the minimum wage. Tipped employees get the full minimum wage from the employer, and tips are on top.
Next change: on January 1, 2027 the minimum wage becomes $17.40.
Minimum wage
$16.90
Tipped cash wage
$16.90
Max tip credit
None
Federal cash wage
$2.13
with $5.12 credit
Tipped rates by category
| Category | Minimum wage | Tipped cash wage |
|---|---|---|
| Fast food restaurant employees covered by AB 1228 Effective April 1, 2024. | $20.00 | $20.00 |
Local tipped wages in California
| Place | Minimum wage | Tipped cash wage |
|---|---|---|
| Alameda | $17.76 | $17.76 |
| Belmont | $18.95 | $18.95 |
| Berkeley | $19.61 | $19.61 |
| Burlingame | $17.86 | $17.86 |
| Cupertino | $18.70 | $18.70 |
| Daly City | $17.50 | $17.50 |
| East Palo Alto | $17.90 | $17.90 |
| El Cerrito | $18.82 | $18.82 |
| Emeryville | $20.34 | $20.34 |
| Foster City | $17.85 | $17.85 |
| Fremont | $18.05 | $18.05 |
| Half Moon Bay | $17.91 | $17.91 |
| Hayward | $17.79 | $17.79 |
| Los Altos | $18.70 | $18.70 |
| Los Angeles | $18.42 | $18.42 |
| Los Angeles County (unincorporated) | $18.47 | $18.47 |
| Malibu | $17.91 | $17.91 |
| Menlo Park | $17.55 | $17.55 |
| Milpitas | $18.50 | $18.50 |
| Mountain View | $19.70 | $19.70 |
| Novato | $17.46 | $17.46 |
| Oakland | $17.34 | $17.34 |
| Palo Alto | $18.70 | $18.70 |
| Pasadena | $18.57 | $18.57 |
| Petaluma | $18.31 | $18.31 |
| Richmond | $19.18 | $19.18 |
| San Carlos | $17.75 | $17.75 |
| San Diego | $17.75 | $17.75 |
| San Francisco | $19.61 | $19.61 |
| San Jose | $18.45 | $18.45 |
| San Mateo | $18.60 | $18.60 |
| San Mateo County (unincorporated) | $17.95 | $17.95 |
| Santa Clara | $18.70 | $18.70 |
| Santa Monica | $18.47 | $18.47 |
| Santa Rosa | $18.21 | $18.21 |
| Sonoma | $18.47 | $18.47 |
| South San Francisco | $18.15 | $18.15 |
| Sunnyvale | $19.50 | $19.50 |
| West Hollywood | $20.25 | $20.25 |
Rules that apply everywhere
- The employer must tell tipped employees about the tip credit before taking it, under federal rules.
- Tips belong to the employee. Managers and supervisors can't share in a tip pool.
- If tips and cash wages fall short of the minimum in a workweek, the employer pays the difference.
Federal tip rules: DOL Fact Sheet #15.
Running payroll in California?
Sources
- California Department of Industrial Relations, Labor Commissioner's Office · data as of January 1, 2026 · last checked October 9, 2026
We copy figures from official sources and re-check them against the source before every update. See our methodology. This is general information, not legal advice.