Rhode Island tipped minimum wage
In effect since January 1, 2026
$3.89 minimum cash wage
Employers can take a tip credit of up to $12.11 an hour, as long as cash wages plus tips reach the $16.00 minimum for every hour worked.
Next change: on January 1, 2027 the minimum wage becomes $17.00 and the tipped cash wage $3.89.
Tip credit check
Enter one pay period for a tipped employee in Rhode Island. The calculator shows whether tips covered the gap between the cash wage and the minimum wage, and what you owe if they didn't.
Assumes a single workweek and straight-time hours. Overtime, tip pools and service charges have separate rules.
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 Rhode Island?
Sources
- State of Rhode Island General Assembly (R.I. Gen. Laws 28-12); enforced by RI Department of Labor and Training · 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.