Florida Minimum Wage in 2026
Florida’s minimum wage is $15.00 an hour starting September 30, 2026, up from $14.00. The rate stays at $15.00 through December 31, 2027, according to FloridaCommerce, the state agency that publishes it. It applies across the state, in Miami, Orlando, Tampa and Pensacola alike.
Key facts
- The minimum is $15.00 from September 30, 2026 (FloridaCommerce).
- Tipped workers must get at least $11.98 an hour in cash (2026 poster).
- Voters approved the $15 schedule with 60.8% in 2020 (Ballotpedia).
- Cities cannot require a higher wage from private employers (Florida Statutes 218.077).
- $15.00
- an hour from September 30, 2026
- $31,200
- a year for full-time work, before taxes
- $15,080
- a year at the federal $7.25 minimum
A full-time worker at the minimum earns $2,080 more a year than under the $14.00 rate. That assumes 40 hours a week for 52 weeks. Florida’s neighbors, Alabama and Georgia, follow the federal minimum of $7.25.
Tipped Minimum Wage in Florida
Tipped workers in Florida must be paid at least $11.98 an hour in cash from September 30, 2026, up from $10.98. Employers may count up to $3.02 an hour of tips toward the $15.00 minimum, and they must make up any shortfall when tips do not cover it (FloridaCommerce 2026 poster).
Florida minimum wage before and after September 30, 2026
Source: FloridaCommerce minimum wage history and 2026-2027 poster; yearly pay assumes 2,080 hours
How Florida Got to $15
Florida’s minimum wage rose $6.35, or 73%, in five years, from $8.65 in 2021 to $15.00. Amendment 2 passed on November 3, 2020, with 60.8% of the vote, just over the 60% the state constitution requires (Ballotpedia). It raised the wage to $10.00 on September 30, 2021, then $1.00 each September 30 until it reached $15.00.
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| 2005 | $6.15 |
| 2006 | $6.4 |
| 2007 | $6.67 |
| 2008 | $6.79 |
| 2009 | $7.25 |
| 2011 | $7.31 |
| 2012 | $7.67 |
| 2013 | $7.79 |
| 2014 | $7.93 |
| 2015 | $8.05 |
| 2017 | $8.1 |
| 2018 | $8.25 |
| 2019 | $8.46 |
| 2020 | $8.56 |
| 2021 | $10 |
| 2022 | $11 |
| 2023 | $12 |
| 2024 | $13 |
| 2025 | $14 |
| 2026 | $15 |
Source: FloridaCommerce, Florida Minimum Wage History 2000-2026. Each bar is a new rate in the year it took effect; years with no change are left out.
Before 2021, the wage moved by a few cents most years. Florida set its own minimum wage in May 2005 at $6.15, and it reached $8.65 by 2021, a rise of $2.50 over sixteen years (FloridaCommerce history). The 6 Amendment 2 steps added $6.35 in five.
What Happens After $15
The wage holds at $15.00 through December 31, 2027, then rises with inflation each January 1, starting January 1, 2028. The state calculates each new rate in September and publishes it before it takes effect, according to the 2026 poster.
A 2026 bill to let workers sign away the state minimum wage died in committee. House Bill 221 would have let employees opt out of the state minimum by signing a waiver and exempted some work-based learning jobs. It and its Senate companion, SB 1412, died on March 13, 2026 (Florida Senate bill page).
If You Are Underpaid
You can recover unpaid minimum wages in Florida, but you must give your employer written notice and 15 days to pay first. If the employer does not pay, you may sue for back wages, damages and attorney fees. An employer found to have intentionally broken the law faces a $1,000 fine per violation, and may not retaliate against you for asking (2026 poster; Florida Statutes 448.110).
How to recover unpaid minimum wages in Florida
- Now Write it down Track the hours you worked and what you were paid, with pay stubs if you have them.
- Day 1 Notify your employer in writing Name the unpaid amount and the dates. Keep a copy.
- Days 1-15 Wait 15 days Your employer has 15 days to pay or resolve the claim.
- After day 15 File a civil action You may sue for back wages, damages and attorney fees.
Florida minimum wage, by situation
I work for tips
- Your cash wage must be at least $11.98 an hour from September 30, 2026.
- Your cash wage plus tips must reach $15.00 for every hour worked.
- If a slow week leaves you short, your employer owes the difference.
FloridaCommerce 2026-2027 poster.
My paycheck did not go up
- Check the pay period: the $15.00 rate applies to hours worked from September 30, 2026.
- Ask your employer in writing to correct it and keep a copy.
- If it is not fixed within 15 days, you may sue.
Article X, Section 24 of the Florida Constitution and s. 448.110.
My employer asked me to sign a waiver
- Florida has no law letting workers waive the state minimum wage.
- A 2026 bill to allow waivers died in committee.
- Keep a copy of anything you were asked to sign.
HB 221 and SB 1412 died March 13, 2026.
Why Florida Cities Cannot Raise the Wage
Florida law bars cities and counties from requiring private employers to pay more than the state or federal minimum (Florida Statutes 218.077). Local governments could still set a higher wage for their own employees, for contractors under a local contract, and for businesses receiving a local tax break.
That contractor option ends on September 30, 2026. A 2024 law, chapter 2024-80, takes effect the same day as the $15.00 rate. It bars local governments from using contracts or bid preferences to control the wages or benefits of vendors and contractors. Local governments keep the power to set pay for their own workers and as a condition of a direct tax abatement or subsidy (218.077, note).
Where Things Stand
Florida minimum wage laws and bills
As of September 29, 2026
- $15 minimum wage (Amendment 2, 2020) Law, From September 30, 2026
FloridaCommerce's 2026-2027 poster sets $15.00, and $11.98 for tipped workers, through December 31, 2027. (source)
- Local contractor and vendor wage rules (ch. 2024-80) Law, Takes effect September 30, 2026
Cities and counties may no longer set wage or benefit terms for their vendors and contractors, or favor bidders on pay. (source)
- Minimum wage waiver bill (HB 221 and SB 1412) Ended, Died in committee
Would have let employees sign away the state minimum wage; both bills died March 13, 2026. (source)
- Yearly inflation adjustments Law, Resume January 1, 2028
Indexing resumes with the September 2027 calculation and takes effect the following January 1. (source)
Source: FloridaCommerce; Florida Statutes 218.077; Florida Senate bill history
Florida Minimum Wage Questions
What is the minimum wage in Florida?
$15.00 an hour from September 30, 2026, up from $14.00. Tipped workers must be paid at least $11.98 an hour in cash, plus tips that bring them to $15.00. The rate stays at $15.00 through December 31, 2027.
When does the minimum wage go up in Florida?
The last scheduled step, to $15.00, takes effect September 30, 2026. After that the rate is adjusted for inflation, starting with the September 2027 calculation, and each new rate takes effect on January 1, beginning January 1, 2028.
What is the tipped minimum wage in Florida?
$11.98 an hour from September 30, 2026. Employers may count up to $3.02 an hour of tips toward the $15.00 minimum. If tips fall short, the employer must make up the difference.
Can a Florida city set a higher minimum wage?
Not for private employers. State law bars cities and counties from requiring a wage above the state or federal minimum. Starting September 30, 2026, a 2024 law also bars them from setting wage or benefit terms for their contractors and vendors. They can still set pay for their own employees.
What can I do if my employer pays less than minimum wage in Florida?
Notify your employer in writing of the unpaid wages and give them 15 days to pay. If they do not, you may sue for back wages, damages and attorney fees under Article X, Section 24 of the Florida Constitution. Your employer may not retaliate against you for asking.
What You Can Do
- Check your first paycheck after September 30, 2026. Every hour worked from that day should pay at least $15.00, or $11.98 plus tips.
- Put wage problems in writing. The 15-day notice starts the clock on a claim.
- Share this with coworkers who work for tips. The tipped cash wage rises too.
- Tell your state legislators what you think about wage waivers and local wage limits. Our letter-writing guide shows how.
- Compare other states. Our national minimum wage explainer covers every state, and our Texas minimum wage page shows a state still at $7.25.