San Francisco minimum wage 2026
The minimum wage in San Francisco is $19.61 an hour in 2026, $2.71 above the California rate of $16.90. San Francisco's rate changes on July 1 each year, not January 1, and is recalculated by the Office of Labor Standards Enforcement (OLSE) from the yearly change in inflation. The city has had its own minimum wage since February 23, 2004.
Contents11 sections
At a glance
| Minimum wage now | $19.61 an hour, since July 1, 202612 |
|---|---|
| Next change | The rate for July 1, 2027 is normally announced in spring 2027. |
| Tipped employees | $19.61, the full minimum wage before tips2 |
| Full-time pay | $784 a week, $40,789 a year at 40 hours a week before taxes · calculate for your hours |
| Enforced by | San Francisco Office of Labor Standards Enforcement, (415) 554-6292 |
What to know about the San Francisco minimum wage
San Francisco voters approved a local minimum wage in 2003, and it first took effect on February 23, 2004.2 A second voter initiative in 2014 raised it to $15.00 by July 1, 2018. Since then the rate has been adjusted every July 1 by the annual increase in the Consumer Price Index.2
The July cycle shapes the calendar. The inflation data is available in February, and the Office of Labor Standards Enforcement (OLSE) usually announces the new rate in spring, so the July 1, 2027 figure is not expected before then. The $19.61 rate took effect July 1, 2026, and the official poster covers July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027.2
One lower rate exists: $17.35 from July 1, 2026 for Government Supported Employees, a narrow group made up of workers under 18 in subsidized after-school or summer training and workers over 55 in subsidized jobs at nonprofits serving seniors.1 On January 1, 2027 California's minimum wage rises to $17.40, above that figure, so the higher state rate applies to these workers from then.4 In the other direction, city contractors and covered airport workers have higher pay floors under separate ordinances.
The law, long known as Administrative Code Chapter 12R, has been Article 1 of the Labor and Employment Code since January 4, 2024. Workers can report a violation to OLSE with a complaint form, at 415-554-6292 or at [email protected]; the forms are available in English, Chinese, Spanish and Filipino.2 Employers must display the official poster at each workplace where workers can easily read it.
All 2026 rates
| Rate | Applies to | Per hour |
|---|---|---|
| Citywide rate | All employers, any size | $19.6112 |
| Government Supported Employees | From July 1, 2026. A narrow category: workers under 18 in government-subsidized after-school or summer training or apprenticeship positions, and workers over 55 in subsidized positions at nonprofits serving seniors. California's minimum wage rises to $17.40 on January 1, 2027, above this rate, so from that date these workers must be paid at least the state rate. | $17.351 |
Compared with California
When a local minimum wage, the state minimum wage and the federal minimum wage differ, the employer must pay the highest one that applies to the work. For most covered work in San Francisco, that is the local rate, but some jobs have a higher statewide minimum (see below the table).
| Minimum wage | Next change | Per hour now |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | Due July 1, 2027, amount not announced | $19.61 |
| California (state) | $17.40 on January 1, 2027 | $16.90 |
| Federal | None scheduled | $7.25 |
California also sets higher statewide minimums for some jobs, which apply in San Francisco when they exceed the local rate: Fast food restaurant employees ($20.00); Health care: large systems, dialysis clinics and large-county facilities ($25.00); Health care: community, rural and intermittent clinics ($22.00); Health care: other covered facilities ($23.00). See the California page for the rules.
Tipped employees
| Tip credit | Not allowed: tips are on top of the full minimum wage |
|---|---|
| Minimum cash wage | $19.61 an hour2 |
Tips are owed on top of the full city rate; California does not allow a tip credit.
How the rate changes
The rate is adjusted every July 1 by the yearly change in the Consumer Price Index. The inflation data is available in February, and OLSE usually announces the new rate in spring, around May.
Rate history
Who is covered
Anyone who works at least two hours a week in San Francisco and is entitled to the California minimum wage is covered, including part-time and temporary staff and Welfare-to-Work participants. Exemptions follow state law.
- The ordinance was long known as Administrative Code Chapter 12R. Ordinance 221-23 moved it into the Labor and Employment Code as Article 1, effective January 4, 2024.
- City contractors under the Minimum Compensation Ordinance and covered workers at San Francisco International Airport have separate, higher pay floors.
- Employers must post OLSE's annual minimum wage notice and can be penalized for not doing so. Questions go to [email protected].
Other local rates in California
- Emeryville$20.34
- West Hollywood$20.25
- Mountain View$19.70
- Berkeley$19.61
- Sunnyvale$19.50
- Richmond$19.18
- Belmont$18.95
- El Cerrito$18.82
- Cupertino$18.70
- Los Altos$18.70
- Palo Alto$18.70
- Santa Clara$18.70
- Redwood City$18.65
- San Mateo$18.60
- Pasadena$18.57
- Milpitas$18.50
- Los Angeles County (unincorporated areas)$18.47
- Santa Monica$18.47
- Sonoma$18.47
- San Jose$18.45
- Los Angeles$18.42
- Petaluma$18.31
- Santa Rosa$18.21
- South San Francisco$18.15
- Fremont$18.05
- San Mateo County (unincorporated areas)$17.95
- Half Moon Bay$17.91
- Malibu$17.91
- East Palo Alto$17.90
- Burlingame$17.86
- Foster City$17.85
- Hayward$17.79
- Alameda$17.76
- San Carlos$17.75
- San Diego$17.75
- Novato$17.73
- Menlo Park$17.55
- Daly City$17.50
- Oakland$17.34
Everywhere else in California, the state rate applies.
Get help or file a claim
If you are paid less than the minimum wage that applies to your job, you can file a wage claim with the agency below. Federal law prohibits firing or otherwise retaliating against a worker for complaining about federal minimum wage rights.
| Agency | San Francisco Office of Labor Standards Enforcement |
|---|---|
| Phone | (415) 554-6292 |
| The law | San Francisco Labor and Employment Code Article 1 (Minimum Wage Ordinance; formerly Administrative Code Chapter 12R) |
| Federal | U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, 1-866-487-9243 |
Sources
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Is a rate wrong or out of date? Report an error