Santa Clara minimum wage 2026

What to know about the Santa Clara minimum wage

Santa Clara's City Council adopted the ordinance on September 22, 2015 and, on August 22, 2017, approved the schedule that brought the rate to $15.00 on January 1, 2019. Since January 1, 2020 the rate has adjusted automatically with the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) for San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, capped at 5% and rounded to the nearest 5 cents.⁠¹

The city typically announces the new rate in mid-September, after the August index is released, ahead of the ordinance's October 1 deadline. The 2027 rate of $19.25 is published, and employers must have the new posters, in English, Spanish and Chinese, by November 1, 2026.⁠¹

The law applies to the City of Santa Clara only, not to Santa Clara County. It reaches employers with a facility in the city or subject to the city business tax, for anyone who works at least two hours in a calendar week inside city limits.⁠⁶ Discretionary tips never count toward the wage; commissions or guaranteed gratuities can, if they bring pay to at least the minimum for the pay period, and meal or housing offsets need a prior voluntary agreement.⁠²

Complaints go to the City of San José Office of Equality Assurance, which enforces the ordinance under contract, at [email protected], 408-535-8430, or 200 East Santa Clara Street, 5th Floor. Its services are free and confidential, and employers may not retaliate against a worker who files a complaint.⁠¹

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 Santa Clara, that is the local rate, but some jobs have a higher statewide minimum (see below the table).

California also sets higher statewide minimums for some jobs, which apply in Santa Clara 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); Health care: safety net hospitals and small-county facilities ($19.28). See the California page for the rules.

Tipped employees

Discretionary tips never count toward the wage. Commissions or guaranteed gratuities can, if they are paid with other compensation and reach at least the minimum wage for the pay period.

How the rate changes

Since 2020 the rate has risen each January 1 by the August-to-August change in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) for San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, capped at 5% and rounded to the nearest 5 cents. If prices do not rise, the rate stays the same. The new rate is due by October 1.

Official posters with the 2027 rate are due by November 1, 2026.

Rate history

Who is covered

Employers with a facility in Santa Clara or subject to the city business tax must pay the city rate to anyone who works at least two hours in a calendar week within city limits, adults and minors, regardless of residence or immigration status. Welfare-to-Work participants are covered. Federal and state agencies, school districts and certain college auxiliaries performing governmental functions are exempt, as are an employer's parent, spouse, child or domestic partner.

• The ordinance (City Code Chapter 3.20) was adopted September 22, 2015 and amended August 22, 2017 to reach $15.00 on January 1, 2019.
• Employers must post the notice in English, Spanish and Chinese, keep payroll records for four years, and give each new hire the employer's name, address and phone number in writing.
• Housing and meal costs can be offset only as state law allows and only under a prior voluntary agreement.
• General questions: 408-615-2210 or [email protected]. Complaints: [email protected].

Other local rates in California

• Emeryville$20.34
• West Hollywood$20.25
• Mountain View$19.70
• Berkeley$19.61
• San Francisco$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
• 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.

Sources

1. 1
   City of Santa Clara, Minimum Wage Ordinance Checked Oct 9, 2026 · Back to text ↑
2. 2
   City of Santa Clara, Ordinance No. 1969 amending Chapter 3.20 (Minimum Wage Ordinance) (PDF) Checked Oct 9, 2026 · Back to text ↑
3. 3
   City of Santa Clara, Minimum Wage Ordinance FAQs, 10/01/2022 (PDF) Checked Oct 9, 2026 · Back to text ↑
4. 4
   City of Santa Clara, 2024 Minimum Wage Ordinance Basics (PDF) Checked Oct 9, 2026 · Back to text ↑
5. 5
   City of Santa Clara, Minimum Wage Official Notice, effective January 1, 2025 (PDF) Checked Oct 9, 2026 · Back to text ↑
6. 6
   City of Santa Clara, 2026 Official Minimum Wage Notice (PDF) Checked Oct 9, 2026 · Back to text ↑

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