Idaho minimum wage 2026
The minimum wage in Idaho is $7.25 an hour in 2026. Idaho's statute has matched the federal $7.25 since July 24, 2009, but it reaches small businesses that the federal law does not cover. Its tipped cash wage, $3.35 since July 24, 2007, is above the federal one.
Contents12 sections
At a glance
| Minimum wage now | $7.25 an hour, since July 24, 200913 |
|---|---|
| Next change | None scheduled. |
| Tipped employees | $3.35 cash wage, tip credit up to $3.9014 |
| Overtime | 1.5 times the regular rate after 40 hours a week (federal law only)35 · details |
| Full-time pay | $290 a week, $15,080 a year at 40 hours a week before taxes · calculate for your hours |
| Enforced by | Idaho Department of Labor, Wage and Hour, 800-843-3193 |
What to know about the Idaho minimum wage
Idaho has its own minimum wage law, but it moves in lockstep with the federal rate rather than setting a higher one. The Idaho Department of Labor's guide puts the state minimum at $7.25 an hour effective July 24, 2009, the same day the federal minimum reached that figure.1 Idaho Code 44-1502 carries no inflation index, so the state rate has not changed since.
What the state law adds is reach. Federal minimum wage rules skip many small businesses that fall under the federal law's dollar-volume test, but Idaho's law applies to every employer in the state unless a specific exemption in Idaho Code 44-1504 fits.1 Those exemptions include executive, administrative and professional employees, domestic service, outside salespeople, seasonal staff of nonprofit camps, children under 16 doing part-time or odd jobs for up to four hours a day, and several farm categories such as family members and some hand harvesters paid by the piece.1
Two lower rates are allowed. Tipped employees who regularly receive more than $30 a month in tips may be paid $3.35 an hour, a figure in effect since July 24, 2007, and only tips the employee keeps count; any share passed to a tip pool does not.1 Workers under 20 may be paid $4.25 an hour in 2026 during their first 90 consecutive calendar days with an employer.1
Unpaid wages can be claimed through the Idaho Department of Labor's online portal, up to the dollar limit of the small claims department of the magistrate court, and employers may not retaliate against workers who assert their rights.1 Cities and counties cannot set a higher local minimum under a 2016 change to Idaho law.
All 2026 rates
| Rate | Applies to | Per hour |
|---|---|---|
| State minimum wage | All Idaho employers unless exempt under Idaho Code 44-1504 | $7.2513 |
| New employees under 20, first 90 days | Employees under 20 may be paid this rate during their first 90 consecutive calendar days with an employer. | $4.251 |
Tipped employees
| Tip credit | Allowed |
|---|---|
| Minimum cash wage | $3.35 an hour14 |
| Maximum tip credit | $3.90 an hour |
Employees who regularly receive more than $30 a month in tips may be paid a $3.35 cash wage, in effect since July 24, 2007; only the tips the employee keeps, not amounts shared through a tip pool, count toward the credit.
An employer that takes a tip credit must make up the difference whenever wages plus tips fall short of the full minimum wage for the workweek. See the tipped minimum wage guide.
Overtime and salaried staff
| Weekly overtime | No state rule; employers covered by federal law pay 1.5 times the regular rate after 40 hours a week35 |
|---|---|
| Daily overtime | None in state law |
| Exempt salary | The federal level, $684 a week ($35,568 a year) |
Idaho has no general state overtime law. Employers covered by the federal Fair Labor Standards Act must pay time and a half after 40 hours in a workweek.
Overtime at the minimum wage of $7.25 is $10.875 an hour. Salaried managers, administrators and professionals are exempt from overtime only if they meet the duties tests and are paid at least the exempt salary. See overtime rules in every state or calculate pay with overtime.
How the rate changes
The rate is fixed in Idaho Code 44-1502 with no inflation index; it has matched the federal $7.25 since July 24, 2009.
Indexed to inflation: no. Fixed at the federal $7.25 with no indexing.3
Rate history
Who is covered
Idaho's law applies to all employers in the state, including businesses too small for the federal law's dollar-volume test, unless an exemption in Idaho Code 44-1504 applies. Exemptions include executive, administrative and professional employees, domestic service, outside salespeople, seasonal staff of nonprofit camps, children under 16 in part-time or odd jobs of up to four hours a day, and several farm categories. Some federal exemptions differ, so federal law may still require the federal minimum.
- Wage claims filed with the Idaho Department of Labor are limited to the same dollar amount as small claims court (Idaho Code 45-617).
- Idaho has no state overtime law; federal overtime rules apply.
Cities and counties
Cities and counties may not set a minimum wage above the state rate under a 2016 amendment to Idaho Code 44-1502.
Neighboring states
If you live near a state line, the rate that applies is the one where you do the work, not where you live or where the employer is based.
| State | Per hour now |
|---|---|
| Washington | $17.13 |
| Oregon | $14.55 to $16.80 |
| Nevada | $12.00 |
| Montana | $10.85 |
| Utah | $7.25 |
| Wyoming | $7.25 |
Compare every state on the ranked list and map.
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 | Idaho Department of Labor, Wage and Hour |
|---|---|
| Phone | 800-843-3193 |
| The law | Idaho Code 44-1502 (minimum wage); Idaho Code 44-1504 (exemptions) |
| Federal | U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, 1-866-487-9243 |
Sources
- 1 Idaho Department of Labor, Guide to Idaho labor laws (July 2026) Checked Oct 9, 2026 · Back to text ↑
- 2 Idaho Department of Labor, Labor laws Checked Oct 9, 2026
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- 5 U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, Overtime Pay Checked Oct 28, 2026 · Back to text ↑
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