South Carolina minimum wage 2026
The minimum wage in South Carolina is $7.25 an hour in 2026. South Carolina leaves the hourly minimum entirely to federal law, and Section 6-1-130 of the state code keeps cities, counties, school districts and other local bodies from adding one of their own.
Contents11 sections
At a glance
| Minimum wage now | $7.25 an hour, since July 24, 200923 |
|---|---|
| Next change | None scheduled. |
| Tipped employees | $2.13 cash wage, tip credit up to $5.123 |
| Overtime | 1.5 times the regular rate after 40 hours a week (federal law only)24 · details |
| Full-time pay | $290 a week, $15,080 a year at 40 hours a week before taxes · calculate for your hours |
| Enforced by | U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, 1-866-487-9243 |
What to know about the South Carolina minimum wage
South Carolina has no state minimum wage law. The $7.25 shown here is the federal minimum under the Fair Labor Standards Act, in force since July 24, 2009, and it binds only employers that the federal law covers.2 A worker whose job falls outside federal coverage has no hourly floor, and no state agency sets or announces a rate.
What the legislature did enact is a limit on local government. Section 6-1-130, added by 2002 Act No. 243, applies to any political subdivision, a term that "includes, but is not limited to" municipalities, counties, school districts, special purpose districts and public service districts. None of them may "establish, mandate, or otherwise require" a rate above the federal one in 29 U.S.C. 206, or any minimum for wages the federal act exempts, so a city cannot cover the workers federal law leaves out.1 The section also adopts the federal definition of "wage" in 29 U.S.C. 203(m), and it leaves local bodies free to set wage rates in contracts they sign themselves.1
Restaurant and bar pay follows the federal tip rule. An employee who customarily receives more than $30 a month in tips may be paid $2.13 an hour in cash, which lets the employer count up to $5.12 an hour in tips toward the $7.25.3 Claims for unpaid minimum wages go to the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division at 1-866-487-9243, and any change to the figure would need an act of Congress or a new state statute.
Tipped employees
| Tip credit | Allowed |
|---|---|
| Minimum cash wage | $2.13 an hour3 |
| Maximum tip credit | $5.12 an hour |
Federal rules apply: employees who customarily receive more than $30 a month in tips may be paid a $2.13 cash wage in 2026, a tip credit of up to $5.12 an hour.
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 week24 |
|---|---|
| Daily overtime | None in state law |
| Exempt salary | The federal level, $684 a week ($35,568 a year) |
South Carolina 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. South Carolina also has no state minimum wage law.
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 federal $7.25, unchanged since July 24, 2009, changes only if Congress amends the Fair Labor Standards Act.
Indexed to inflation: no. No state minimum wage law; the federal rate applies and changes only if Congress acts.2
Rate history
Who is covered
Employers covered by the federal Fair Labor Standards Act must pay the federal minimum; employees outside federal coverage have no minimum under South Carolina law.
Cities and counties
Section 6-1-130 of the South Carolina Code (2002 Act No. 243) forbids any political subdivision from requiring a minimum wage above the federal rate or one for federally exempt work, though local bodies may set wage rates in their own contracts.
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 |
|---|---|
| Georgia | $7.25 |
| North Carolina | $7.25 |
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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 | U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division |
|---|---|
| Phone | 1-866-487-9243 |
| The law | S.C. Code 6-1-130 (local minimum wage preemption); Fair Labor Standards Act, 29 U.S.C. 206 |
Sources
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- 4 U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, Overtime Pay Checked Oct 28, 2026 · Back to text ↑
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