# California — US minimum wage rates by state, city, and worker type

For California, type is state; worker type is standard; hourly rate ($) is 16.90; indexing method is Indexed annual increases began Jan. 1, 2023. (2016 legislation), recorded from its source on 2026-08-12.

- **Jurisdiction:** California _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **Type:** state
- **Parent state:** California _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **Worker type:** standard
- **Hourly rate ($):** 16.90 _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **Indexing method:** Indexed annual increases began Jan. 1, 2023. (2016 legislation) _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **Effective date:** 2026-01-01 _(per dir.ca.gov, not stated by the source above)_
- **Tip credit allowed:** no _(per dir.ca.gov, not stated by the source above)_

## What the source says

> California | $16.90 | | Indexed annual increases began Jan. 1, 2023. (2016 legislation)

## Sources disagree

More than one authority states this, and they do not state the same
thing. Both are reproduced with the source each came from.

### Indexing method

ncsl.org says indexing method is **Indexed annual increases began Jan. 1, 2023. (2016 legislation)**, as of 2026-08-12.

> California | $16.90 | | Indexed annual increases began Jan. 1, 2023. (2016 legislation)

Source: https://www.ncsl.org/labor-and-employment/state-minimum-wages

dir.ca.gov says indexing method is **adjusted annually for inflation based on the national consumer price index for urban wage earners and clerical workers (CPI-W)**, as of 2026-08-12.

> Effective January 1, 2026, the minimum wage is $16.90 per hour for all employers, not otherwise covered by a higher minimum wage specific to an industry or a locality.

Source: https://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/faq_minimumwage.htm


## Source

- https://www.ncsl.org/labor-and-employment/state-minimum-wages
- https://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/faq_minimumwage.htm

Last verified: 2026-08-12. Review by: 2026-11-10.
Part of [US minimum wage rates by state, city, and worker type](https://referencesource.org/minimum-wage-rates-by-jurisdiction/).