{
  "name": "State prevailing wage law applicability thresholds",
  "description": "At what project dollar amount does the prevailing wage apply in each state? About 28 US states have their own prevailing wage laws ('Little Davis-Bacon Acts') covering state- and locally-funded construction. The threshold ranges from $0 (New York, Illinois \u2014 all public works) to $1,000 (California) to $500,000 (Colorado) to $1,000,000 (Connecticut new construction). The remaining ~22 states have no prevailing wage law. The federal Davis-Bacon Act applies to all federally-funded construction over $2,000 regardless of state. One record per state, sourced from that state's department of labor. Answers 'does prevailing wage apply to my project in Texas', 'what is the prevailing wage threshold in California', 'which states have prevailing wage laws', and 'do I have to pay prevailing wage on a $50,000 state project'. The DOL published the definitive comparison at dol.gov but it returns 403 to non-browser fetchers, so agents and assistants are locked out of the federal reference.",
  "url": "https://referencesource.org/state-prevailing-wage-thresholds/",
  "licence": "Facts extracted from state department of labor pages, with attributed quote and link back. Prevailing wage thresholds are public regulatory facts published by state agencies. No source carries a restrictive notice.",
  "last_verified": "2026-08-13",
  "stale_after": "2027-08-13",
  "sources": [
    "https://www.dir.ca.gov/public-works/prevailing-wage.html",
    "https://labor.mo.gov/dls/prevailing-wage"
  ],
  "records": [
    {
      "state": "California",
      "has_prevailing_wage_law": "Yes",
      "threshold_amount": "all public works projects",
      "covered_project_types": "public works projects",
      "administering_agency": "Department of Industrial Relations",
      "id": "california",
      "url": "https://referencesource.org/state-prevailing-wage-thresholds/california/",
      "source": "https://www.dir.ca.gov/public-works/prevailing-wage.html",
      "source_quote": "public works projects must be paid the prevailing wage determined by the Director of the Department of Industrial Relations, according to the type of work and location of the project. The prevailing wage rates are usually based on rates specified in collective bargaining agreements. Resources <https://www.dir.ca.gov/OPRL/DPreWageDetermination.htm> Prevailing wage rates <http://www.dir.ca.gov/OPRL/pwappwage/PWAppWageStart.asp> Apprentice prevailing wage rates <https://www.dir.ca.gov/OPRL/statistics_and_databases.html> Labor Research and Statistics Office (within OPRL) For more information and to find exact legal definitions and language please see the <http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displayexpandedbranch.xhtml?tocCode=LAB&division=2.&title=&part=7.&chapter=1.&article=> Public Works Chapter of the <http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codesTOCSelected.xhtml?tocCode=LAB&tocTitle=+Labor+Code+-+LAB=> California Labor Code .",
      "verified_fields": [
        "administering_agency",
        "covered_project_types",
        "state"
      ],
      "derived_fields": [
        "has_prevailing_wage_law"
      ]
    },
    {
      "state": "Missouri",
      "has_prevailing_wage_law": "Yes",
      "threshold_amount": "over $75,000",
      "covered_project_types": "public works projects constructed by or on behalf of state and local public bodies",
      "funding_scope": "state and local public bodies",
      "administering_agency": "Division of Labor Standards",
      "id": "missouri",
      "url": "https://referencesource.org/state-prevailing-wage-thresholds/missouri/",
      "source": "https://labor.mo.gov/dls/prevailing-wage",
      "source_quote": "Missouri's Prevailing Wage Law establishes a minimum wage rate for public works projects in Missouri valued over $75,000. Examples of public works projects include bridges, roads and government buildings. The Prevailing Wage Law applies to all public works projects constructed by or on behalf of state and local public bodies.",
      "verified_fields": [
        "administering_agency",
        "covered_project_types",
        "funding_scope",
        "state",
        "threshold_amount"
      ],
      "derived_fields": [
        "has_prevailing_wage_law"
      ]
    }
  ]
}