California Local Minimum Wage by City 2026: $19.61 in San Francisco and Berkeley, $18.42 in Los Angeles
California Local Minimum Wage by City 2026: $19.61 in San Francisco and Berkeley, $18.42 in Los Angeles
The California state minimum wage is $16.90 an hour in 2026 and rises to $17.40 an hour on January 1, 2027 (verify against the Department of Industrial Relations). Many cities and counties set a higher rate, so the California minimum wage by city in 2026 is not one number. When a local rate is higher than the state rate, the employer pays the higher of the two for work done in that place. Every local rate in this guide is above the 2026 state minimum, so a payroll set to the state rate will underpay workers in those places.
This guide lists the local rates we could verify, with the date each one takes effect. Use it as a starting point, then confirm your own city or county before you set pay.
This is informational content, not legal, employment, or tax advice. Local ordinances change often. Confirm every figure with the city or county, and consult an employment attorney or a CPA for complex situations such as multi-city staffing, hotel operations, or contractor arrangements.
How the Local Rate Applies to Your Workers
The rate follows the place where the work is performed. It does not depend on where the company is headquartered or where the employee lives. A bookkeeper working from an office in Pasadena is owed the Pasadena rate, even if the company's main office is in a city with no general local ordinance. If one employee splits time between two cities with different rates, track hours by location and confirm how each city treats that split.
Local rates also change on set dates. Most of the rates below are effective either January 1 or July 1, and the rate you pay must match the date in effect when the work is done. Do not assume a rate you saw last year still applies.
Local Minimum Wage Rates Effective July 1, 2026
The rates below took effect July 1, 2026. Each figure is marked (verify) because ordinances are amended and should be checked against the current city code.
| City or Area | Local Minimum Wage | Effective Date |
|---|---|---|
| Emeryville | $20.34 (verify) | July 1, 2026 |
| Berkeley | $19.61 (verify) | July 1, 2026 |
| San Francisco | $19.61 (verify) | July 1, 2026 |
| Pasadena | $18.57 (verify) | July 1, 2026 |
| Milpitas | $18.50 (verify) | July 1, 2026 |
| Los Angeles County (unincorporated areas) | $18.47 (verify) | July 1, 2026 |
| Santa Monica | $18.47 (verify) | July 1, 2026 |
| Los Angeles (city) | $18.42 (verify) | July 1, 2026 |
| Fremont | $18.05 (verify) | July 1, 2026 |
| Malibu | $17.91 (verify) | July 1, 2026 |
| Alameda | $17.76 (verify) | July 1, 2026 |
Local Minimum Wage Rates Effective January 1, 2026
These rates took effect January 1, 2026. Confirm each one with the city before you rely on it (verify).
| City | Local Minimum Wage | Effective Date |
|---|---|---|
| Mountain View | $19.70 (verify) | January 1, 2026 |
| Sunnyvale | $19.50 (verify) | January 1, 2026 |
| Palo Alto | $18.70 (verify) | January 1, 2026 |
| San Jose | $18.45 (verify) | January 1, 2026 |
| San Diego | $17.75 (verify) | January 1, 2026 |
| Oakland | $17.34 (verify) | January 1, 2026 |
California Hotel Worker Minimum Wage by City
Hotel and some other sector minimums are higher than the general local rates above. The table below lists the sector rates we could verify. Unless the city says otherwise, they took effect July 1, 2026 (verify).
| City | Covered Workers | Rate | Effective Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Long Beach | Hotel workers | $26.50 (verify) | July 1, 2026 (verify) |
| Santa Monica | Hotel workers and businesses on hotel premises | $25.00 (verify) | July 1, 2026 (verify) |
| Glendale | Hotel workers | $25.00 (verify) | July 1, 2026 (verify) |
| Los Angeles (city) | Hotel workers at hotels with 60 or more rooms (50 rooms inside the airport hospitality zone), plus $4.25 an hour toward health benefits if none are provided | $25.00 (verify) | July 1, 2026 (verify) |
| West Hollywood | Hotel workers | $20.87 (verify) | July 1, 2026 (verify) |
| San Diego | Covered hotel and amusement park workers | $19.00 (verify) | July 1, 2026 (verify) |
| San Diego | Covered event centers | $21.06 (verify) | July 1, 2026 (verify) |
If your business operates a hotel, runs a covered event center, or sits on hotel premises, the sector rate may replace the general rate for those workers. Check the specific coverage definitions in the city ordinance, because the room count and location tests are not the same from city to city.
Los Angeles County Minimum Wage California
The Los Angeles County figure in this guide, $18.47 effective July 1, 2026 (verify), applies to unincorporated areas of the county. If your business is inside an incorporated city, that city's rate controls. The Los Angeles city rate is $18.42 effective July 1, 2026 (verify), and the hotel rate for Los Angeles city is listed above. Santa Monica, Pasadena, and Malibu each set their own rates, and those rates are also listed above.
Many cities in Los Angeles County are not in this guide. Do not assume the county figure applies to them. Look up the city's own ordinance for each address where employees work.
Cities Without a General Local Rate
Fresno, Sacramento, Bakersfield, and Anaheim were not found to have a general local minimum wage ordinance (verify). In those cities, the state minimum applies unless the city lists a higher rate (verify). The state minimum is $16.90 an hour in 2026 and $17.40 an hour from January 1, 2027 (verify).
Some cities use tiers based on employer size, so the rate can depend on how many people you employ. Hayward and Novato are examples. Check the city's ordinance rather than guessing which tier applies to your business.
What Local Rates Do Not Change
- Exempt salary threshold. Only the state minimum wage sets the salary threshold for exempt status. Local rates do not change it, so a higher city rate does not change which employees can be classified as exempt.
- Paid sick leave. State law sets a floor of 40 hours or five days (Labor Code 246). Some cities set richer rules, so check your city before you set your leave policy.
Business Requirements Beyond Wages
A local minimum wage is one part of hiring compliance. Forming the business and registering for taxes come first, and each step has its own requirements.
- Entity. An LLC or corporation is formed by filing with the California Secretary of State through bizfile Online at https://bizfileonline.sos.ca.gov/. Business programs information is at https://www.sos.ca.gov/business-programs.
- Sales tax. Register with the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration at https://www.cdtfa.ca.gov/ if you sell taxable goods.
- Employees. Register with the Employment Development Department once you have employees.
- Local business tax. California has no general state business license. Most cities charge a local business tax or registration certificate (445 of 483 cities report revenue from one), with no common formula. Confirm the requirement with your city.
- Regulated trades. Licensed professions and trades need licenses from the state board that oversees them, such as the Contractors State License Board or a Department of Consumer Affairs board.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Paying the state rate in a city with a higher rate. The higher local rate applies to work done in that city.
- Using the wrong work location. Remote or split schedules can change which rate applies. Record where each hour is worked.
- Missing the sector rate. A hotel or event rate can replace the general rate for covered workers, even when the general local rate is lower.
- Assuming one effective date. Rates take effect on January 1 or July 1 depending on the city, and the state step on January 1, 2027 does not set local rates. Check the date for each city.
- Relying on an old list. Local rates are amended. Verify each figure before you change pay.
How to Check Your City's Rate
- Search your city name with the words minimum wage ordinance, then open the city clerk or municipal code page.
- Find the rate, the effective date, and any employer-size tiers.
- If your address is in an unincorporated area, check the county rate instead.
- Check whether any hotel, event, or other sector rule covers your workers.
- Confirm the state minimum with the Department of Industrial Relations, and confirm the local rate with the city, before you change pay.
Next Steps
Pick the rate for each city where your employees work, confirm the effective date, and update payroll before that date. Keep a record of the source you used for each rate. If your workforce spans several cities, or includes hotel or event workers, consult an employment attorney or CPA before you finalize your pay structure. This page is informational only and is not legal, employment, or tax advice.