Florida Minimum Wage Rises to $15 an Hour: What Changes
Quick answer: Florida's minimum wage increased from $14 to $15 an hour on September 30, 2026, the final $1 step under a constitutional amendment voters approved in 2020. The minimum cash wage for tipped workers rose to $11.98 an hour. The next change will be an inflation adjustment calculated in September 2027 that takes effect January 1, 2028.
Key Takeaways
Florida's minimum wage is now $15 an hour, up from $14, effective September 30, 2026.
Tipped employees must be paid at least $11.98 an hour in cash wages, with employers allowed a $3.02 tip credit toward the $15 minimum.
The increase completes a series of $1 annual raises that began at $10 an hour in September 2021 under a 2020 voter-approved amendment.
Future increases will follow inflation: the state calculates the new rate on September 30, 2027, and it takes effect January 1, 2028.
Employers must update payroll, display the current minimum wage poster and give tipped staff an updated tip credit notice.
Minimum wage workers in Florida got a raise on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, as the state's hourly minimum climbed from $14 to $15. The change is the last of the fixed $1 annual increases required by a state constitutional amendment approved by Florida voters in 2020, and it puts Florida's floor at more than double the federal minimum of $7.25.
For a full-time employee working 40 hours a week, the extra dollar adds about $40 in gross pay per week before taxes.
Tipped workers, such as many restaurant servers and bartenders, also received a higher guaranteed cash wage, rising to $11.98 an hour.
What is Florida's minimum wage now?
As of September 30, 2026, the rates are:
Standard minimum wage: $15.00 per hour (previously $14.00)
Tipped employee cash wage: $11.98 per hour (previously $10.98)
Federal minimum wage, for comparison: $7.25 per hour, unchanged
According to payroll provider OnPay, the $15 rate also applies to seasonal workers. For tipped staff, employers may count up to $3.02 an hour in tips toward the full minimum. If a worker's cash wage plus tips does not reach $15 for the hours worked, the employer must make up the difference. OnPay also notes that tipped workers cannot be required to share tips with managers, cooks or other staff who do not regularly receive tips.
Why did the minimum wage go up?
The raise traces back to a constitutional amendment passed by Florida voters in 2020. According to WWSB in Sarasota, the measure lifted the state minimum to $10 an hour in September 2021 and then added $1 each year until reaching $15 in 2026. The Lowndes law firm, in guidance for employers, confirmed that September 30, 2026, is the date the phased schedule reaches its $15 target.
When will Florida's minimum wage change again?
There will be a pause before the next increase. Under the amendment's formula, Florida will calculate an inflation-adjusted rate on September 30, 2027, based on inflation over the 12 months ending September 1, as measured by the federal CPI-W index for urban wage earners. According to Lowndes, that adjusted rate will be published and will take effect on January 1, 2028, and the same process will repeat every year after that.
This shift from fixed raises to inflation indexing is a major change for workers and budgets alike. Instead of a guaranteed $1 each year, future increases will depend on how fast prices rise, so the size of each raise could be larger or smaller than in recent years. Employers will also move to a January 1 effective date rather than September 30 from 2028 onward.
That means the $15 rate should stay in place for roughly 15 months. The law firm also notes that if the federal minimum wage ever rises above Florida's rate, the higher federal figure would apply.
How does Florida compare with other states?
OnPay reports that 34 states plus Washington, D.C., set minimum wages above the federal $7.25. Regionally, Florida's rate is well above Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee and South Carolina, which follow the federal minimum, though it remains below Washington, D.C.'s $17.50.
The increase is not without debate. OnPay points out that during the 2026 legislative session, House Bill 221 would have allowed employees to choose to waive the state minimum while in an internship, a pre-apprenticeship program or on-the-job training. According to OnPay, that bill died in committee in March 2026.
How are workers and businesses reacting?
Views in Sarasota reflected the wider cost-of-living debate. Rachel Hammond, a manager at Evelyn & Arthur in Sarasota, told WWSB that the extra dollar is a meaningful boost for staff, though she felt the minimum wage is not keeping pace with rising costs. A local resident told the station he worried that higher wages could lead businesses to raise prices further.
What employers must do now
Employment attorneys at Lowndes and payroll provider OnPay highlight several compliance steps:
Update payroll systems so every hour worked from September 30, 2026, is paid at the new rates.
Replace the required minimum wage poster with the current version and display it where employees can easily see it.
Give tipped employees the federally required tip credit notice reflecting the new rate by September 30, 2026. From 2028, the notice must be provided on or before each January 1 when the adjusted rate takes effect.
Keep accurate records of time worked, pay and taxes.
What this means for you
If you work in Florida and earn at or near the minimum, check your first pay stub covering hours on or after September 30. Your hourly rate should be at least $15, or at least $11.98 in cash wages if you are a tipped worker, with total earnings including tips reaching $15 an hour.
If your pay has not changed, raise it with your manager or HR team first and keep copies of your pay stubs and schedules. Job seekers comparing offers should treat $15 as the legal floor in Florida and use it as a baseline when negotiating, particularly for entry-level roles in retail, hospitality and food service, where many workers earn close to the minimum.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum wage in Florida in 2026?
Florida's minimum wage is $15 an hour as of September 30, 2026. Before that date it was $14 an hour.
What is the tipped minimum wage in Florida?
Tipped employees must receive at least $11.98 an hour in cash wages. Employers can apply a $3.02 tip credit, but cash wages plus tips must reach at least $15 an hour.
Will Florida's minimum wage go up in 2027?
No scheduled raise is set for 2027. The state will calculate an inflation-adjusted rate on September 30, 2027, based on the CPI-W, and that new rate takes effect on January 1, 2028.
Why is Florida's minimum wage $15?
Florida voters approved a constitutional amendment in 2020 that raised the minimum wage to $10 in September 2021 and by $1 each year after that. The schedule reached $15 on September 30, 2026.
How does Florida's minimum wage compare to the federal minimum?
Florida's $15 rate is more than double the federal minimum wage of $7.25. If the federal minimum ever exceeds Florida's rate, the higher federal rate would apply.
Sources
Published September 30, 2026. This article was compiled from the sources listed above with AI-assisted writing and automated fact-checking. We update stories when new verified information becomes available.