Minimum wage Virginia employers pay in 2026
Virginia employers must pay at least $12.77 an hour in 2026. The U.S. Department of Labor's state table, updated November 5, 2026, lists that rate[dol1], and the Code of Virginia fixes it from January 1, 2026 until January 1, 2027[code]. Virginia's Department of Labor and Industry announced the new rate in July 2025, effective January 1, 2026[doli].
| Year | Hourly minimum | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | $11.00 | US DOL history table |
| 2023 | $12.00 | US DOL history table |
| 2024 | $12.00 | US DOL history table |
| 2026 | $12.77 | US DOL state table |
| 2027 | $13.75 | Code of Virginia § 40.1-28.10(C) |
| 2028 | $15.00 | Code of Virginia § 40.1-28.10(D) |
The 2022–2024 rows come from the Labor Department's history of state rates[dol3]. Virginia's 2025 notice could not be loaded for this update, so 2025 is not shown.
Tipped employees in Virginia
A tipped employee in Virginia can be paid a cash wage of $2.13 an hour. The employer counts up to $10.64 an hour of tips toward the $12.77 minimum. Virginia treats a worker as tipped once they regularly receive more than $30 a month in tips[dol2].
The cash wage is the same $2.13 the federal law allows, but the tip credit is much larger because the state minimum is higher. Under the federal rules the lower cash wage can only be used when the employee keeps all tips and tips plus cash wages reach the minimum[dol4]. The Labor Department lists $12.77 as Virginia's combined cash-and-tip minimum, so in a slow week the employer has to add enough to bring the hourly total up to that figure[dol2].
For other workers the federal youth rule still applies to covered employers. They may pay $4.25 an hour to employees under 20 during their first 90 consecutive calendar days on the job[dol4]. Whether Virginia law allows that lower rate for a particular job is a separate question this page does not cover.
Virginia minimum wage 2027: $13.75 an hour
On January 1, 2027 Virginia's minimum wage rises 98 cents to $13.75 an hour, and on January 1, 2028 it reaches $15.00. Both steps are written into the Code of Virginia, § 40.1-28.10, as amended by the 2026 General Assembly (chapters 350 and 351, House Bill 1 and Senate Bill 1)[code][gov]. The Department of Labor and Industry's notice says employers must pay at least $12.77 until December 31, 2026 and at least $13.75 from January 1, 2027[doli27].
| Period | Hourly minimum | Full-time yearly (2,080 h) |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 1, 2026 – Dec 31, 2026 | $12.77 | $26,562 |
| Jan 1, 2027 – Dec 31, 2027 | $13.75 | $28,600 |
| Jan 1, 2028 – Dec 31, 2028 | $15.00 | $31,200 |
| From Jan 1, 2029 | $15.00 + yearly CPI-U change | Set by October 1 each year |
From 2029 the Commissioner of Labor and Industry adjusts the rate every year by the change in the U.S. CPI-U, announced by October 1 and effective the next January 1; the adjustment can never be negative[code]. At $13.75 a full-time worker earns $28,600 a year before tax, and a single filer would keep about $24,330 on the 2026 withholding tables (the 2027 federal tables are not out yet).
Overtime and full-time pay at $12.77
A full-time job at $12.77 an hour pays $26,562 a year before tax, or $510.80 for a 40-hour week. Hours over 40 in a workweek earn time and a half under the federal rule, which is $19.16 an hour at the Virginia minimum[flsa].
The calculator below includes Virginia income tax withholding, so the take-home figure is lower than in states without an income tax at the same hourly rate. Ten hours of overtime a week raises yearly gross pay by about $9,961; enter overtime hours in the calculator to see what reaches your paycheck.
Virginia minimum wage after taxes
A full-time job at $12.77 an hour is $26,562 a year before tax (2,080 hours). After federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Virginia withholding, a single worker keeps about $22,770, or $875.75 every two weeks. Change hours, overtime or W-4 details in the calculator below; for other pay levels use the Virginia paycheck calculator.
| Hours a week | Weekly gross | Yearly gross | Yearly take-home | Take-home per hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | $255.40 | $13,281 | $12,187 | $11.72 |
| 30 | $383.10 | $19,921 | $17,633 | $11.30 |
| 40 | $510.80 | $26,562 | $22,770 | $10.95 |
Take-home at minimum wage
Virginia minimum wage paycheck
Preset to $12.77 an hour, 40 hours a week, paid every two weeks.
Take-home pay$875.75every two weeks · $22,770 a year
| Item | Per paycheck | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Earnings | ||
| Gross pay | $1,021.60 | $26,561.60 |
| Taxes | ||
| Federal income tax | −$40.24 | −$1,046.16 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | −$63.34 | −$1,646.82 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | −$14.81 | −$385.14 |
| Virginia income tax | −$27.46 | −$713.96 |
| Total taxes | −$145.85 | −$3,792.08 |
| Net pay | $875.75 | $22,769.52 |
Taxes take 14.3% of gross pay in Virginia. Your top federal withholding bracket is 10%.
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Related pay tools
Overtime at the minimum wage is $19.16 an hour (time and a half): see the time and a half calculator. Add up shifts with the time card calculator, and compare states with the state tax calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum wage in Virginia in 2026?
$12.77 an hour, effective January 1, 2026. Tipped employees can be paid a $2.13 cash wage as long as tips bring them to $12.77.
Is the Virginia minimum wage going up in 2027?
Yes. It rises to $13.75 an hour on January 1, 2027 and to $15.00 on January 1, 2028, under Code of Virginia § 40.1-28.10 as amended in 2026. Yearly inflation adjustments start in 2029.
What is the tipped minimum wage in Virginia?
A cash wage of at least $2.13 an hour, with a tip credit of up to $10.64. If tips fall short, the employer must make up the difference to $12.77.
How much is $12.77 an hour a year after taxes in Virginia?
Full time is $26,562 a year before tax. A single filer with a standard 2026 W-4 keeps about $22,770 after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Virginia withholding.
Sources
- State Minimum Wage Laws
- Minimum Wages for Tipped Employees
- Changes in Basic Minimum Wages in Non-Farm Employment Under State Law, 1968 to 2024
- Minimum Wage: Frequently Asked Questions
- Virginia minimum wage rate increasing effective January 1, 2026
- Governor Spanberger signs bills to raise state minimum wage
- Code of Virginia § 40.1-28.10, Minimum wages (as amended by 2026 Acts cc. 350, 351)
- Virginia minimum wage increasing to $13.75 per hour on January 1, 2027 (home page notice)
- Overtime Pay (Fair Labor Standards Act)