Idaho Minimum Wage 2026
The minimum wage in Idaho is $7.25 per hour in 2026, effective July 24, 2009. Tipped employees can be paid a cash wage of $3.35 per hour, as long as tips bring them to the full minimum.
What is the minimum wage in Idaho in 2026?
The Idaho minimum wage is $7.25 per hour in 2026. State law ties Idaho's rate directly to the federal minimum, so it has tracked the federal $7.25 since July 24, 2009 and will only move if Congress moves first.
Idaho's floor looks especially low next door to its western neighbors. Washington pays $17.13 per hour and Oregon's rates are also in double digits, which pulls hourly workers across the border and forces Idaho employers in Boise, Coeur d'Alene, and the Treasure Valley to compete on pay regardless of what the law requires.
Tipped minimum wage in Idaho
Idaho sets its own tipped minimum wage at $3.35 per hour, noticeably higher than the federal $2.13. Employers can take a tip credit of up to $3.90, but tips plus the cash wage must total at least $7.25 per hour for the workweek.
The $3.35 base means Idaho servers start from a stronger cash wage than tipped workers in most federal-rate states. Employers still carry the same obligation: if weekly tips fall short of closing the gap to $7.25, payroll must make up the rest, so reconcile tip reports every pay period.
Idaho minimum wage history: 2020 to 2026
| Year | Minimum wage | Tipped wage |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | $7.25 | $3.35 |
| 2021 | $7.25 | $3.35 |
| 2022 | $7.25 | $3.35 |
| 2023 | $7.25 | $3.35 |
| 2024 | $7.25 | $3.35 |
| 2025 | $7.25 | $3.35 |
| 2026 | $7.25 | $3.35 |
Upcoming minimum wage increases in Idaho
No increase is scheduled. Because Idaho statute links the state minimum to the federal rate, the Legislature would have to break that link and set a higher number, or Congress would have to raise $7.25 nationally.
Minimum wage bills surface in the Idaho Legislature most sessions but rarely get hearings. The more immediate pressure on Idaho employers is geographic: with Washington above $17.00, wage competition along the western border does what legislation has not.
Minimum wage by city in Idaho
A 2016 Idaho preemption law prohibits cities and counties from adopting their own minimum wages, so $7.25 is the uniform legal floor statewide, from Boise to Idaho Falls.
Uniform on paper does not mean uniform in practice. In Coeur d'Alene, a short drive from Washington's $17.13 market, and in fast-growing Boise and Meridian, advertised starting wages for retail and food service routinely double the legal minimum.
Legal floor; rapid population growth keeps actual starting wages well higher
Same federal-linked rate; one of the fastest-growing labor markets in the state
Federal-linked rate; INL and healthcare employers set the local pay pace
Floor is $7.25, but nearby Washington's $17.13 forces competitive offers
What Idaho employers need to know
Training wage for minors
Idaho allows a training wage of $4.25 per hour for employees under 20 during their first 90 consecutive calendar days of employment. After 90 days, or when the worker turns 20, the full $7.25 applies.
Tipped employees
Pay at least $3.35 per hour in cash wages, Idaho's own tipped rate, and confirm weekly that tips bring each employee to $7.25. The allowable tip credit is capped at $3.90 per hour.
Overtime
Idaho defers to the FLSA for overtime: 1.5x the regular rate beyond 40 hours in a workweek. There are no state-level daily overtime or premium pay rules.
Posting and records
Post the federal minimum wage notice and keep standard payroll records. Wage claims can be filed with the Idaho Department of Labor, which enforces the state minimum wage statute.
How other states compare
See how Idaho's $7.25 rate stacks up against other state minimum wages in 2026, or browse the full minimum wage index for all 50 states.
Last verified:
Sources: the US Department of Labor's state minimum wage table and official announcements from the Idaho labor department. Minimum wage laws change frequently; confirm current rates with those sources or legal counsel before setting pay.
Hiring hourly workers in Idaho?
Post your job for free.
Hirex helps you post jobs, screen applicants, and hire faster in one dashboard, so staying compliant on pay is the only hard part you handle alone. No credit card needed.
