California’s minimum wage landscape continues to evolve two times each year. The statewide rate will rise to $16.90 per hour for all employers on January 1, 2026. Many cities and counties enforce local minimum wage ordinances that exceed that rate.
To keep track of interim updates, see the UC Berkeley Center for Labor Research and Education.
| City or County | Minimum Wage Rate |
| Alameda (effective July 1, 2025) | $17.46 |
| Belmont | $18.95 |
| Berkeley (effective July 1, 2025) | $19.18 |
| Burlingame | $17.86 |
| Cupertino | $18.70 |
| Daly City | $17.50 |
| East Palo Alto | $17.90 |
| El Cerrito | $18.82 |
| Emeryville (effective July 1, 2025) | $19.90 |
| Foster City | $17.85 |
| Fremont (effective July 1, 2025) | $17.75 |
| Half Moon Bay | $17.91 |
| Hayward | $16.90 (25 or fewer employees) and |
| $17.79 (26 or more employees) | |
| Los Altos | $18.70 |
| Los Angeles City (effective July 1, 2025) | $17.87 |
| Los Angeles County (Unincorporated Areas) ( effective July 1, 2025) | $17.81 |
| Malibu (effective July 1, 2025) | $17.27 |
| Menlo Park | $17.55 |
| Milpitas (effective July 1, 2025) | $18.20 |
| Mountain View | $19.70 |
| Novato | $16.90 (25 or fewer employees) |
| $17.46 (26-99 employees) | |
| $17.73 (100+ employees) | |
| Oakland | $17.34 |
| Palo Alto | $18.70 |
| Pasadena (effective July 1, 2025) | $18.04 |
| Petaluma | $18.31 |
| Redwood City | $18.65 |
| Richmond | $19.18 |
| San Carlos | $17.75 |
| San Diego | $17.75 |
| San Francisco City and County (effective July 1, 2025) | $19.18 |
| San Jose | $18.45 |
| San Mateo | $18.60 |
| San Mateo County (Unincorporated areas) | $17.95 |
| Santa Clara | $18.70 |
| Santa Monica (effective July 1, 2025) | $17.81 |
| Santa Rosa | $18.21 |
| Sonoma | $17.38 (25 or fewer employees) |
| $18.47 (26+ employees) | |
| South San Francisco | $18.15 |
| Sunnyvale | $19.50 |
| West Hollywood | $20.25 |
For employers with remote employees in multiple jurisdictions, different minimum wage rates may apply based on each worker’s location. To streamline compliance, some employers choose to pay the highest applicable minimum wage across all locations.
Covered employers are required to conspicuously post the applicable wage notice(s), available by the links above.
See also:
- Find Out What’s New in 2026 For a Happi(er) New Year – Annual Virtual Seminar for Employers (November, 2025)
- Team Building Foundation – Workplace Policy Handbook & Forms for 2026(October 2025)
- California New Minimum Wage Rates Take Effect in July (June 19, 2025)
Helena Kobrin
Daniska Coronado
December 19, 2025