The District of Columbia is not a state, but its overtime rule mirrors the federal FLSA: 1.5 times pay after 40 hours a week, no daily overtime. The minimum wage is $18.40 from July 1 2026, the highest in the nation. Enter your rate and hours for a DC paycheck estimate.
Rules verified November 2026 · Sources: U.S. Department of Labor and DC Department of Employment Services
By Mudassir Khan
DC Minimum Wage Act, weekly 40 hour test. Each workweek stands alone.
DC wage claims carry a 3 year statute of limitations. Estimates only. Not tax, legal, or payroll advice. Confirm with your employer or a qualified professional.
DC's Minimum Wage Act requires 1.5 times the regular rate for hours over 40 in a workweek, the same weekly test as federal law, with no daily overtime.
The minimum wage rose from $17.95 to $18.40 on July 1, 2026, indexed to the Washington area consumer price index every July 1. Tipped workers get a $10.30 cash wage under Initiative 82.
Complaints to the Office of Wage claims must come within 3 years, and successful claims can win treble damages plus attorney fees.
Gross = (40 × rate) + (hours over 40 × rate × 1.5)
| Rule | District of Columbia |
|---|---|
| Overtime rule | DC Minimum Wage Act mirrors the FLSA: 1.5 times pay after 40 hours in a workweek |
| Minimum wage 2026 | $18.40 from July 1, 2026 ($17.95 before; indexed each July 1; tipped cash wage $10.30) |
| State income tax | Graduated, up to 10.75% (DC income tax) |
| Claim agency | DC Department of Employment Services, Office of Wage-Hour |
| Claim deadline | 3 years (DC Code §32-1308.01) |
| Worker | Math | Gross |
|---|---|---|
| $18.40/hr, 48 hours | $736 + 8 × $27.60 | $956.80 |
| $22/hr, 52 hours | $880 + 12 × $33 | $1,276.00 |
| $30/hr, 46 hours | $1,200 + 6 × $45 | $1,470.00 |
| $18.40/hr, 40 hours in four 10 hour days | 40 × $18.40, no overtime | $736.00 |
Example 4 is the DC trap: the same four 10 hour days would earn 8 overtime hours in California. In DC they earn none, because only the weekly 40 hour line counts.
Not a state, same math. The District of Columbia is a federal district, not a state, but its overtime rule works exactly like the federal weekly test. Do not look for a state labor department; the DC Department of Employment Services runs wage enforcement here.
Treble damages and wage theft protections. DC law allows liquidated damages of three times unpaid wages plus attorney fees, and employers face criminal penalties for willful violations. The Wage Theft Prevention Act also freezes the 3 year clock when employers skip required wage notices.
The July inflation adjustment. Unlike most states that move in January, DC's minimum wage adjusts every July 1 with the Washington area CPI. Budget midyear, not just at New Year.
DC’s Mid Atlantic neighbors use the same weekly overtime test: our Delaware overtime calculator, West Virginia overtime calculator, and Pennsylvania overtime calculator show the math across the region. The federal baseline is explained in the FLSA overtime rules guide.
DC's Minimum Wage Act mirrors the federal rule: 1.5 times the regular rate for hours over 40 in a workweek, for nonexempt employees, with no daily overtime. The result is the same weekly test as the FLSA.
$18.40 an hour from July 1, 2026, up from $17.95. The rate is indexed to the Washington area consumer price index every July 1. The tipped cash wage is $10.30 an hour.
With the Office of Wage and Hour Division of the DC Department of Employment Services, or with the Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor, or in court. DC wage claims carry a 3 year statute of limitations.
No. The District of Columbia is a federal district, not a state. Its own Minimum Wage Act sets the rules, mirroring the FLSA weekly test.
Yes. DC has a graduated income tax up to 10.75%, so overtime pay is taxed by the District on top of federal income tax plus Social Security and Medicare taxes.
Yes, if nonexempt. A salary alone does not remove overtime rights in DC. Only employees who pass the exempt duties and salary tests can be denied overtime pay.
Rates and rules checked against these sources in November 2026.
Want the same math without the DC framing? Use the overtime pay calculator. Curious what the no tax on overtime deduction does to a DC paycheck? Try the deduction calculator; it trims the federal bite on the overtime premium.