Prevailing wage laws by state
Federal Davis-Bacon rules cover federal construction everywhere, and federally funded construction where the funding law requires them. Many states add a law of their own for state and local public works. Each state page gives the law, the contract threshold, the agency, where the rates are published, certified payroll and registration, with the official source and the date it was checked.
How prevailing wage works by state
Federal work: Davis-Bacon
Federal Davis-Bacon labor standards apply in every state to contracts over $2,000 for public buildings and public works, and to construction financed with federal funds under a law that requires Davis-Bacon (the Related Acts). Certified payroll on that work is filed weekly.
State laws
29 states have a prevailing wage law of their own in force for public construction. 14 repealed theirs or saw it struck down, and 7 have never had one. In the District of Columbia, Davis-Bacon itself covers District contracts.
Contract thresholds
A state law applies from a contract size it sets. The lowest is $1,000 (California and Rhode Island), the highest $1,000,000 (Connecticut); 8 states set no dollar threshold, and 11 states set other amounts for some kinds of work or owners.
Certified payroll
How often contractors file under a state law: monthly (8 states), weekly (6 states), not routinely, only kept for inspection or produced on request (5 states), within set days after each pay period (4 states), at least monthly (2 states), every two weeks (1 state), every 30 days (1 state) and not confirmed (2 states). Where it is filed, with the awarding body or a state portal, is on each state page.
Registration before you bid
Some states require a registration, a license or a prequalification before a contractor bids on or works on public works. Each state page says what applies there, where a source confirms it.
Prevailing wage at a glance
The state law, its threshold and how often certified payroll is filed. Select a state for the details and sources.
| State | State law | Threshold | Certified payroll |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | No state lawEnded 1980 | Does not apply | Does not apply |
| Alaska | In forceAS 36.05 | Over $25,000 | Every two weeks |
| Arizona | No state lawEnded 1984 | Does not apply | Does not apply |
| Arkansas | No state lawEnded 2017 | Does not apply | Does not apply |
| California | In forceCal. Labor Code §§ 1720-1861 | Over $1,000Other amounts for some work | At least monthly |
| Colorado | In forceC.R.S. § 24-92-201 et seq. (Senate Bill 19-196) | $500,000 or more | Weekly |
| Connecticut | In forceConn. Gen. Stat. § 31-53 | $1,000,000 or moreOther amounts for some work | Monthly |
| Delaware | In force29 Del. C. § 6960 | Over $500,000Other amounts for some work | Weekly |
| District of Columbia | In force40 U.S.C. § 3142 (Davis-Bacon Act) | Over $2,000 | Weekly |
| Florida | No state lawEnded 1979 | Does not apply | Does not apply |
| Georgia | No state law | Does not apply | Does not apply |
| Hawaii | In forceHaw. Rev. Stat. chapter 104 | Over $2,000 | Weekly |
| Idaho | No state lawEnded 1985 | Does not apply | Does not apply |
| Illinois | In force820 ILCS 130 (Prevailing Wage Act) | No dollar threshold | Monthly |
| Indiana | No state lawEnded 2015 | Does not apply | Does not apply |
| Iowa | No state law | Does not apply | Does not apply |
| Kansas | No state lawEnded 1987 | Does not apply | Does not apply |
| Kentucky | No state lawEnded 2017 | Does not apply | Does not apply |
| Louisiana | No state lawEnded 1988 | Does not apply | Does not apply |
| Maine | In force26 M.R.S. §§ 1304-1315 | $50,000 or more | Monthly |
| Maryland | In forceMd. Code, State Fin. & Proc. §§ 17-201 to 17-226 | $250,000 or moreOther amounts for some work | After each pay period |
| Massachusetts | In forceM.G.L. c. 149, §§ 26-27H | No dollar threshold | Weekly |
| Michigan | In forceMCL 408.1101 to 408.1126 (2023 Public Act 10) | No dollar threshold | After each pay period |
| Minnesota | In forceMinn. Stat. §§ 177.41-177.44 | $25,000 or moreOther amounts for some work | After each pay period |
| Mississippi | No state law | Does not apply | Does not apply |
| Missouri | In forceRSMo §§ 290.210-290.340 | Over $75,000 | Kept for inspection, not filed routinely |
| Montana | In forceMCA 18-2-401 to 18-2-432 | Over $25,000 | Kept for inspection, not filed routinely |
| Nebraska | In forceNeb. Rev. Stat. 73-102 to 73-104 | No dollar threshold | Not confirmed |
| Nevada | In forceNRS 338.010 to 338.090 | $100,000 or more | Monthly |
| New Hampshire | No state lawEnded 1985 | Does not apply | Does not apply |
| New Jersey | In forceN.J.S.A. 34:11-56.25 et seq. | $2,000Other amounts for some work | After each pay period |
| New Mexico | In forceNMSA 1978 § 13-4-11 et seq. | Over $60,000 | Monthly |
| New York | In forceN.Y. Labor Law art. 8 (§ 220 et seq.) | No dollar threshold | Every 30 days |
| North Carolina | No state law | Does not apply | Does not apply |
| North Dakota | No state law | Does not apply | Does not apply |
| Ohio | In forceOhio Rev. Code 4115.03 to 4115.16 | Over $250,000Other amounts for some work | MonthlyWeekly on contracts of four months or less |
| Oklahoma | No state lawEnded 1995 | Does not apply | Does not apply |
| Oregon | In forceORS 279C.800 to 279C.870 | Over $50,000Other amounts for some work | Monthly |
| Pennsylvania | In forcePennsylvania Prevailing Wage Act (Act of 1961, No. 442); 34 Pa. Code ch. 9 | Over $25,000Other amounts for some work | Weekly |
| Rhode Island | In forceR.I. Gen. Laws ch. 37-13 | Over $1,000 | Monthly |
| South Carolina | No state law | Does not apply | Does not apply |
| South Dakota | No state law | Does not apply | Does not apply |
| Tennessee | In forceTenn. Code Ann. §§ 12-4-401 to 12-4-415 | No dollar threshold | Weekly |
| Texas | In forceTex. Gov't Code ch. 2258 | No dollar threshold | Kept for inspection, not filed routinely |
| Utah | No state lawEnded 1981 | Does not apply | Does not apply |
| Vermont | In force29 V.S.A. § 161(b) | Over $100,000Other amounts for some work | Not confirmed |
| Virginia | In forceVa. Code § 2.2-4321.3 | Over $250,000Other amounts for some work | Kept for inspection, not filed routinely |
| Washington | In forceRCW 39.12 | No dollar threshold | At least monthly |
| West Virginia | No state lawEnded 2016 | Does not apply | Does not apply |
| Wisconsin | No state lawEnded 2017 | Does not apply | Does not apply |
| Wyoming | In forceW.S. 27-4-401 to 27-4-413 | $100,000 or more | Kept for inspection, not filed routinely |
Not confirmed: no official source settled it on the check date, so none is shown.
Tools and definitions
WORKLIO HCM
Prevailing wage and certified payroll in Worklio HCM
Set up prevailing wage rates by project, location and classification: your team assigns each worker's classification and apprentice step, and payroll applies the rates. Fringe benefits are calculated as cash or plan contributions, union dues and benefit packages are deducted with remittance reports by local, apprentices are paid at progressive rates by level, and WH-347 certified payroll reports carry job costing segments. Workers' comp class codes are set per job and employee. Union, prevailing wage, and certified payroll is available as an add-on to any plan.
See the union, prevailing wage, and certified payroll add-on
Sources
The statute, agency page or federal rule behind each fact, as checked.
- 29 CFR 5.5, Contract provisions and related matters (opens in a new tab), checked October 6, 2026
- U.S. Department of Labor, Dollar Threshold Amount for Contract Coverage Under State Prevailing Wage Laws (opens in a new tab), checked October 6, 2026
- Indiana General Assembly, 2015 Session, House Bill 1019 (opens in a new tab), checked October 6, 2026
- Kentucky General Assembly, 2017 Regular Session, HB 3 (opens in a new tab), read from an archived copy dated June 12, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- West Virginia Legislature, 2016 Regular Session, HB 4005 (opens in a new tab), checked October 6, 2026
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm current requirements with the relevant agency or your advisor. You remain responsible for paying the required rates and filing on time.