PREVAILING WAGE

Colorado prevailing wage law

Whether Colorado requires prevailing wages on public construction, from what contract size, who sets the rates, and what contractors file. Each fact links its official source and the date it was checked.

Facts checked on October 6, 2026 against the official sources listed at the end of this page. For contractors and employers. General information, not legal advice: confirm the rules with the awarding body or the agency before you bid. Reviewed every year.

Prevailing wage in Colorado at a glance

State prevailing wage law: In forceC.R.S. § 24-92-201 et seq. (Senate Bill 19-196)
Contract threshold: $500,000 or more
Certified payroll: Weekly
Federal work: Davis-Bacon, over $2,000

Colorado prevailing wage rules

The law: Colorado requires prevailing wages on state public projects awarded for $500,000 or more that receive no federal funds (Senate Bill 19-196).Source: Colorado Office of the State Architect, Prevailing Wage and Apprenticeship (opens in a new tab), checked October 6, 2026
Who it covers: State public projects: construction, alteration, repair, demolition or improvement for a state agency, including work by a private party under a contract for one or more state agencies to rent, lease or buy at least 50% of the project (C.R.S. 24-92-201(5)). Not covered: projects with federal funds, Colorado Department of Transportation contracts, and work for cities, counties, school districts and special districts. Energy sector public works projects with bids or proposals invited on or after January 1, 2024 are covered too (C.R.S. 24-92-303), such as a project funded by the state and built by or for a public utility; their lead contractor submits certified payroll to the project owner every week.Source: Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, Division of Labor Standards and Statistics, INFO #13: Prevailing Wage and Apprenticeship Program Requirements for Public Projects (opens in a new tab), checked October 6, 2026
Threshold: Applies to any construction contract awarded for $500,000 or more; public projects of $1 million or more must also meet the apprenticeship utilization requirements of C.R.S. 24-92-115.Source: Colorado Office of the State Architect, Prevailing Wage and Apprenticeship (opens in a new tab), checked October 6, 2026
Agency: Colorado Department of Personnel & Administration, Office of the State Architect (CDLE investigates wage complaints) (opens in a new tab)Source: Colorado Office of the State Architect, Prevailing Wage and Apprenticeship (opens in a new tab), checked October 6, 2026
Rates: Rate determinations (opens in a new tab)Wage determinations published by the Office of the State Architect.Source: Colorado Office of the State Architect, Prevailing Wage and Apprenticeship (opens in a new tab), checked October 6, 2026
Certified payroll: Every contractor and subcontractor enters and certifies payroll in the state's online certified payroll system weekly while working on the project; the prime contractor approves subcontractor data and the agency or institution's project manager accepts or rejects the payrolls each month.Filed with: the state agency or institution's project manager, through the state's online certified payroll system.Source: Colorado Office of the State Architect, Prevailing Wage and Apprenticeship (opens in a new tab), checked October 6, 2026
Registration: Not confirmed

Not confirmed: no official source settled it on the check date, so none is shown.

Federally funded work in Colorado

On a project whose federal funding carries Davis-Bacon, the federal rules apply whatever the state law says. Whether Colorado's own law applies as well is in its coverage above: some state laws leave federally funded projects out.

Davis-Bacon: Federal Davis-Bacon labor standards apply to contracts over $2,000 for the construction, alteration or repair of public buildings or public works, or of work financed with federal funds under a law that requires Davis-Bacon, one of the Related Acts (29 CFR 5.5(a)).Source: 29 CFR 5.5, Contract provisions and related matters (opens in a new tab), checked October 6, 2026
Certified payroll: On Davis-Bacon work, each contractor and subcontractor submits certified payrolls weekly, for each week of covered work; the prime contractor is responsible for its subcontractors' payrolls (29 CFR 5.5(a)(3)(ii)(A)).Source: 29 CFR 5.5, Contract provisions and related matters (opens in a new tab), checked October 6, 2026

More for Colorado contractors

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

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Sources

The statute, agency page or federal rule behind each fact, as checked.

Colorado Office of the State Architect, Prevailing Wage and Apprenticeship (opens in a new tab), checked October 6, 2026
Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, Division of Labor Standards and Statistics, INFO #13: Prevailing Wage and Apprenticeship Program Requirements for Public Projects (opens in a new tab), checked October 6, 2026
29 CFR 5.5, Contract provisions and related matters (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.

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