Delaware prevailing wage law
Whether Delaware 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.
Prevailing wage in Delaware at a glance
- State prevailing wage law
- In force29 Del. C. § 6960
- Contract threshold
- Over $500,000Other amounts for some work
- Certified payroll
- Weekly
- Federal work
- Davis-Bacon, over $2,000
Delaware prevailing wage rules
- The law
- Delaware requires prevailing wages on state-funded public works over $500,000 for new construction or over $45,000 for alteration, repair, renovation, rehabilitation, demolition or reconstruction (29 Del. C. § 6960).Source: Delaware Code Title 29, § 6960 (opens in a new tab), checked October 6, 2026
- Who it covers
- Public works contracts to which the State or any subdivision is a party and for which the State appropriated any part of the funds; not Department of Transportation projects wholly funded by Community Transportation Funds or projects wholly funded by the Municipal Street Aid Program (29 Del. C. § 6960(a), (m)).Source: Delaware Code Title 29, § 6960 (opens in a new tab), checked October 6, 2026
- Threshold
- Applies to a contract or aggregate of contracts in excess of $500,000 for new construction, or in excess of $45,000 for alteration, repair, renovation, rehabilitation, demolition or reconstruction (29 Del. C. § 6960(a)).Source: Delaware Code Title 29, § 6960 (opens in a new tab), checked October 6, 2026
- Agency
- Delaware Department of Labor, Division of Industrial Affairs, Office of Construction Enforcement (opens in a new tab)Source: Delaware Department of Labor, Division of Industrial Affairs, Construction Enforcement (opens in a new tab), checked October 6, 2026
- Rates
- Rate determinations (opens in a new tab)The Department of Labor sets the rates by county (29 Del. C. § 6960(a)); certified rates for a project are requested with the department's Certified Prevailing Wage Rates Request Form.Source: Delaware Department of Labor, Division of Industrial Affairs, Construction Enforcement (opens in a new tab), checked October 6, 2026
- Certified payroll
- Every contract requires sworn payroll information, as the Department of Labor requires, to be furnished weekly; the department keeps it for 6 months (29 Del. C. § 6960(c)). The department's Certified Payroll Report Form is on its Construction Enforcement page.Filed with: Delaware Department of Labor.Source: Delaware Code Title 29, § 6960 (opens in a new tab), checked October 6, 2026
- Registration
- Delaware One Stop, Contractor Registration (opens in a new tab)Every contractor needs a Delaware Contractor Registration Certificate, applied for through Delaware OneStop, before performing any construction or maintenance work in the state, public or private; the Department of Labor's Office of Construction Enforcement administers it.Source: Delaware Department of Labor, Division of Industrial Affairs, Construction Enforcement (opens in a new tab), checked October 6, 2026
Federally funded work in Delaware
On a project whose federal funding carries Davis-Bacon, the federal rules apply whatever the state law says. Whether Delaware'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 Delaware 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
Prevailing wage in other states
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Sources
The statute, agency page or federal rule behind each fact, as checked.
- Delaware Code Title 29, § 6960 (opens in a new tab), checked October 6, 2026
- Delaware Department of Labor, Division of Industrial Affairs, Construction Enforcement (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.