Missouri prevailing wage law
Whether Missouri 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 Missouri at a glance
- State prevailing wage law
- In forceRSMo §§ 290.210-290.340
- Contract threshold
- Over $75,000
- Certified payroll
- Kept for inspection, not filed routinely
- Federal work
- Davis-Bacon, over $2,000
Missouri prevailing wage rules
- The law
- Missouri requires prevailing wages on public works construction over $75,000, excluding maintenance work (RSMo 290.210-290.340).Source: Revised Statutes of Missouri § 290.230 (opens in a new tab), checked October 6, 2026
- Who it covers
- Construction of public works (fixed works for public use or paid for wholly or partly with public funds) by or for any public body: the State, its officers, boards and commissions, any political subdivision, or any institution supported in whole or in part by public funds; not maintenance work, and not work for or by a drainage or levee district (RSMo 290.210, 290.230).Source: Revised Statutes of Missouri § 290.210 (opens in a new tab), checked October 6, 2026
- Threshold
- Does not apply where the engineer's estimate or the accepted bid for the total project cost is $75,000 or less; if a change order takes it over $75,000, the law applies to the part above $75,000 (RSMo 290.230).Source: Revised Statutes of Missouri § 290.230 (opens in a new tab), checked October 6, 2026
- Agency
- Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Division of Labor Standards (opens in a new tab)Source: Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Division of Labor Standards, Prevailing Wage (opens in a new tab), read from an archived copy dated September 26, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- Rates
- Rate determinations (opens in a new tab)The Annual Wage Order, released by July 1 each year, with rates by county and occupation; the public body requests the project's rates before advertising (RSMo 290.250).Source: Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Division of Labor Standards, Prevailing Wage (opens in a new tab), read from an archived copy dated September 26, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- Certified payroll
- No periodic certified payroll filing: contractors keep full payroll records open to inspection by the public body and the Department, and each contractor and subcontractor files an affidavit of compliance with the public body at completion, before final payment (RSMo 290.290).Source: Revised Statutes of Missouri § 290.290 (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 Missouri
On a project whose federal funding carries Davis-Bacon, the federal rules apply whatever the state law says. Whether Missouri'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 Missouri 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
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- 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.
- Revised Statutes of Missouri § 290.230 (opens in a new tab), checked October 6, 2026
- Revised Statutes of Missouri § 290.210 (opens in a new tab), checked October 6, 2026
- Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Division of Labor Standards, Prevailing Wage (opens in a new tab), read from an archived copy dated September 26, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- Revised Statutes of Missouri § 290.290 (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.