Pennsylvania prevailing wage law
Whether Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania at a glance
- State prevailing wage law
- In forcePennsylvania Prevailing Wage Act (Act of 1961, No. 442); 34 Pa. Code ch. 9
- Contract threshold
- Over $25,000Other amounts for some work
- Certified payroll
- Weekly
- Federal work
- Davis-Bacon, over $2,000
Pennsylvania prevailing wage rules
- The law
- Pennsylvania's Prevailing Wage Act requires prevailing wages on public works over $25,000 paid for in whole or in part by a public body.Source: Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry, Prevailing Wage FAQs (opens in a new tab), checked October 6, 2026
- Who it covers
- Construction, reconstruction, demolition, alteration or repair (not maintenance) done under contract and paid for in whole or in part by a public body: the Commonwealth, its authorities and agencies, state and state-related universities, and political subdivisions including counties, municipalities and school districts; also private projects with any public financing.Source: Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry, Prevailing Wage FAQs (opens in a new tab), checked October 6, 2026
- Threshold
- Applies when the project's estimated total cost is over $25,000 (no splitting to stay under it); locally funded highway and bridge projects contracted after January 1, 2014 only when the total cost exceeds $100,000.Source: Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry, Prevailing Wage FAQs (opens in a new tab), checked October 6, 2026
- Agency
- Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry, Bureau of Labor Law Compliance (opens in a new tab)Source: Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry, Prevailing Wage (opens in a new tab), checked October 6, 2026
- Rates
- Rate determinations (opens in a new tab)L&I's prevailing wage rate determinations, requested or searched online by project; a new request is needed if the contract is not awarded within 120 days.Source: Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry, Prevailing Wage (opens in a new tab), checked October 6, 2026
- Certified payroll
- Contractors and subcontractors complete and submit weekly certified payrolls to the public body, which must require their weekly filing.Filed with: the public body.Source: Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry, Prevailing Wage FAQs (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 Pennsylvania
On a project whose federal funding carries Davis-Bacon, the federal rules apply whatever the state law says. Whether Pennsylvania'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 Pennsylvania 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
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- 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.
- Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry, Prevailing Wage FAQs (opens in a new tab), checked October 6, 2026
- Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry, Prevailing Wage (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.