Washington prevailing wage law
Whether Washington 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 Washington at a glance
- State prevailing wage law
- In forceRCW 39.12
- Contract threshold
- No dollar threshold
- Certified payroll
- At least monthly
- Federal work
- Davis-Bacon, over $2,000
Washington prevailing wage rules
- The law
- Washington requires prevailing wages on public works of the state, counties, municipalities and political subdivisions, with no dollar threshold (RCW 39.12).Source: Revised Code of Washington Chapter 39.12, Prevailing Wages on Public Works (opens in a new tab), checked October 6, 2026
- Who it covers
- Construction, reconstruction, maintenance or repair of any public work to which the state, a county, municipality or political subdivision is a party (RCW 39.12.030).Source: Revised Code of Washington Chapter 39.12, Prevailing Wages on Public Works (opens in a new tab), checked October 6, 2026
- Threshold
- No dollar threshold. On projects of $5,000 or less the awarding agency may take the Statement of Intent directly and the Affidavit of Wages Paid after acceptance (RCW 39.12.040(2)); L&I offers a combined Intent/Affidavit form for them ($5,000 or less, including tax).Source: Revised Code of Washington Chapter 39.12, Prevailing Wages on Public Works (opens in a new tab), checked October 6, 2026
- Agency
- Washington Department of Labor & Industries, Prevailing Wage (opens in a new tab)Source: Washington Department of Labor & Industries, Public Works Projects (opens in a new tab), checked October 6, 2026
- Rates
- Rate determinations (opens in a new tab)L&I's prevailing wage rate lookup, by county and trade (journey level and apprentice rates).Source: Washington Department of Labor & Industries, Public Works Projects (opens in a new tab), checked October 6, 2026
- Certified payroll
- L&I online system (Intents, Affidavits and certified payroll) (opens in a new tab)Each contractor, subcontractor or employer files a copy of its certified payroll records through L&I's online system at least once per month (RCW 39.12.120(2)); an approved Statement of Intent to Pay Prevailing Wages comes first and an Affidavit of Wages Paid at the end (RCW 39.12.040).Filed with: Washington Department of Labor & Industries.Source: Revised Code of Washington Chapter 39.12, Prevailing Wages on Public Works (opens in a new tab), checked October 6, 2026
- Registration
- To bid on public works, prime contractors and subcontractors must be responsible bidders: currently registered or licensed as a contractor with L&I, and trained in public works and prevailing wage law unless they have 3 years in business and 3 public works projects (RCW 39.04.350); the Statement of Intent on contracts over $10,000 carries the registration number (RCW 39.12.040).Source: Washington Department of Labor & Industries, Public Works Projects (opens in a new tab), checked October 6, 2026
Federally funded work in Washington
On a project whose federal funding carries Davis-Bacon, the federal rules apply whatever the state law says. Whether Washington'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 Washington 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
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Sources
The statute, agency page or federal rule behind each fact, as checked.
- Revised Code of Washington Chapter 39.12, Prevailing Wages on Public Works (opens in a new tab), checked October 6, 2026
- Washington Department of Labor & Industries, Public Works 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.