El Cerrito minimum wage

$18.82 an hour since January 1, 2026, rising to $19.36 on January 1, 2027. That's $1.92 above the California rate of $16.90.

Who it covers: All employers regardless of size or where they are based, for hours worked within El Cerrito by employees (part-time or full-time) who work at least two hours a week there.

From	Hourly rate	Tipped cash wage	Official source
January 1, 2026	$18.82	$18.82 (no tip credit)	elcerrito.gov checked 2026-10-26
January 1, 2027 scheduled	$19.36	$19.36 (no tip credit)	elcerrito.gov checked 2026-10-26

Changes not announced yet

January 1, 2028: Annual January 1 increase using the August-to-August CPI change for San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward. The 2027 amount was published in the fall of 2026. (elcerrito.gov)

We add the amount as soon as it's published. The API returns these under pending_changes.

Good to know

Tips may not be counted toward the minimum wage.
The 2027 official notice is also posted: https://www.elcerrito.gov/DocumentCenter/View/24099/2027-EC---Minimum-Wage-Notice---English.
California's separate fast food and health care minimum wages still apply where they are higher.

Get an email when the El Cerrito minimum wage changes

One email when a new rate is announced, and a reminder a week before it takes effect. Free, and you can stop it in one click.

Does the El Cerrito rate apply at an address?

Live API, free for 50 lookups a day without an account. US street addresses.

Get the El Cerrito rate by API

One call returns the federal, state, county and city rates that apply at an address, the one that governs, the tipped cash wage and the next change, each with its official source.

curl "https://bankday.dev/v1/minimum-wage?state=CA&city=El%20Cerrito" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $BANKDAY_KEY"

API docs · Pricing · State rates are free. City and county rates by name start on the Developer plan, address lookups on the Business plan.

Questions

What is the minimum wage in El Cerrito in 2027?

$19.36 an hour from January 1, 2027.

Who does the El Cerrito minimum wage cover?

All employers regardless of size or where they are based, for hours worked within El Cerrito by employees (part-time or full-time) who work at least two hours a week there.

When does the El Cerrito minimum wage go up next?

On January 1, 2027, to $19.36 an hour.

Rates come from the official sources linked on this page, checked on the dates shown. This is data, not legal advice: confirm with the official source before relying on it. Found a mistake? Email hello@bankday.dev.