San Mateo County (unincorporated) minimum wage

$17.95 an hour since January 1, 2026, rising to $18.58 on January 1, 2027. That's $1.05 above the California rate of $16.90.

Who it covers: All employers, wherever based, for employees who work at least two hours per week in unincorporated San Mateo County, for hours worked there. Doesn't apply inside incorporated cities. The owner's parent, spouse or child isn't covered.

From	Hourly rate	Tipped cash wage	Official source
January 1, 2026	$17.95	$17.95 (no tip credit)	smcgov.org checked 2026-10-26
January 1, 2027 scheduled	$18.58	$18.58 (no tip credit)	smcgov.org checked 2026-10-26

Changes not announced yet

January 1, 2028: Each January 1 the rate rises by the lesser of 3.5% or the CPI-W change. The county usually publishes the next year's rate in the fall (the 2027 rate was posted by October 2026). (smcgov.org)

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

Good to know

Learners may be paid 85% of the minimum wage for their first 160 hours of work.
Tips can't be credited toward the minimum wage. Meal and lodging credits are allowed only under strict conditions and within state limits.
Some unincorporated addresses carry a city name. The county's page links an address lookup tool.
California doesn't allow a tip credit, so tipped employees get the full rate.

Get an email when the San Mateo County (unincorporated) 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 San Mateo County (unincorporated) rate apply at an address?

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

Get the San Mateo County (unincorporated) 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=San%20Mateo%20County%20(unincorporated)" \
  -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 San Mateo County (unincorporated) in 2027?

$18.58 an hour from January 1, 2027.

Who does the San Mateo County (unincorporated) minimum wage cover?

All employers, wherever based, for employees who work at least two hours per week in unincorporated San Mateo County, for hours worked there. Doesn't apply inside incorporated cities. The owner's parent, spouse or child isn't covered.

When does the San Mateo County (unincorporated) minimum wage go up next?

On January 1, 2027, to $18.58 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.