Bellingham minimum wage

$19.13 an hour since January 1, 2026. That's $2.00 above the Washington rate of $17.13.

Who it covers: All employers, for all hours worked by employees within Bellingham city limits (Initiative 2023-01, BMC Chapter 6.07). The city rate is set at $2.00 above the Washington State minimum wage each January 1.

From	Hourly rate	Tipped cash wage	Official source
January 1, 2026	$19.13	$19.13 (no tip credit)	cob.org checked 2026-10-26

Changes not announced yet

January 1, 2027: By city rule the rate is $2.00 above the state minimum wage, which is $17.73 for 2027, so it should be $19.73. The city says it sets the rate within two weeks of the state announcement (September 30) but had not posted the 2027 figure as of 2026-10-26. The city page blocks scripts, so the monthly check watches L&I's local rates page, which lists Bellingham. (lni.wa.gov)

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

Good to know

Washington allows no tip credit, so tipped workers get the full rate.
The initiative is silent on minors; the city says only a court can settle whether minors may be paid less, so the safe course is the full city rate.
The original rate took effect May 1, 2024.

Get an email when the Bellingham 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 Bellingham rate apply at an address?

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

Get the Bellingham 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=WA&city=Bellingham" \
  -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 Bellingham in 2027?

The 2027 rate isn't announced yet (By city rule the rate is $2.00 above the state minimum wage, which is $17.73 for 2027, so it should be $19.73. The city says it sets the rate within two weeks of the state announcement (September 30) but had not posted the 2027 figure as of 2026-10-26. The city page blocks scripts, so the monthly check watches L&I's local rates page, which lists Bellingham.). Until then it's $19.13 an hour.

Who does the Bellingham minimum wage cover?

All employers, for all hours worked by employees within Bellingham city limits (Initiative 2023-01, BMC Chapter 6.07). The city rate is set at $2.00 above the Washington State minimum wage each January 1.

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.