Seattle minimum wage

$21.30 an hour since January 1, 2026, rising to $22.14 on January 1, 2027. That's $4.17 above the Washington rate of $17.13.

Who it covers: All employers, regardless of size, for employees working within Seattle city limits. Since January 1, 2025 there is a single rate for all employer sizes.

From	Hourly rate	Tipped cash wage	Official source
January 1, 2026	$21.30	$21.30 (no tip credit)	seattle.gov checked 2026-10-26
January 1, 2027 scheduled	$22.14	$22.14 (no tip credit)	seattle.gov checked 2026-10-26

Changes not announced yet

January 1, 2028: Annual inflation adjustment (Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue CPI-W). The Office of Labor Standards announces the next year's rate by the fall. (seattle.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: tips and service charges can't count toward the minimum wage, so tipped workers get the full rate.
Employees under 16 may be paid 85% of the Seattle rate, and student learners, apprentices and messengers with state and Seattle special certificates may be paid less (still above the state minimum). Subminimum wages for workers with disabilities aren't allowed.
Other Washington cities: L&I's September 30, 2026 release names Seattle, SeaTac, Tukwila, Renton, Bellingham, Everett, Burien and unincorporated King County as the places with their own minimum wage. We found no other Washington city with one taking effect by 2027.

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

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

Get the Seattle 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=Seattle" \
  -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 Seattle in 2027?

$22.14 an hour from January 1, 2027.

Who does the Seattle minimum wage cover?

All employers, regardless of size, for employees working within Seattle city limits. Since January 1, 2025 there is a single rate for all employer sizes.

When does the Seattle minimum wage go up next?

On January 1, 2027, to $22.14 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.