Florida’s minimum wage will rise from $14 to $15 an hour on Wednesday, September 30. The increase completes the series of annual $1 steps that Florida voters added to the state constitution through a 2020 ballot amendment.
Article X, Section 24 of the Florida Constitution raised the wage to $10 in September 2021 and required another $1 increase each September 30 until the rate reached $15 in 2026. For eligible tipped employees, the amendment preserves a $3.02 tip credit, making the minimum direct cash wage $11.98 when the $15 rate takes effect.
The U.S. Labor Department lists the federal minimum wage at $7.25 an hour. Its 2026 state table shows 20 states with a statutory minimum at or below that level, including five without a state minimum-wage law and two with state rates below the federal floor. Florida’s $15 rate is more than twice $7.25, but local laws, employer policies and federal coverage rules can result in higher pay for workers in those states.
After the $15 phase-in, Florida’s constitution changes the adjustment process. State officials are to calculate an inflation-based rate on September 30, 2027, with that adjusted rate taking effect January 1, 2028.
