Santa Monica Minimum Wage (2026)
Local pay and leave rules for people who work in Santa Monica, California, with the official city source for each — plus the state rules that still apply.
Short answer: $18.47 per hour, effective July 1, 2026 (up from $17.81). The rate is adjusted each July 1. Santa Monica Minimum Wage Ordinance, Santa Monica Mun. Code ch. 4.62
| Local minimum wage | $18.47 per hour, effective July 1, 2026 (up from $17.81). The rate is adjusted each July 1. |
|---|---|
| California state minimum wage | $16.90 per hour for all employers, effective January 1, 2026. Higher minimum wages apply to fast food workers and certain health care workers, and many cities and counties have their own higher local minimum wage; employers must pay whichever rate is highest. Scheduled increase: the statewide minimum wage rises to $17.40 per hour on January 1, 2027 (DIR News Release 2026-66: https://www.dir.ca.gov/DIRNews/2026/2026-66.html). The rate is adjusted each year for inflation, capped at 3.5% per year, and cannot go down. |
| Paid sick leave (local law) | Employees accrue 1 hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked. Businesses with 26 or more employees must provide up to 72 hours; businesses with 25 or fewer must provide up to 40 hours. Employers may front-load the full amount at the start of the year instead. |
| Hotel worker minimum wage | Hotel workers must be paid at least $25.00 per hour from July 1, 2026, matching the City of Los Angeles hotel worker rate. Santa Monica does not impose Los Angeles's added health benefit requirement. |
California labor laws · Minimum wage by state · Overtime calculator
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.