Short answer: As of November 2026, Florida's minimum wage is $15.00 an hour ($11.98 cash wage for eligible tipped employees), the final step of the increases approved by voters in 2020. Florida has no overtime law of its own, no meal or rest break requirement for adults and no state pay-frequency or final-paycheck deadline, so federal FLSA rules fill most of the gaps. The main state-specific rules cover the minimum wage, minors' hours and breaks, and limits on local labor ordinances.
EZTime labor rule alerts flag overtime and missed rest periods before payroll.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Laws change; check your state labor department or an employment attorney before making decisions.
Florida looks simple next to states like New York or California, but the minimum wage has changed every September since 2021, and child labor rules are detailed. This guide walks through what Florida employers of hourly staff need to know, with links to the official sources.
In November 2020, Florida voters approved an amendment to Article X, Section 24 of the Florida Constitution (often called Amendment 2). It raised the minimum wage to $10.00 on September 30, 2021, and by $1.00 every September 30 after that until it reached $15.00 on September 30, 2026.
| Effective date | Minimum wage | Tipped employee cash wage |
|---|---|---|
| September 30, 2025 to September 29, 2026 | $14.00 per hour | $10.98 per hour |
| From September 30, 2026 (current as of November 2026) | $15.00 per hour | $11.98 per hour |
| Next change | Annual inflation adjustment (CPI-W), first calculated on September 30, 2027 | |
The 2025 rates come from the state's official Minimum Wage in Florida notice, which also confirms the $15.00 rate on September 30, 2026, and that inflation adjustments resume in 2027. The U.S. Department of Labor's consolidated state minimum wage table listed Florida at $14.00 before the September 2026 step.
About the next increase: under the constitution, starting September 30, 2027, the state calculates an adjusted rate each year using the CPI-W, and the constitutional text says each adjusted rate is published and takes effect the following January 1. The exact 2027 figure is not known yet, so watch for FloridaCommerce's updated notice and plan payroll changes in advance.
Florida lets employers of tipped employees take a tip credit equal to the federal tip credit amount in 2003, which is $3.02. That is why the tipped cash wage is always $3.02 below the full minimum: $14.00 minus $3.02 was $10.98, and $15.00 minus $3.02 is $11.98. If tips do not bring an employee up to the full minimum wage for the workweek, the employer must make up the difference. Restaurants should track tips and hours together; our restaurant time tracking page shows how.
Under Section 448.110, Florida Statutes, only individuals entitled to the federal minimum wage under the FLSA are eligible for the Florida minimum wage. In practice, most non-exempt hourly employees qualify. Employers must also display the state minimum wage poster in a conspicuous place at each workplace.
Florida has no general state overtime law, so overtime follows the federal Fair Labor Standards Act: non-exempt employees must receive at least one and one-half times their regular rate for hours over 40 in a workweek, as the U.S. Department of Labor explains. There is no daily overtime, weekends and holidays do not trigger overtime on their own, and hours cannot be averaged across two weeks.
Remember that the higher Florida minimum wage raises the floor for overtime too: at $15.00 an hour, an overtime hour costs at least $22.50. For the details, see our FLSA overtime rules guide or run the numbers with the overtime calculator.
Florida does not require meal or rest breaks for employees 18 and older, and neither does federal law. If you choose to offer breaks, the federal rules apply: short breaks (usually 5 to 20 minutes) are paid work time, and meal periods of 30 minutes or more can be unpaid only if the employee is completely relieved from duty. Record actual breaks instead of using automatic meal deductions, which create unpaid work when someone eats at the register.
Section 450.081, Florida Statutes sets the hours minors may work and their meal breaks:
| Rule | Ages 15 and younger | Ages 16 and 17 |
|---|---|---|
| Meal break | At least 30 minutes after 4 continuous hours | Same rule on days they work 8 or more hours |
| Hours when school is in session | No work before 7 a.m. or after 7 p.m. before a school day; up to 15 hours per week; up to 3 hours on a school day (unless no school the next day) | No work before 6:30 a.m. or after 11 p.m. before a school day; up to 8 hours a day before a school day (except holidays and Sundays); up to 30 hours per week, which a parent or the school superintendent may waive on a state form |
| Holidays and summer | 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.; up to 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week | The school-day and school-week limits above do not apply |
| Days per week | No more than 6 consecutive days in any one week | |
Exemptions exist, for example for 16- and 17-year-olds who have graduated high school. Federal child labor rules also apply, and employers must follow whichever rule is stricter. If you schedule minors, block shifts outside these windows in your scheduling software rather than relying on memory.
Florida has no state law setting how often employees must be paid or when a final paycheck is due; the Department of Labor's state payday table lists Florida as having no payday requirements. Federal law does not require immediate final pay either, according to the DOL's last paycheck guidance, but wages, including overtime, should be paid on the regular payday for the period in which they were earned. Practical policy:
Florida has no statewide paid sick leave requirement for private employers. Section 218.077, Florida Statutes prevents cities and counties from requiring private employers to pay a local minimum wage or to provide employment benefits not required by state or federal law, including paid or unpaid sick leave, vacation and holidays. That makes Florida rules more uniform across locations than in many states. If you offer PTO anyway, our PTO accrual calculator helps you set accrual rates.
Under the required notice text in Section 448.109, Florida Statutes, an employee who has not received the minimum wage must notify the employer and give it 15 days to resolve the claim before filing a lawsuit, and employers found to have intentionally violated the minimum wage are subject to a $1,000 fine per violation. Your best defense is accurate records. Under the federal FLSA (Fact Sheet #21), payroll records must be kept for at least three years and time cards and work schedules for two.
Running teams in more than one state? Compare these rules with our Texas labor laws guide.
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As of November 2026, it is $15.00 per hour, effective September 30, 2026. Eligible tipped employees must receive at least $11.98 per hour in cash wages plus tips.
The scheduled $1.00 steps ended at $15.00. From September 30, 2027, the state calculates an annual inflation adjustment based on the CPI-W. Check FloridaCommerce for the published rate and its effective date.
No. Florida follows the federal rule: overtime is owed for hours over 40 in a workweek.
Not for adults. Minors must get a 30-minute meal break after 4 continuous hours (for 16- and 17-year-olds, on days they work 8 hours or more).
Florida has no specific final paycheck deadline. Paying final wages by the next regular payday is the safe and common practice.