South Carolina Minimum Wage 2026: $7.25 (Federal Rate Applies)
South Carolina has no state minimum wage law, so the federal $7.25 per hour applies to covered employers. Tipped cash wage is $2.13, local minimum wages are preempted, and no increase is scheduled.
South Carolina has no state minimum wage law. The minimum wage in South Carolina is therefore the federal rate of $7.25 per hour, which applies to employers and employees covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act, with a $2.13 tipped cash wage. The South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (LLR) enforces the state's Payment of Wages Act, which governs how and when wages are paid, but it does not set a wage floor. State law also bars cities and counties from adopting their own minimum wage.
- South Carolina is one of five states with no minimum wage statute; the federal $7.25 governs
- The FLSA covers most employers, but a small business outside federal coverage has no minimum wage obligation in the state
- Tipped cash wage is $2.13 with a $5.12 federal tip credit
- State law preempts local minimum wage ordinances
- LLR enforces wage payment rules such as pay notices and itemized statements, not the rate itself
Current South Carolina Minimum Wage
South Carolina, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee have no state minimum wage law. In those states the federal rate is the only minimum, and it binds only employers covered by the FLSA: any business with $500,000 or more in annual sales, any employee who engages in interstate commerce or handles goods that crossed state lines, and hospitals, schools and public agencies. A very small local business with no interstate activity can fall outside the federal law, and South Carolina provides no state backstop.
LLR's Office of Wages and Child Labor administers the South Carolina Payment of Wages Act. That law requires employers with five or more employees to notify employees in writing of their wages and hours at hire, to provide an itemized statement of gross pay and deductions each pay period, and to keep certain records. It does not contain a minimum wage, so wage-rate complaints go to the federal Wage and Hour Division.
South Carolina Minimum Wage vs Federal Minimum Wage
| Rate | Amount | Effective |
|---|---|---|
| South Carolina state minimum wage | None | No statute |
| Federal minimum wage (applies in South Carolina) | $7.25 per hour | July 24, 2009 |
| Federal tipped cash wage | $2.13 per hour | Unchanged since 1991 |
| Federal youth wage (under 20, first 90 days) | $4.25 per hour | 1996 |
South Carolina's neighbors are split. Georgia's $5.15 statute is overridden by the federal rate, and North Carolina's state law matches $7.25, so the whole region sits at the federal floor. Our minimum wage by state guide compares every state.
Tipped Minimum Wage in South Carolina
Federal tip credit rules apply. The US Department of Labor's tipped wage table lists South Carolina at a $2.13 cash wage with a maximum tip credit of $5.12. If tips plus $2.13 do not average $7.25 per hour over the workweek, the employer pays the difference. Employers must inform tipped employees of the tip credit in advance, may not keep employees' tips, and must follow the federal limits on non-tipped work. South Carolina has no additional state rules on tips, service charges or tip pooling.
South Carolina Minimum Wage Increase Schedule
South Carolina's effective minimum wage changes only with the federal rate.
| Effective date | Rate |
|---|---|
| July 24, 2007 | $5.85 |
| July 24, 2008 | $6.55 |
| July 24, 2009 | $7.25 |
| 2010 through 2026 | $7.25, no change |
No increase is scheduled. Bills to create a state minimum wage are filed in most sessions of the General Assembly and have not advanced, so employers should expect $7.25 until Congress acts.
Local Minimum Wages in South Carolina
A 2017 state law prohibits political subdivisions from requiring private employers to pay a minimum wage above the federal or state rate. Columbia, Charleston, Greenville and every other city and county follow $7.25 for private employers, so a single rate applies statewide. Local governments may set higher pay for their own employees and contractors.
Who Is Covered and Who Is Exempt
Coverage is a federal question. An employer is covered if it meets the $500,000 enterprise threshold or if the individual employee is engaged in interstate commerce, which includes routine activities like processing card payments and ordering out-of-state supplies. Within covered employers, the federal exemptions apply: bona fide executive, administrative and professional employees who meet the salary and duties tests, outside sales staff, some agricultural and seasonal workers, and others. Our guide to exempt vs non-exempt employees walks through the tests.
Overtime and the Minimum Wage
South Carolina has no state overtime law, so the federal rule governs: time and a half after 40 hours in a workweek for non-exempt employees, with no daily overtime. A minimum wage worker who works 45 hours earns 40 hours at $7.25 ($290.00) plus 5 overtime hours at $10.875 ($54.38), for $344.38 gross. Use our overtime calculator for any rate and see our guide to overtime pay laws by state.
What a Minimum Wage Worker Earns in South Carolina
| Period | Hours | Gross pay at $7.25 |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly | 40 | $290.00 |
| Biweekly | 80 | $580.00 |
| Monthly (average) | 173.33 | $1,256.64 |
| Annual | 2,080 | $15,080.00 |
These are gross figures before taxes and deductions; see our explainer on gross pay and the salary to hourly calculator.
Employer Compliance Checklist
- Determine whether the business or individual employees are covered by the FLSA; most are
- Pay covered non-exempt employees at least $7.25 per hour
- Pay tipped staff at least $2.13 in cash wages, provide the tip credit notice, and make up any weekly shortfall
- Apply federal overtime after 40 hours in a workweek
- Comply with the Payment of Wages Act: written notice of wages and hours at hire, itemized pay statements, and seven days' written notice before reducing a pay rate
- Post the federal FLSA poster and the South Carolina labor law abstract from LLR
- Keep accurate time records; a time card calculator or automatic time tracking meets the federal recordkeeping rules
Reviewed September 2026
South Carolina's position is taken from LLR's wage pages, and the federal rates from the US Department of Labor tables as of July 1, 2026. FLSA coverage depends on each business's facts; confirm with the Wage and Hour Division before treating any employee as uncovered.
Itemized pay statements start with accurate hours
HiveDesk tracks time automatically and produces payroll-ready timesheets that back up every South Carolina pay statement. $5/user/month, 14-day free trial.
How South Carolina Compares With Neighboring States
The Carolinas and Georgia all sit at the federal floor.
| State | Minimum wage (July 1, 2026) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | $7.25 | No state law; federal rate |
| North Carolina | $7.25 | State law matches federal |
| Georgia | $7.25 | State statute of $5.15 overridden by the federal rate |
Employers in Charlotte, Augusta and Savannah metros that cross state lines can apply one rate, though North Carolina adds its own wage payment and tip certification rules.
Common Minimum Wage Mistakes in South Carolina
- Assuming LLR will resolve a minimum wage complaint; the rate is enforced federally
- Skipping the written notice of wages and hours required at hire for employers with five or more employees
- Reducing a pay rate without seven days' written notice
- Treating a small business as exempt without checking individual employee coverage under the FLSA
- Failing to provide the federal tip credit notice
Payment of Wages Act Rules That Do Apply
While South Carolina has no wage floor, the Payment of Wages Act imposes rules that trip up employers who assume the state is hands-off. Employers with five or more employees must give each new hire written notice of the wage rate, the normal hours, the pay schedule and any deductions, and must give seven days' written notice before changing any of those terms downward. Every payday must come with an itemized statement of gross pay and deductions, and deductions are allowed only when required by law or authorized in writing by the employee. Final wages are due within 48 hours of separation or by the next regular payday, not to exceed 30 days. LLR investigates complaints and can pursue penalties, and employees may sue for up to three times the unpaid wages plus attorney fees. Accurate hours records make every one of these obligations easier to meet.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum wage in South Carolina in 2026?
$7.25 per hour under federal law. South Carolina has no state minimum wage statute.
Is South Carolina raising its minimum wage?
No. The rate changes only if Congress raises the federal minimum wage or the state passes its own law, and neither is scheduled.
Does every South Carolina employer have to pay $7.25?
Employers covered by the federal Fair Labor Standards Act must. Coverage is broad, and most businesses qualify, but a small business outside federal coverage has no minimum wage obligation in the state.
What is the tipped minimum wage in South Carolina?
$2.13 per hour in cash wages under federal rules, with tips making up the rest to $7.25.
Can Charleston or Columbia set a higher minimum wage?
No. State law bars local governments from requiring private employers to pay more than the federal or state minimum wage.
Who enforces minimum wage in South Carolina?
The US Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division. LLR enforces the Payment of Wages Act, which covers pay notices, statements and deductions rather than the rate.
Does South Carolina have a youth or training wage?
The federal youth wage of $4.25 for workers under 20 during their first 90 days applies to FLSA-covered employers.
How much does a full-time minimum wage worker earn in South Carolina per year?
$15,080 before taxes, based on 2,080 hours at $7.25 per hour.