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Denver, Colorado · OFFICIAL SOURCES & THRESHOLDS

Denver, Colorado
Minimum wage.

Check official requirements, employee thresholds, effective dates, and employer responsibilities for minimum wage.

Notice: General informational guidance, not legal advice. Read the full legal disclaimer. Federal, state, and municipal regulations operate concurrently.
Part of Colorado Employment Compliance

Municipal ordinances operate concurrently with state and federal labor laws.

Colorado Minimum wage → All Colorado Rules →

Separate Denver rules

Minimum wage · DenverChanged recently

Denver minimum wage

$19.29 per hour

The minimum wage in Denver is $19.29 per hour in 2026 under DRMC Section 58-16, enforced by Denver Labor in the Auditor's Office, per the City and County of Denver. Tipped food and beverage workers may be paid $16.27 per hour with a tip credit of up to $3.02.

Employee threshold: 0+ employees in Denver · All industries
Effective
Jan 1, 2026
Official source: City and County of Denver, Denver Labor (Auditor's Office) — Citywide Minimum Wage Last checked Nov 1, 2026
No expert reviewer assigned to this entry. General information, not legal advice.

Applicable state and federal rules

These are state or federal requirements that may also apply within Denver. Each entry remains labeled with its own jurisdiction and source.

Minimum wage · United StatesChanged recently

United States minimum wage

$7.25 per hour

The federal minimum wage under the Fair Labor Standards Act is $7.25 per hour, effective July 24, 2009. Where a state or local law sets a higher minimum wage, the employee is entitled to the higher rate (U.S. Department of Labor).

Employee threshold: 0+ employees in United States · All industries
Effective
Jul 24, 2009
Official source: U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division — Wages and the Fair Labor Standards Act Last checked Nov 1, 2026
No expert reviewer assigned to this entry. General information, not legal advice.
Minimum wage · ColoradoChanged recently

Colorado minimum wage

$15.16 per hour

The minimum wage in Colorado is $15.16 per hour, per the U.S. Department of Labor consolidated minimum wage table.

Employee threshold: 0+ employees in Colorado · All industries
Effective
Jan 1, 2026
Official source: U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division — Consolidated Minimum Wage Table Last checked Nov 1, 2026
No expert reviewer assigned to this entry. General information, not legal advice.

City, state, and federal: which rate wins?

The highest applicable minimum wage generally governs; coverage, industry, and employee headcount thresholds still matter. There is no single winning rate for every employer.

Compare every applicable layer in the threshold table below. Use the checker to filter by your business size and industry.

Thresholds, dates & upcoming changes

Jurisdiction / rule Requirement Employees / industry Effective / status Official source / last checked
United States
United States minimum wage 		$7.25 per hour 0–any employees
All industries 		Jul 24, 2009
Current 		U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division — Wages and the Fair Labor Standards Act
Checked Nov 1, 2026
Colorado
Colorado minimum wage 		$15.16 per hour 0–any employees
All industries 		Jan 1, 2026
Current 		U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division — Consolidated Minimum Wage Table
Checked Nov 1, 2026
Denver
Denver minimum wage 		$19.29 per hour 0–any employees
All industries 		Jan 1, 2026
Current 		City and County of Denver, Denver Labor (Auditor's Office) — Citywide Minimum Wage
Checked Nov 1, 2026
THE DATED RECORD

What changed in Denver, Colorado?

Denver · Minimum wage

Rule name changed from not previously published to Denver minimum wage. Summary changed from not previously published to The minimum wage in Denver is $19.29 per hour in 2026 under DRMC Section 58-16, enforced by Denver Labor in the Auditor's Office, per the City and County of Denver. Tipped food and beverage workers may be paid $16.27 per hour with a tip credit of up to $3.02.. Requirement changed from not previously published to $19.29 per hour. Numeric amount changed from not previously published to 19.29. Minimum employer size changed from not previously published to 0 employees. Effective date changed from not previously published to Jan 1, 2026. Publication status changed from not previously published to active. Industry coverage changed from not previously published to not published.

Source: City and County of Denver, Denver Labor (Auditor's Office) — Citywide Minimum Wage · Effective Jan 1, 2026 · Last checked Nov 1, 2026 · View current requirement →

United States · Minimum wage

Rule name changed from not previously published to United States minimum wage. Summary changed from not previously published to The federal minimum wage under the Fair Labor Standards Act is $7.25 per hour, effective July 24, 2009. Where a state or local law sets a higher minimum wage, the employee is entitled to the higher rate (U.S. Department of Labor).. Requirement changed from not previously published to $7.25 per hour. Numeric amount changed from not previously published to 7.25. Minimum employer size changed from not previously published to 0 employees. Effective date changed from not previously published to Jul 24, 2009. Publication status changed from not previously published to active. Industry coverage changed from not previously published to not published.

Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division — Wages and the Fair Labor Standards Act · Effective Jul 24, 2009 · Last checked Nov 1, 2026

Colorado · Minimum wage

Rule name changed from not previously published to Colorado minimum wage. Summary changed from not previously published to The minimum wage in Colorado is $15.16 per hour, per the U.S. Department of Labor consolidated minimum wage table.. Requirement changed from not previously published to $15.16 per hour. Numeric amount changed from not previously published to 15.16. Effective date changed from not previously published to Jan 1, 2026. Publication status changed from not previously published to active. Minimum employer size changed from not previously published to 0 employees. Industry coverage changed from not previously published to not published.

Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division — Consolidated Minimum Wage Table · Effective Jan 1, 2026 · Last checked Nov 1, 2026 · View current requirement →
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Questions employers ask about Minimum wage in Denver, Colorado

What is the United States minimum wage requirement for 0+ employees?

$7.25 per hour. The federal minimum wage under the Fair Labor Standards Act is $7.25 per hour, effective July 24, 2009. Where a state or local law sets a higher minimum wage, the employee is entitled to the higher rate (U.S. Department of Labor).

When did United States minimum wage take effect?

Effective July 24, 2009. Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division — Wages and the Fair Labor Standards Act. Last checked November 1, 2026.

Who must follow United States minimum wage?

Employers with 0 or more employees in United States across all industries.

What is the penalty for violating United States minimum wage?

No penalty information has been published in this entry. Consult the official source.

What is the Colorado minimum wage requirement for 0+ employees?

$15.16 per hour. The minimum wage in Colorado is $15.16 per hour, per the U.S. Department of Labor consolidated minimum wage table.

When did Colorado minimum wage take effect?

Effective January 1, 2026. Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division — Consolidated Minimum Wage Table. Last checked November 1, 2026.

Who must follow Colorado minimum wage?

Employers with 0 or more employees in Colorado across all industries.

What is the penalty for violating Colorado minimum wage?

No penalty information has been published in this entry. Consult the official source.

What is the Denver minimum wage requirement for 0+ employees?

$19.29 per hour. The minimum wage in Denver is $19.29 per hour in 2026 under DRMC Section 58-16, enforced by Denver Labor in the Auditor's Office, per the City and County of Denver. Tipped food and beverage workers may be paid $16.27 per hour with a tip credit of up to $3.02.

When did Denver minimum wage take effect?

Effective January 1, 2026. Source: City and County of Denver, Denver Labor (Auditor's Office) — Citywide Minimum Wage. Last checked November 1, 2026.

Who must follow Denver minimum wage?

Employers with 0 or more employees in Colorado across all industries.

What is the penalty for violating Denver minimum wage?

No penalty information has been published in this entry. Consult the official source.

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