Florida raises Minimum Wage to $15 by 2026
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Voters in Florida approved a plan in 2020 to gradually increase the state’s minimum wage, and on September 30, 2026, it will reach $15 per hour.
The change will affect workers in industries like restaurants, hotels, supermarkets, and cleaning services, many of whom are Hispanic residents in cities like Miami and Orlando. This isn’t a new decision but the final step in a plan added to the state constitution after a 2020 election.
Starting September 30, 2026, employees who do not receive tips will earn at least $15 for each hour worked. Tipped workers, such as servers and bartenders, will have a direct minimum wage of $11.98 per hour, with tips making up the rest to reach $15. After 2026, wage increases will be tied to the rate of inflation rather than automatic $1 increases. The constitutional reform ordered increases of $1 each September 30 until the $15 per hour rate is reached.
Someone working 40 hours a week could earn nearly $2,080 more per year before taxes with this increase, assuming they maintain the same hours. Employers must apply the new rate to all hours worked in Florida, as long as the employee is covered by state and federal laws. After reaching $15 in 2026, Florida will calculate future adjustments based on inflation starting September 30, 2027, using the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers.
This means future raises will depend on inflation and won’t be fixed at $1 increments. Florida’s minimum wage will then be more than double the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour.
