California prevailing wage
California prevailing wage vs Davis-Bacon
California has a state prevailing-wage law. Review the statewide coverage reference, source date, and what a project-specific Davis-Bacon comparison must verify.
Calculadora · sin correo
Price a California crew from your own determination
Type the base rate and fringe from the determination that governs your contract. Nothing is sent anywhere and no email is required — the arithmetic runs in your browser. Numbers below start from a worked example so you can see the shape of the answer before typing anything.
Arithmetic on the figures you entered. It does not look up, supply, or validate a California rate, and it does not decide which schedule governs.
Overtime assumption. The premium is applied to the base wage only and the fringe stays at 1× per hour worked. That is the usual Davis-Bacon treatment, but the contract clauses and the applicable state rule control. Verify the determination and modification incorporated into your contract before you bid or pay.
Coverage demand
Need a real California county model?
Two fields: your work email and the county. That is enough to queue the jurisdiction. This request helps prioritize reviewed source coverage; it does not promise a delivery date or provide a payable rate.
Does California have a prevailing wage law?
Yes. California has a statewide prevailing-wage regime for at least some public work. Exact coverage can be narrower than that classification and depends on the awarding body, funding, project type, value, locality, and dates.
Coverage threshold
The federal DOL threshold table used for this reference was last revised January 1, 2023. It lists $1,000 as the reference coverage amount or rule. California Labor Code section 1771.5 provides higher labor-compliance-program thresholds in specified circumstances, so the $1,000 baseline is not the whole coverage test. Treat this as a screening reference and verify the current state source and bid package before relying on it.
How to compare Davis-Bacon and California requirements
Federal and state prevailing-wage requirements can overlap, but a state-level page cannot identify one controlling schedule for a specific project. Compare the incorporated federal determination and the applicable state or local schedule craft by craft for estimating, then verify coverage, classifications, fringe treatment, overtime, apprentices, dates, and contract clauses with the awarding agency or qualified adviser.
Guardrail
This page is a state law-and-threshold reference for California, not a rate calculator or official determination. The interactive comparison on WhichWageWins currently covers only Los Angeles County, California and five sample crafts. Verify the incorporated contract determination and current state or local sources before bidding or paying workers.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Does California have a prevailing wage law in 2026?
Yes. California has a statewide prevailing-wage regime for at least some public work, but project coverage must be verified against the current official state source and bid package.
What is the California prevailing wage coverage threshold?
The federal DOL threshold table used for this reference was last revised January 1, 2023. It lists $1,000 as the reference coverage amount or rule. California Labor Code section 1771.5 provides higher labor-compliance-program thresholds in specified circumstances, so the $1,000 baseline is not the whole coverage test. Treat this as a screening reference and verify the current state source and bid package before relying on it.
Does Davis-Bacon or California prevailing wage govern when both apply?
Federal and state prevailing-wage requirements can overlap, but a state-level page cannot identify one controlling schedule for a specific project. Compare the incorporated federal determination and the applicable state or local schedule craft by craft for estimating, then verify coverage, classifications, fringe treatment, overtime, apprentices, dates, and contract clauses with the awarding agency or qualified adviser.
Official sources