Federal: Davis-Bacon and Related Acts
The Davis-Bacon Act requires prevailing wages and fringes on federal construction contracts over $2,000, and about 70 Related Acts extend the same rules to federally assisted work (HUD, FHWA, EPA, USDA and similar funding). Wage determinations are published on SAM.gov by county and construction type (building, heavy, highway, residential) and are locked into the contract at bid. Contractors file certified payroll weekly (WH-347 or equivalent), and under CWHSSA hours over 40 in a week are paid at 1.5 times the basic hourly rate on contracts over $100,000. Where a state prevailing wage law also applies, both laws apply and the higher rate for each classification governs.
Federal wage determinations: SAM.gov Wage Determinations. Price the crew with the crew cost calculator and read how to read a Davis-Bacon wage determination.
State by State
| State | State law | Threshold | Rate source | What changes the bid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama AL | No state law | n/a | Davis-Bacon only (SAM.gov) | No state law. Davis-Bacon applies on federal and federally funded work. |
| Alaska AK | State law: Little Davis-Bacon Act (AS 36.05) | $25,000 | Alaska Dept. of Labor and Workforce Development, Labor Standards and Safety Division (Wage and Hour) | Statewide (not county) rates in Pamphlet 600, reissued twice a year (effective about April 1 and Sept 1). Notice of Work filing with 1% fee (max $5,000); certified payroll filed with the state. |
| Arizona AZ | No state law | n/a | Davis-Bacon only (SAM.gov) | No state law (voters repealed it in 1984). ARS 34-321 bars cities and counties from imposing their own prevailing wage. Davis-Bacon applies on federally funded work. |
| Arkansas AR | No state law | n/a | Davis-Bacon only (SAM.gov) | No state law. Arkansas repealed its prevailing wage act in 2017 (Act 1068). Davis-Bacon applies on federal and federally funded work. |
| California CA | State law: Labor Code secs. 1720-1861 | $1,000 | Dept. of Industrial Relations (DIR): Office of the Director - Research determines rates; DLSE enforces | Rates by craft and locality; general determinations issued Feb 22 and Aug 22. DIR public works contractor registration and electronic certified payroll (eCPR) required. Daily OT over 8 hours; apprentice ratio 1:5. |
| Colorado CO | State law: CRS 24-92-201 et seq. (SB 19-196) | $500,000 (state agency contracts only) | Colorado Dept. of Labor and Employment, Division of Labor Standards and Statistics (rates published by DPA Office of the State Architect) | State agency projects only (not CDOT, local governments or federally funded work), effective July 1, 2021. Davis-Bacon rates used through 2021; state-published annual rates since 2022. Apprentice rules on $1M+ MEP work. |
| Connecticut CT | State law: CGS sec. 31-53 et seq. | $1,000,000 (new construction); $100,000 (remodeling/alteration) | Connecticut Dept. of Labor, Wage and Workplace Standards Division | DOL issues a rate schedule for each project at bid time (building, heavy/highway, residential by town). Rates adjust each July 1 per union agreements. Certified payroll filed monthly with the contracting agency. |
| Delaware DE | State law: 29 Del. C. sec. 6960 | $500,000 (new construction); $45,000 (alteration/repair) | Delaware Dept. of Labor, Division of Industrial Affairs, Office of Construction Industry Enforcement | Rates set by annual survey for each county (New Castle, Kent, Sussex) and project type (building, heavy, highway); new rates issued each March. Sworn payroll reports required weekly. |
| District of Columbia DC | No state law | n/a | Davis-Bacon only (SAM.gov) | No separate DC law. The federal Davis-Bacon Act covers District government construction contracts over $2,000 by its own terms (SAM.gov rates). DC Living Wage Act applies to $100,000+ contracts. |
| Florida FL | No state law | n/a | Davis-Bacon only (SAM.gov) | No state law (repealed 1979), and state law preempts local wage mandates on contractors. Davis-Bacon applies on federal and federally funded work. |
| Georgia GA | No state law | n/a | Davis-Bacon only (SAM.gov) | No state law. Davis-Bacon applies on federal and federally funded work. |
| Hawaii HI | State law: HRS Chapter 104 | $2,000 | Hawaii Dept. of Labor and Industrial Relations, Wage Standards Division | Statewide Wage Rate Schedule bulletin issued twice a year (about February and September). OT at 1.5x after 8 hours a day and on weekends/holidays; certified payroll to the contracting agency. |
| Idaho ID | No state law | n/a | Davis-Bacon only (SAM.gov) | No state law (repealed 1985). Davis-Bacon applies on federal and federally funded work. |
| Illinois IL | State law: Prevailing Wage Act (820 ILCS 130) | None (all public works) | Illinois Dept. of Labor, Conciliation and Mediation Division | County rate schedules set by IDOL from union agreements and revised several times a year. Certified payroll filed monthly through the IDOL portal. Also reaches some federally funded work not covered by Davis-Bacon. |
| Indiana IN | No state law | n/a | Davis-Bacon only (SAM.gov) | No state law. Indiana repealed its Common Construction Wage law effective July 1, 2015. Davis-Bacon applies on federal and federally funded work. |
| Iowa IA | No state law | n/a | Davis-Bacon only (SAM.gov) | No state law. Davis-Bacon applies on federal and federally funded work. |
| Kansas KS | No state law | n/a | Davis-Bacon only (SAM.gov) | No state law (repealed 1987). Davis-Bacon applies on federal and federally funded work. |
| Kentucky KY | No state law | n/a | Davis-Bacon only (SAM.gov) | No state law. Kentucky repealed its prevailing wage law in 2017 (HB 3). Davis-Bacon applies on federal and federally funded work. |
| Louisiana LA | No state law | n/a | Davis-Bacon only (SAM.gov) | No state law (repealed 1988). Davis-Bacon applies on federal and federally funded work. |
| Maine ME | State law: 26 MRSA secs. 1301-1315 | $50,000 (state-funded construction) | Maine Dept. of Labor, Bureau of Labor Standards | Applies to state-funded projects including state-aided school construction. Rates set annually by county from a state wage survey and published each January; projects use the rates in effect at bid. |
| Maryland MD | State law: State Finance and Procurement Art. secs. 17-201 to 17-227 | $250,000 (any state funds if a state agency contracts; 25% or more state funds for local/school projects) | Maryland Dept. of Labor, Division of Labor and Industry, Prevailing Wage Unit | Rates issued per project by county for building and highway work and hold for one year; annual survey each fall. Weekly certified payroll filed online with the state; apprentice rules apply. |
| Massachusetts MA | State law: MGL c. 149 secs. 26-27H | None (all public works) | Massachusetts Dept. of Labor Standards (DLS) | Awarding authority requests a project-specific rate sheet from DLS before bid; sheets must be refreshed annually on multi-year jobs. Weekly certified payroll to the awarding authority; OSHA 10 required. |
| Michigan MI | State law: Prevailing Wages on State Projects Act (Public Act 10 of 2023) | None (state-funded or state-sponsored projects) | Michigan Dept. of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO), Wage and Hour Division | Repealed 2018, reinstated effective Feb 13, 2024. Rate schedules issued per project from union agreements. 2024 amendments (eff. April 2025) add LEO contractor registration, payroll filing to LEO, 2 MW+ energy projects. |
| Minnesota MN | State law: Minn. Stat. secs. 177.41-177.44 | $2,500 (single trade); $25,000 (multiple trades) | Minnesota Dept. of Labor and Industry, Labor Standards (MnDOT for highway/heavy) | Certified county rates set annually for commercial and highway/heavy work. Highway/heavy rates administered through MnDOT. Certified payroll to the contracting agency; OT after 8 hours a day or 40 a week. |
| Mississippi MS | No state law | n/a | Davis-Bacon only (SAM.gov) | No state law. Davis-Bacon applies on federal and federally funded work. |
| Missouri MO | State law: RSMo secs. 290.210-290.340 | $75,000 | Missouri Dept. of Labor and Industrial Relations, Division of Labor Standards | Threshold set by 2018 reform (HB 1729). Annual Wage Order by county issued by July 1 each year. Where fewer than 1,000 hours are reported for a trade, a public works contracting minimum wage applies instead. |
| Montana MT | State law: MCA 18-2-401 et seq. | $25,000 | Montana Dept. of Labor and Industry, Employment Relations Division, Labor Standards Bureau | Rates set annually by district for building, heavy, highway and nonconstruction services. 50% Montana-resident labor requirement; certified payroll and job-site posting required. |
| Nebraska NE | No state law | n/a | Davis-Bacon only (SAM.gov) | No operative state law. Neb. Rev. Stat. 73-101 to 73-106 only require bidders to certify 'fair labor standards'; no state agency sets rates. Davis-Bacon applies on federally funded work. |
| Nevada NV | State law: NRS 338.010-338.090 | $100,000 | Office of the Labor Commissioner (Nevada Dept. of Business and Industry) | Rates set by county from an annual survey, effective Oct 1 each year. Threshold lowered from $250,000 to $100,000 in 2019 (AB 136). OT after 8 hours a day or 40 a week; certified payroll monthly to the awarding body. |
| New Hampshire NH | No state law | n/a | Davis-Bacon only (SAM.gov) | No state law (repealed 1985). Davis-Bacon applies on federal and federally funded work. |
| New Jersey NJ | State law: Prevailing Wage Act (NJSA 34:11-56.25 et seq.) | $2,000 (state, county, school boards, authorities); $19,375 (municipal, adjusted periodically) | New Jersey Dept. of Labor and Workforce Development, Division of Wage and Hour Compliance | County rates track union agreements and update as contracts change. Public Works Contractor Registration required to bid. Municipal threshold rose to $19,375 on July 1, 2024. Certified payroll to the public body. |
| New Mexico NM | State law: Public Works Minimum Wage Act (NMSA 13-4-10 to 13-4-17) | $60,000 | New Mexico Dept. of Workforce Solutions, Labor Relations Division | Rates set annually by district for building, residential, highway and heavy work from union agreements; a wage decision is issued for each project. Contractors register with DWS; certified payroll filed weekly. |
| New York NY | State law: Labor Law Article 8 (sec. 220) | None (all public work) | New York State Dept. of Labor, Bureau of Public Work and Prevailing Wage Enforcement | County rate schedules issued July 1 each year from union agreements; NYC has its own schedule via the Comptroller. OT after 8 hours a day. Since 2022, also covers private projects over $5M with 30%+ public funding. |
| North Carolina NC | No state law | n/a | Davis-Bacon only (SAM.gov) | No state law. Davis-Bacon applies on federal and federally funded work. |
| North Dakota ND | No state law | n/a | Davis-Bacon only (SAM.gov) | No state law. Davis-Bacon applies on federal and federally funded work. |
| Ohio OH | State law: ORC 4115.03-4115.16 | $250,000 (new building); $75,000 (building reconstruction); roads/bridges/sewers $101,201 new / $30,320 reconstruction (2026) | Ohio Dept. of Commerce, Bureau of Wage and Hour Administration | County rates track union agreements and change as they do; road thresholds adjust every two years. School district projects are exempt. Certified payroll to the public authority's prevailing wage coordinator. |
| Oklahoma OK | No state law | n/a | Davis-Bacon only (SAM.gov) | No enforceable state law; the Oklahoma Supreme Court struck down the state act in 1995. Davis-Bacon applies on federal and federally funded work. |
| Oregon OR | State law: ORS 279C.800-279C.870 | $50,000 | Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI), Prevailing Wage Rate Unit | Regional rate booklets published Jan 1 and July 1 with quarterly amendments. On federally funded jobs the higher of state or Davis-Bacon rate applies. 1% BOLI fee on contracts; weekly certified payroll. |
| Pennsylvania PA | State law: Pennsylvania Prevailing Wage Act (43 P.S. 165-1 et seq.) | $25,000 | Pennsylvania Dept. of Labor and Industry, Bureau of Labor Law Compliance | Threshold unchanged since 1961. Public body requests a project-specific rate determination before bid; rates follow union agreements by county. Maintenance work excluded. Payroll records kept and furnished on request. |
| Rhode Island RI | State law: RIGL 37-13 | $1,000 | Rhode Island Dept. of Labor and Training (DLT) | Statewide rates follow union agreements and adjust each July 1. Contract addendum and certified payroll to the awarding authority; apprentice and OT rules per the rate schedule. |
| South Carolina SC | No state law | n/a | Davis-Bacon only (SAM.gov) | No state law. Davis-Bacon applies on federal and federally funded work. |
| South Dakota SD | No state law | n/a | Davis-Bacon only (SAM.gov) | No state law. Davis-Bacon applies on federal and federally funded work. |
| Tennessee TN | State law: Prevailing Wage Act for State Highway Construction Projects (TCA 12-4-401 et seq.) | $50,000 (state highway construction only) | Tennessee Dept. of Labor and Workforce Development, Prevailing Wage Commission | Covers only TDOT/state highway construction; building construction was removed from the act in 2013. Statewide highway rates set annually by the Prevailing Wage Commission. |
| Texas TX | State law: Texas Government Code Chapter 2258 | None | Each contracting public body (no central state agency) | No state-issued rates: each public body sets rates by its own survey or by adopting the current Davis-Bacon determination and includes them in bid documents. Penalty of $60 per worker per day for underpayment. |
| Utah UT | No state law | n/a | Davis-Bacon only (SAM.gov) | No state law (repealed 1981). Davis-Bacon applies on federal and federally funded work only. |
| Vermont VT | State law: 29 VSA sec. 161 | $100,000 (state construction); $200,000 (capital projects 50%+ state-funded) | Vermont Dept. of Labor (rates) / Agency of Administration (compliance) | Not union-based: rate is the statewide mean wage from the Vermont DOL occupational wage survey plus a 42.5% fringe adder, updated annually. Applies to state projects only, not municipal work. |
| Virginia VA | State law: Va. Code sec. 2.2-4321.3 | $250,000 (state agencies; localities only if they adopt an ordinance) | Virginia Dept. of Labor and Industry (DOLI) | Effective May 1, 2021. Rates have followed Davis-Bacon determinations; 2026 amendments have DOLI survey rates every 3 years (never below Davis-Bacon) and add public universities on $5M+ contracts after July 1, 2027. |
| Washington WA | State law: RCW 39.12 | None (all public works) | Washington State Dept. of Labor and Industries (L&I), Prevailing Wage Program | County rates from union agreements or surveys, updated twice a year. Statement of Intent and Affidavit of Wages Paid filed with L&I; weekly certified payroll via L&I portal. 15% apprentice use on state jobs over $1M. |
| West Virginia WV | No state law | n/a | Davis-Bacon only (SAM.gov) | No state law. West Virginia repealed its prevailing wage act in 2016 (SB 1). Davis-Bacon applies on federal and federally funded work. |
| Wisconsin WI | No state law | n/a | Davis-Bacon only (SAM.gov) | No state law. Repealed for local projects effective Jan 1, 2017 and for state projects in Sept 2017 (2017 Act 59). Davis-Bacon applies on federal and federally funded work. |
| Wyoming WY | State law: W.S. 27-4-401 to 27-4-413 | $100,000 | Wyoming Dept. of Workforce Services, Labor Standards Division | Rates set annually by state survey of contractors and unions (building, heavy, highway); threshold raised from $25,000 to $100,000. OT at 1.5x over 40 hours; apprentices paid 60-90% of journey rate. |
Thresholds, agencies, and rules change by statute and by agency action. Confirmed against official sources as of October 2026. Always confirm in the solicitation and with the awarding agency before bid. Where no state law exists, Davis-Bacon applies to federal and federally assisted work only.
Common Questions
Which states do not have a prevailing wage law?
As of October 2026, 22 of the 50 states have no state prevailing wage law for state-funded public works, including Utah, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. In those states prevailing wage applies only where federal money or a federal contract brings Davis-Bacon with it. Confirm the funding source on every job; a city project with a federal grant is still a Davis-Bacon job.
Does Utah have prevailing wage?
No. Utah has no state prevailing wage law. Prevailing wage applies in Utah only on federal contracts and federally assisted projects under the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts, using the Utah county wage determinations published on SAM.gov.
Does Nevada have prevailing wage?
Yes. Nevada public works over the statutory threshold are covered by NRS 338. The Labor Commissioner publishes rates by county each year, Nevada public works carry daily overtime after 8 hours, and certified payroll goes to the awarding body. Federally funded Nevada projects carry Davis-Bacon as well, and the higher rate for each classification governs.
What happens when both federal and state rates apply?
Both laws apply at the same time. For each classification you pay the higher of the two rates, you file both sets of certified payroll, and you follow the stricter overtime rule. Build the crew cost on the higher rate for every classification, not on whichever law has the higher rates overall.
Where do I get the federal wage determination?
On SAM.gov under Wage Determinations. Search by state, county, and construction type (building, heavy, highway, or residential). The determination in the bid documents is the one that governs; the modification published 10 or more days before bid opening applies to a sealed bid.