Minimum wage - Colorado

Summary of differences between federal and state regulations

The federal minimum wage provisions are contained in the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Many states also have minimum wage laws. In cases where an employee is subject to both the state and federal minimum wage laws, the employee is entitled to the higher of the two minimum wages.

Employers have been allowed to pay tipped employees $3.02 less than the minimum wage required in the area. Effective January 1, 2026, local governments with a minimum wage higher than the state minimum wage may increase the standard tip credit of $3.02 to include the difference between the local and state standard minimum wages.

Effective January 1, 2026, the minimum wage for Colorado employees is $15.16 per hour ($12.14 for tipped employees).

Effective January 1, 2025, the minimum wage for Colorado employees is $14.81 per hour ($11.79 for tipped employees).

Effective January 1, 2024, the minimum wage for Colorado employees is $14.42 per hour ($11.40 for tipped employees).

Effective January 1, 2023, the minimum wage for Colorado employees is $13.65 per hour ($10.63 for tipped employees).

Beginning January 1, 2021, the rate will be increased annually as measured by the Consumer Price Index for the Boulder-Denver region.

As of January 1, 2020, employers that fail to properly pay wages and purposely neglect the state’s minimum wage laws may be dinged with wage theft violations that can rise to a felony level for amounts larger than $2,000.

State

Contact

Colorado Department of Labor and Employment – Minimum Wage

Regulations

Colorado Minimum Wage Order

www.colorado.gov/cdle/minimumwage

Federal

Contact

The Department of Labor is the federal agency that monitors hours worked.

Regulations

U.S. labor regulations for minimum wage can be found in CFR 29 Part 531 and FLSA.