Guides / Denver rules
Denver minimum wage for restaurants in 2026
Denver's minimum wage is $19.29 an hour in 2026. Tipped food and beverage workers can be paid a cash wage of $16.27 an hour, using a tip credit of up to $3.02, but only if tips make up the difference. Outside Denver, Colorado's statewide minimum is $15.16, or $12.14 for tipped workers.
- Denver: $19.29 an hour, effective January 1, 2026.
- Tipped food and beverage workers in Denver: at least $16.27 cash wage.
- Tip credit is capped at $3.02, and tips must cover it.
- Colorado statewide: $15.16, or $12.14 tipped.
- Denver adjusts the rate every January 1 based on inflation.
What is Denver's minimum wage in 2026?
Denver's citywide minimum wage is $19.29 an hour from January 1, 2026. It applies to work performed inside the City and County of Denver, regardless of where the business is based.
| Where | Standard minimum | Tipped food and beverage cash wage |
|---|---|---|
| City and County of Denver | $19.29 | $16.27 |
| Colorado statewide | $15.16 | $12.14 |
Some other Colorado cities set their own local minimum wage. Check the rate for the city where the work happens.
How does the tip credit work in Denver?
- You may pay tipped food and beverage workers as little as $16.27 an hour in cash wages.
- The tip credit is capped at $3.02 an hour.
- You can only take the credit if the worker actually receives at least that much in documented tips.
- If tips fall short in a workweek, you must make up the difference so the worker earns at least $19.29 an hour.
For the full rules on tip pools, service charges and card fees, see Colorado tip rules for restaurants.
Are there exceptions?
Denver allows employers to pay unemancipated minors in city-certified youth employment programs 15% less than the minimum wage. Most restaurant jobs do not fall under this exception.
What do employers have to post?
Denver employers must display the city's mandatory work site poster for 2026. Download it from the Denver Labor minimum wage page.
What are the penalties?
| Violation | Penalty |
|---|---|
| First violation | Up to $50 a day per underpaid employee, waived if a good-faith error is fixed within 30 days |
| Second or third in 3 years | $1,000 to $2,500, plus $10 to $75 a day per employee |
| Fourth or more in 3 years | $2,500 to $5,000, plus $50 to $100 a day per employee |
| False payroll records | $1,000 |
Back wages owed to workers are separate from these penalties.
Questions owners ask
Does Denver's minimum wage apply if my business is registered outside Denver?
It applies to work performed in Denver. If your restaurant is in Denver, the Denver rate applies.
When will Denver's minimum wage change next?
Denver adjusts the rate every January 1 based on inflation. The city announces the new rate late in the prior year.
Can I pay a tipped server $16.27 if tips are slow?
Only if tips bring their total to at least $19.29 an hour for the workweek. Otherwise you pay the difference.
Does the Denver rate apply to Aurora or Lakewood?
No. Those cities follow the Colorado statewide minimum unless they adopt their own.
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