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Prevailing Wage Laws by State
Last updated November 2026. Twenty-nine states and Washington, DC have their own prevailing wage laws that set minimum wages and fringe benefits on state and locally funded public construction. The other 21 states have no state law, but the federal Davis-Bacon Act still applies to federally funded construction projects over $2,000 in every state.
United States
Click a state to zoom in, then use the arrows to browse all 50 states and DC. Click the state again to return to the full map. States appearing dark blue on the map have their own prevailing wage laws that apply to state and local projects. The other states defer to the U.S. federal Davis-Bacon Act which sets prevailing wage standards for federally funded construction projects.
Zoomed in, open the info panel for state details.
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State-specific prevailing wage laws
State defers to federal Davis-Bacon Act
The information on eBacon's interactive prevailing wage map is provided for general informational purposes only. The accuracy or availability of the information is subject to periodic updates. Overtime (OT) and double time (DT) requirements may be subject to other rules which vary by state, or subject to contract funding. Information published here must be verified by relevant government agencies.
Maryland Prevailing Wage Law
State law
State law: $250,000 or more, with state funding
State law. Applies to public work contracts of $250,000 or more, including school construction, when (1) the state or a state instrumentality contracts and there is any state money, or (2) a political subdivision contracts and 25% or more of the construction money is state money. Also covers mechanical service contracts of $2,500 or more. Excluded: capital projects funded as local House or Senate initiatives in the state capital budget. If a project has $2,000+ of federal money it's a Davis-Bacon job and payrolls don't go to the state.
Details
| Statute | Md. Code, State Finance and Procurement §§ 17-201 to 17-226 (prevailing wage); §§ 17-601 to 17-606 (State Apprenticeship Training Fund). Regulations: COMAR 21.11.11. Separate rule for investor-owned underground gas and electric utility work: Public Utilities Article § 5-305.Source: SF&P § 17-202; Maryland DOL prevailing wage page. Last checked October 22, 2026. |
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| Dollar thresholds | $250,000 contract value, plus 25% state funding for local projects (both lowered from $500,000 and 50% by HB 37 / SB 35 of 2021, Chapters 57 and 58, for contracts executed on or after Oct 1, 2021; passed over the Governor's veto). Mechanical service contracts: $2,500. Apprenticeship contribution: work valued at $100,000 or more.Source: LegiScan HB 37 (2021) (mirror of legislature); Maryland DOL FAQ. Last checked October 22, 2026. |
| Administering agency | Maryland Department of Labor, Division of Labor and Industry, Prevailing Wage for State Funded Construction Unit. 10946 Golden W Drive, Suite 160, Hunt Valley, MD 21031; 410-767-2342. PUA § 5-305 claims go to the Employment Standards Service under the Wage Payment and Collection Law. Agency websiteSource: Maryland DOL prevailing wage page. Last checked October 22, 2026. |
| Where to get wage rates | Commissioner's wage determinations, building and highway (highway includes Davis-Bacon "heavy"), by county. The public body requests the determination before bidding. Annual survey Sept 1 to Oct 31; rates published about Dec 1 and in effect one year. The rate in effect when work begins stays for the whole project. A court-ordered increase to Heavy/Highway Laborer Group II in eight jurisdictions took effect Aug 1, 2026 for new determinations only.Source: Maryland DOL FAQ (Q20, Q47); Notice of Rate Adjustment (effective Aug 1, 2026). Last checked October 22, 2026. |
| Wages vs. fringes | Separate basic hourly rate and fringe rate; employer must pay the full total. Fringe credit computed on 2,080 annual hours. Excess fringe can be credited against the basic rate only up to 20% of the basic hourly rate. Payments required by law (FAMLI, Healthy Working Families Act leave, workers' comp) and perks like company vehicles or phones don't count. Self-funded plans accepted if U.S. DOL has approved them.Source: Maryland DOL FAQ (Q17, Q50, Q51, Q52). Last checked October 22, 2026. |
| Pay frequency | General Maryland rule (Lab. & Empl. § 3-502): regular pay periods, with pay at least every 2 weeks or twice a month. Administrative, executive and professional employees may be paid less often. Separately, prevailing wage payroll records go to the state within 14 days after each payroll period ends.Source: Lab. & Empl. § 3-502 (mgaleg.maryland.gov); DOL state payday requirements. Last checked October 22, 2026. |
| Overtime and double time | 1.5x for hours over 10 in a calendar day, over 40 in a workweek, and all hours on Sunday or a legal holiday (SF&P § 17-214). Overtime is based on the regular rate actually paid if higher than the determination. No double-time rule in the statute. PUA § 5-305 utility work doesn't use these rules; general Maryland overtime applies there.Source: SF&P § 17-214; Maryland DOL FAQ (Q49). Last checked October 22, 2026. |
| Certified payroll forms | State online certified payroll system (no paper form number). Submitted to the Commissioner within 14 days after the end of the payroll period. The prime certifies and submits subcontractors' payrolls. Records must show straight and overtime rates, classification, and the $0.25 apprenticeship contribution. Late records: $10 per calendar day in liquidated damages. Corrections are filed as "Amend"; nothing can be deleted.Source: Maryland DOL overview page; Instructions for contractors (wage determination attachment); Maryland DOL FAQ (Q56, Q61). Last checked October 22, 2026. |
| Electronic filing portal | Maryland Prevailing Wage Portal (dllr.state.md.us/PrevWage). Contractors and subs must register before entering payroll. The state recommends a browser other than Chrome for the online application.Source: Maryland DOL prevailing wage page. Last checked October 22, 2026. |
| EEO and workforce reports | Nothing found in the prevailing wage sources. Federal EO 11246 changes apply to federal jobs.Source: Federal Register 2026-17114. Last checked October 22, 2026. |
| Apprentice ratio rules | Apprentice rates only for workers individually registered in a program registered with the Maryland Apprenticeship and Training Council. Ratio: at least one journeyperson regularly employed for each apprentice (1:1), consistent with supervision and any bargaining agreement (COMAR 09.12.43.05H). No deviation without the Council's written approval. No "helper" or "trainee" classifications allowed. Separately, contractors and subs with work of $100,000+ pay $0.25/hour for every covered craft worker, to a registered program or the State Apprenticeship Training Fund.Source: COMAR 09.12.43.05 (Standards of an Apprenticeship Program), Justia; Maryland DOL FAQ (Q48, Q55 to Q59); Wage determination with instructions (Maryland Zoo, Feb 2026). Last checked October 22, 2026. |
| Local laws | Montgomery County: County Code § 11B-33C requires prevailing wage on County-financed construction contracts of $250,000 or more (threshold cut from $500,000 on July 1, 2022), with weekly certified payrolls through LCPtracker. Prince George's County: County Code §§ 2-247 to 2-253.5 require rates set by the county Wage Determination Board on covered county public works contracts. Baltimore City: City Code Art. 5, Subtitle 25 (rates set by the Board of Estimates, enforced by the Wage Commission); Allegany, Baltimore and Charles counties also have local prevailing wage laws.Source: Montgomery County Prevailing Wage Annual Report FY25; Montgomery County prevailing wage contractor handout (LCPtracker, weekly payrolls); Montgomery County Council packet on Bill 35-21 (§ 11B-33C), Jan 13, 2022; Prince George's County prevailing and livable wage rates; Prince George's County Wage Determination Board; Baltimore City Wage Commission; Baltimore City Code Art. 5 § 25-5; Fiscal note, HB 388 (2022), listing local prevailing wage laws. Last checked October 22, 2026. |
| Recent changes | Aug 3, 2026: Secretary's directive removes investor-owned utilities' direct-employee wage data from the 2027 annual prevailing wage survey, until further notice. Aug 1, 2026: court-ordered Laborer Group II heavy/highway increase (Circuit Court for Frederick County, Apr 17, 2026). Apr 10, 2026: Governor's directive suspended new PUA § 5-305 rates for Underground Cable Splicer, Underground Lineworker and Underground Gas Mechanic. 2025: HB 1035 (Ch. 626) says § 5-305 covers contracts entered, amended or altered on or after March 1, 2024. Willful violations: $250 per worker per day. Local laws also exist (Montgomery County Code Ch. 11B § 33C, for example).Source: Secretary Directive re 2027 Direct Employee Rate Submissions (Aug 3, 2026); Notice of Rate Adjustment; Underground utility directive page; PUA § 5-305 guidance (updated Dec 12, 2025); Montgomery County Council packet (Jan 13, 2022). Last checked October 22, 2026. |
The information on eBacon's interactive prevailing wage map is provided for general informational purposes only. The accuracy or availability of the information is subject to periodic updates. Overtime (OT) and double time (DT) requirements may be subject to other rules which vary by state, or subject to contract funding. Information published here must be verified by relevant government agencies.
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- Which states have prevailing wage laws?
- Which states don’t have a prevailing wage law?
Which states have prevailing wage laws?
Alaska, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wyoming, and Washington, DC. Thresholds, covered projects, and reporting rules vary by state, so open any state on the map for its details.
Which states don’t have a prevailing wage law?
Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. No state law doesn’t mean no paperwork, though: federal Davis-Bacon rules still apply to federally funded jobs in all of them.
eBacon assigns the right state or federal wage determination to each job, calculates wages and fringe by trade classification, and generates the WH-347 or the state’s certified payroll form in one click. See how eBacon handles prevailing wage payroll →
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