Minimum Wage
$16.00/hour
Minimum wage in Rhode Island as of 1/1/2026
Per RI General Law §28-12, the minimum wage is set to increase to the following in the upcoming years.
- Commencing January 1, 2027: $17.00 per hour
- Commencing January 1, 2026: $16.00 per hour
- Commencing January 1, 2025: $15.00 per hour
- Commencing January 1, 2024: $14.00 per hour
- Commencing January 1, 2023: $13.00 per hour
Minimum Wage Exceptions and Special Rates
Some workers do not have to be paid minimum wage, but only in certain situations:
- Federal government employees
- Volunteers for charities, schools, religious groups, or nonprofits, if they are not officially employees
- Certain jobs, but only in specific cases:
- Newspaper carriers delivering papers to homes
- Shoe shiners, only for shining shoes
- Golf course caddies, only while caddying
- Ushers at live theaters
- Outside salespeople if most of their work is done away from the office
- Family jobs:
- Parent hiring their child, or a child hiring their parent
Just having the job title does not mean someone is exempt. If the work does not meet these requirements, the worker must receive the minimum wage.
Some jobs rely on tips, like waitstaff and hotel employees:
- Employers can count tips toward wages
- Minimum cash wage: $16 minus $3.89 tip credit, which is $12.11 per hour in 2026
- Total pay including cash and tips must always be at least $16 per hour
This does not apply to taxi drivers or some small public vehicles.
Students under 19 can be paid less than full minimum wage:
- Must work for a nonprofit school, religious group, library, or community service organization
- Pay can be 90 percent of minimum wage, which is $14.40 per hour in 2026
Younger teens have special rules:
- Work 24 hours or less per week: 75 percent of minimum wage, which is $12 per hour in 2026
- Work more than 24 hours per week: full $16 per hour for all hours worked
Some seasonal jobs can be paid less than full minimum wage:
- Resorts that serve meals and are only open six months or less per year, between May 1 and October 1
- Camps with structured programs such as recreation, education, or religion that:
- Run seven months or less per year
- Do not employ anyone full-time year round
Trailer camps are not included in this exemption.
These rules come from Rhode Island General Laws, Title 28, Chapter 28-12:
- Section 28-12-2 defines jobs and some special cases
- Sections 28-12-3 and 28-12-3.1 cover minimum wage and minor workers
- Section 28-12-5 covers tips and gratuities