The minimum wage in Jacksonville, Florida is $14.00 per hour through September 29, 2026, and rises to $15.00 per hour on September 30, 2026. Jacksonville follows the statewide rate because Florida law bars cities and counties from setting their own minimum wage.1The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 218.077 – Wage and Employment Benefits Requirements by Political Subdivisions; Restrictions Tipped employees have a lower direct cash wage of $10.98 per hour, going up to $11.98 on the same date. These figures come from Constitutional Amendment 2, which Florida voters approved in November 2020 to raise the wage by $1.00 each year until it hit $15.00.
Tipped Employees
Employers can pay a tipped worker a direct cash wage of $10.98 per hour as long as the employee’s tips bring total earnings up to the full $14.00 minimum. Florida’s tip credit is fixed at $3.02 per hour, the amount the federal Fair Labor Standards Act allowed in 2003.2U.S. Department of Labor. Minimum Wages for Tipped Employees A tipped employee is one who regularly earns more than $30 per month in tips.
When the standard minimum wage climbs to $15.00 on September 30, 2026, the tipped cash wage becomes $11.98. If tips plus cash wages fall short of the full minimum in any workweek, the employer has to cover the difference. An employer cannot just assume tips will fill the gap.3Florida Department of Commerce. Florida Minimum Wage Notice to Employees
When the Rate Changes Next
The next scheduled increase takes effect on September 30, 2026, bringing the minimum wage to $15.00 per hour. That is the last of the fixed $1.00 annual jumps set by Amendment 2.4Florida Division of Elections. Constitutional Amendment Article X, Section 24
After that, the minimum wage will be adjusted based on inflation instead of a set dollar increase. The Florida Department of Commerce will calculate each new rate using the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) for the twelve months ending September 1, with the new rate taking effect the following January 1. The first inflation-based adjustment is expected on January 1, 2028.
Overtime Pay
Florida has no state overtime law, so the federal rule applies. Non-exempt employees earn one and a half times their regular rate for every hour over 40 in a workweek, which is any fixed, recurring period of seven consecutive days.5U.S. Department of Labor. Overtime Pay Nothing in federal law requires extra pay just for weekend or holiday hours; what counts is the weekly total.
To be exempt from overtime, a worker must generally be paid on a salary basis of at least $684 per week ($35,568 per year) and perform executive, administrative, professional, outside sales, or certain computer duties.6U.S. Department of Labor. Fact Sheet 17A – Exemption for Executive, Administrative, Professional, Computer and Outside Sales Employees Under the Fair Labor Standards Act A “manager” title alone does not make someone exempt. If most of the job is non-managerial work, overtime pay may still be owed.
If You’re Being Paid Less Than the Minimum Wage
Florida gives underpaid workers a specific process. Before filing suit, you send your employer a written notice stating the minimum wage you’re owed, the dates and hours involved, and the total unpaid amount. The employer then has 15 calendar days to resolve the claim.7The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 448.110 – State Minimum Wage; Annual Wage Adjustment; Enforcement
If the employer doesn’t pay within those 15 days, you can file a civil lawsuit for back wages, liquidated damages, and attorney’s fees. You don’t have to go through a government agency first. Florida’s Attorney General can also pursue a separate enforcement action and seek a $1,000 fine per violation for willful underpayment.
You may also have a parallel claim under the federal FLSA, which allows recovery of back wages plus an equal amount in liquidated damages unless the employer proves it acted in good faith. The federal statute of limitations is two years, or three years for willful violations.8U.S. Department of Labor. Back Pay Keeping your own pay stubs and time records helps if a dispute comes up, since employers are required to keep payroll records for at least three years.9U.S. Department of Labor. Fact Sheet 21 – Recordkeeping Requirements Under the Fair Labor Standards Act
Retaliation Is Illegal
Your employer cannot fire you, cut your hours, demote you, or take any other adverse action because you asserted your minimum wage rights. That protection covers filing a complaint, giving your employer the required written notice, telling coworkers about their rights, or cooperating with an investigation.7The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 448.110 – State Minimum Wage; Annual Wage Adjustment; Enforcement Retaliation gives you a separate legal claim on top of the wage dispute itself.