South Carolina Minimum Wage 2026: No State Law, So the Federal $7.25 Applies

South Carolina has no state minimum wage law, so the federal minimum of $7.25 an hour applies to employers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act, unchanged since July 24, 2009. Tipped employees can be paid a $2.13 cash wage if tips bring them to $7.25. State law (S.C. Code 6-1-130) bars cities and counties from setting a higher rate, and no increase is scheduled.

South Carolina at a glance

Why South Carolina has no minimum wage of its own

South Carolina is one of five states with no minimum wage law. The state Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (LLR) puts it plainly in its employee rights brochure: "There is no state law covering minimum wage or overtime pay. These issues are addressed by the federal Fair Labor Standards Act." The U.S. Department of Labor's state minimum wage table says the same: "No state minimum wage law. Employers subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act must pay the current federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour."

So the South Carolina minimum wage, in practice, is the federal $7.25 an hour, in effect since July 24, 2009. It moves only when Congress changes the FLSA.

Who the federal minimum covers

The FLSA covers every enterprise with at least $500,000 in annual sales or business done, plus hospitals, schools and government agencies, and any individual employee engaged in interstate commerce, such as regularly making telephone calls to other states or handling records of interstate transactions (DOL Fact Sheet #14). Most South Carolina employers hiring hourly staff are covered. A very small business that isn't covered has no state minimum to fall back on, but that is rare and worth confirming with the U.S. Department of Labor before relying on it.

Federal exemptions apply as they do everywhere, including the executive, administrative and professional exemptions, which require a salary of at least $684 a week plus duties tests.

Tipped employees in South Carolina

Because the federal rule applies, South Carolina employers can pay tipped employees a cash wage of $2.13 an hour and take a tip credit of up to $5.12, as long as tips bring the employee to at least $7.25 an hour. Under the FLSA, a tipped employee is one who customarily and regularly receives more than $30 a month in tips (DOL tipped wage table, effective July 1, 2026). If tips fall short in a workweek, the employer makes up the difference. Employers that take the tip credit must tell employees about it in advance, and tips belong to the employee except for a valid tip pool (DOL Fact Sheet #15).

No local minimum wages

South Carolina cities and counties can't set their own rate. S.C. Code 6-1-130 says a political subdivision "may not establish, mandate, or otherwise require a minimum wage rate that exceeds the federal minimum wage rate." S.C. Code 41-1-25 does the same for employee benefits such as paid sick leave. Charleston, Columbia, Greenville, Myrtle Beach and every other South Carolina city use the same $7.25 floor.

What South Carolina does regulate: how you pay

The state's Payment of Wages Act doesn't set a wage, but it controls how you pay the wage you've agreed. Employers with five or more employees must give each employee written notice at hire of the normal hours and wages, the time and place of payment and the deductions, and give at least seven calendar days' written notice before a change (except a raise). When someone leaves, all wages are due within 48 hours or by the next regular payday, no more than 30 days later, and an employee who isn't paid can sue for three times the unpaid wages (LLR summary). Our South Carolina labor laws guide covers these rules, breaks, E-Verify and new-hire reporting.

Is South Carolina raising its minimum wage?

Nothing is scheduled. With no state law, a South Carolina increase would need either a federal change by Congress or a new state statute. The General Assembly's next regular session begins in January 2027. Until then, plan around $7.25, or $2.13 in cash wages for tipped employees who earn enough in tips.

What this means for hiring in South Carolina

$7.25 is a legal floor that few South Carolina employers hiring for warehouse, manufacturing, healthcare or hospitality roles actually pay, because the local labor market sets the going rate. That makes the number in your job ad the decision point for applicants. Lead with the hourly rate, the shift and the town, and use our employee cost calculator to see what a hire costs at the wage you actually offer, including payroll taxes.

Frequently asked questions

Part of Boostpoint’s minimum wage by state series.