North Carolina Tipped Minimum Wage
As of . Department of Labor table revised .
In North Carolina, employers must pay tipped employees a cash wage of at least $2.13 an hour and can take a tip credit of up to $5.12, for a combined minimum wage of $7.25.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Minimum Wages for Tipped Employees, revised July 1, 2026.
North Carolina tipped wage details
- Department of Labor category
- State minimum cash wage payment is the same as that required under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act ($2.13/hr.)
- Minimum wage
- $7.25
- Max tip credit
- $5.12
- Cash wage
- $2.13
- Tipped employee threshold
- More than $20
Footnotes
North Carolina. Tip credit is not permitted unless the employer obtains from each employee, either monthly or each pay period, a signed certification of the amount of tips received. Employers must notify employees in advance of the amount of cash wages they will be paid and the amount that wages will be increased using the tip credit.
From the Department of Labor
Some states set subminimum rates for minors and/or students or exempt them from coverage or have a training wage for new hires. Some local governments set minimum wage rates higher than their respective state minimum wage. Such differential provisions are not displayed in this table.
The Wage and Hour Division tries to ensure that the information on this page is accurate but individuals should consult the relevant state labor office for official information.
Federal tipped minimum wage, for comparison
The federal tipped minimum wage is $2.13 an hour. Employers can count up to $5.12 an hour in tips toward the $7.25 federal minimum wage. The $5.12 is the tip credit.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Minimum Wages for Tipped Employees, revised July 1, 2026.