Washington Overtime Calculator: Overtime Pay & Take-Home Pay

1. Washington's Overtime Law: The 40-Hour Workweek Standard

Under the Washington Minimum Wage Act (RCW 49.46.130), covered non-exempt employees must receive overtime compensation at a statutory rate of not less than one and one-half times (1.5×) their regular rate of pay for all hours worked in excess of 40 hours in a defined 7-consecutive-day workweek. Washington law operates strictly on a weekly standard: there is no daily overtime requirement after 8 or 10 hours in a single shift, and the state does not mandate double-time pay for weekend or holiday shifts unless total weekly hours surpass 40.

Washington also extends full overtime protections to agricultural workers: under ESSB 5172, the historic agricultural overtime exemption was phased out, and agricultural employees have been entitled to standard 1.5× overtime pay for all hours worked beyond 40 hours per week since January 1, 2024.

2. The Highest Minimum Wage in America — And Zero Tip Credit

Under RCW 49.46.020, Washington's minimum wage is indexed to inflation, adjusting every January 1 based on positive changes in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W). For calendar year 2026, Washington enforces a statewide minimum wage of $17.13 per hour — the highest baseline rate of any state in the nation. This sets Washington's statutory minimum overtime rate at $25.70 per hour ($17.13 × 1.5).

Most importantly, Washington strictly bans the tip credit. Unlike the federal FLSA and most other states, Washington employers cannot pay a reduced "tipped cash wage" and use customer tips to make up the difference. A restaurant server, bartender, or delivery driver in Washington must receive the full $17.13 per hour in direct cash wages from their employer, with every cent of customer tips retained on top of base pay. Workers aged 14 and 15 may be paid 85% of the adult minimum wage ($14.56 per hour) under state administrative regulations.

3. A Patchwork of Higher City Minimums

Several Washington municipalities have enacted local wage ordinances that substantially exceed the state's $17.13 baseline:

• Seattle: $21.30 per hour for all employers (the temporary tip-credit and small-employer phase-in categories expired permanently).
• Tukwila: $21.65 per hour for large employers.
• Renton: Up to $21.57 per hour for large employers.
• SeaTac: $20.74 per hour for covered hospitality and transportation workers.
• Bellingham: $19.13 per hour for all workers.
• Additional Cities: Everett, Burien, and unincorporated King County also enforce elevated wage schedules.

Our calculator applies the statewide $17.13 minimum wage and warning threshold. If you work in Seattle, Tukwila, or another local jurisdiction with a higher floor, enter your actual hourly rate into the calculator above to see your estimated take-home pay.

4. Salaried Employees: Washington's Salary Threshold Dwarfs the Federal Line

The biggest legal trap in Washington wage law concerns salaried workers. To qualify as exempt from overtime as an executive, administrative, or professional (EAP) employee, a worker must satisfy both the qualitative duties test and a state salary threshold that is more than double the federal level.

Under Washington Administrative Code (WAC 296-128-545), the exempt salary threshold is tied to a statutory multiplier of the state minimum wage (based on a 40-hour week):

• 2026 Exempt Salary Threshold: Set at 2.25× the state minimum wage for employers of all sizes: $1,541.70 per week ($80,168.40 annually).
• 2028 Step-Up: The multiplier reaches its final permanent statutory tier of 2.5× the minimum wage on January 1, 2028.
• Hourly Computer Professionals: Under WAC 296-128-535, exempt computer professionals paid on an hourly basis must receive at least 3.5× the minimum wage — $59.96 per hour in 2026.

Any salaried employee in Washington who earns less than $1,541.70 per week ($80,168.40/yr) is legally non-exempt and owed 1.5× overtime pay for all hours worked over 40 in a workweek, regardless of their job title, job description, or employment agreement.

5. Rest Breaks, Meal Periods, and Paid Sick Leave

Washington state enforces some of the strictest workplace health and rest requirements in the United States:

• Mandatory Rest Breaks: Under WAC 296-126-092, non-exempt employees must receive a paid 10-minute rest break for every 4 hours of work. Rest breaks must be scheduled as near to the middle of the work interval as possible, and employees cannot be required to work more than 3 consecutive hours without a rest period.
• Mandatory Meal Periods: Employees working shifts of more than 5 consecutive hours must receive an unpaid, uninterrupted 30-minute meal period between the second and fifth hours of work. If the employee is required to remain on duty or on call, the meal period must be paid.
• Paid Sick Leave: Under RCW 49.46.210, all Washington employees accrue 1 hour of paid sick leave for every 40 hours worked. Accrued leave carries over annually (up to 40 hours) and is paid at the employee's regular wage rate.
• Final Pay: Final wages for separated employees must be paid no later than the end of the regular pay period in which the separation occurred.

6. No State Income Tax on Overtime — Or on Anything

Washington is one of the distinct group of states with no personal state income tax on wage earnings. The state of Washington does not tax your regular wages, and it takes zero dollars ($0.00) from your overtime pay.

Consequently, the only withholdings deducted from your paycheck in our Washington calculator are federal income tax and FICA taxes (Social Security and Medicare). Furthermore, the federal Section 225 "No Tax on Overtime" deduction (OBBBA) for tax years 2025 through 2028 works exactly as designed at the federal level, with no state income tax adjustments or conformity disputes — you can calculate your federal savings using our no tax on overtime calculator.

Payroll Program Note: Washington employees do pay small mandatory contributions toward two state insurance funds: the WA Cares Fund (0.58% long-term care premium) and the employee share of Washington Paid Family & Medical Leave (PFML). Because these are social insurance payroll premiums rather than income taxes, they are excluded from this income-tax calculator.

7. Unpaid Overtime: Remedies and Wage Claims

Washington law provides some of the most worker-protective wage recovery statutes in the nation:

• File an Administrative Wage Complaint: You can file a formal Worker Rights Complaint with the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) online or by calling 1-866-219-7321. L&I investigates wage claims, audits employer records, and collects back wages on behalf of employees at no cost.
• File a Civil Lawsuit: Under RCW 49.48.030 and RCW 49.52.070, workers may bring private legal actions. Employers who willfully withhold overtime pay are liable for exemplary damages equal to twice the unpaid wages (double damages), or in egregious cases treble damages, plus 12% annual statutory interest and mandatory attorney fees.
• Protection from Retaliation: RCW 49.46.100 makes it a crime and a civil violation for an employer to discharge, demote, or discriminate against an employee for asking about overtime, filing a wage complaint, or participating in an L&I proceeding.
• Preserve Your Records: Always save personal time tracking logs, shift schedules, text messages with supervisors, and pay stubs to substantiate your claim.