Minimum Wage And Tips
G.S. 95-25.3 — $6.15 an hour or the federal minimum, whichever is higher
The higher of two figures. In North Carolina, every employer pays each employee who works in a workweek at least $6.15 an hour or the federal minimum wage under the Fair Labor Standards Act, whichever is higher.
Full time students, learners, apprentices and messengers, as federal law defines them, may be paid 90 percent of that rate, rounded to the lowest nickel.
Tips count toward wages only up to the amount federal law allows, and only if the tipped employee is told in advance, keeps all tips, and the employer keeps accurate records of the tips each employee certifies. Tip pooling is allowed among employees who customarily receive tips, but no one's tips may be reduced by more than 15 percent under it.
Sources for this section (1)
- G.S. 95-25.3 — Minimum wage
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed North Carolina attorney.