Fremont Minimum Wage
$18.05 an hour · $1.15 above the state minimum · adjusts every July 1
The minimum wage in Fremont is $18.05 an hour, in effect since July 1, 2026. The rate next adjusts on July 1, 2027, by the local Consumer Price Index. The new figure has not been published yet. The city publishes the next rate by April 1 each year.
What Fremont's minimum wage pays
Gross pay before taxes
Want take-home pay? Use the California paycheck calculator with this hourly rate.
Fremont minimum wage by year
| Effective | Rate | Change | State minimum then |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 1, 2026 (current) | $18.05 | +$0.30 (1.7%) | $16.90 |
| July 1, 2025 | $17.75 | — | $0.00 |
The rate adjusts every July 1 by the local Consumer Price Index. At $18.05, a full-time job (2,080 hours) pays $37,544 a year before taxes, $2,392 more than the state minimum.
Who is covered
Employees for the hours they work inside the city limits, full- or part-time. Check the ordinance for any minimum-hours threshold.
- Employees of nonprofit corporations are exempt.
Some workers are owed more than the local rate under state law: fast food workers at chains with more than 60 locations ($20.00 an hour) and health care facility workers (see the health care minimum wage checker). Salaried workers must earn at least $70,304 a year to be exempt from overtime; that threshold is based on the state minimum wage, not the local one.
Other local minimum wages in Alameda County
| City or area | Rate |
|---|---|
| Alameda | $17.76 |
| Berkeley | $19.61 |
| Emeryville | $20.34 |
| Hayward | $17.79 |
| Oakland | $17.34 |
A local rate applies to hours worked inside that city's limits. Anywhere else in the county, the state minimum of $16.90 applies unless another ordinance covers the area.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum wage in Fremont in 2026?
It is $18.05 an hour for every employer, in effect since July 1, 2026. That is $1.15 an hour above California's $16.90 statewide minimum.
When does the Fremont minimum wage go up next?
The rate next adjusts on July 1, 2027, by the local Consumer Price Index. The new figure has not been published yet. The city publishes the next rate by April 1 each year.
Does the Fremont minimum wage apply to small businesses?
Yes. The rate is the same for every employer, whatever its size.
Do fast food workers in Fremont get a higher wage?
Workers at limited-service restaurants in national chains with more than 60 locations earn California's fast food minimum of $20.00 an hour, which is higher than Fremont's $18.05. Other restaurant workers get the local rate.
Who has to be paid the Fremont minimum wage?
Employees for the hours they work inside the city limits, full- or part-time. Check the ordinance for any minimum-hours threshold.
Sources
- Fremont official minimum wage page (checked: City of Fremont minimum wage page (Wayback snapshot 2026-07-02))
- UC Berkeley Labor Center inventory of local minimum wage ordinances
- California Labor Commissioner: minimum wage FAQ
Educational information only, not legal advice. Local ordinances have exemptions and details not listed here; the city's ordinance and official notice control. When local, state and federal rates differ, the employer must pay the highest one that applies.