Petaluma Minimum Wage
$18.31 an hour · $1.41 above the state minimum · adjusts every January 1
The minimum wage in Petaluma is $18.31 an hour, in effect since January 1, 2026. Petaluma's minimum wage rises to $18.93 on January 1, 2027, a 3.4% increase that the city has already published.
What Petaluma's minimum wage pays
Gross pay before taxes
Want take-home pay? Use the California paycheck calculator with this hourly rate.
Petaluma minimum wage by year
| Effective | Rate | Change | State minimum then |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1, 2027 (announced) | $18.93 | +$0.62 (3.4%) | $17.40 |
| January 1, 2026 (current) | $18.31 | +$0.34 (1.9%) | $16.90 |
| January 1, 2025 | $17.97 | — | $0.00 |
The rate adjusts every January 1 by the June Bay Area CPI-W. At $18.31, a full-time job (2,080 hours) pays $38,085 a year before taxes, $2,933 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 aged 14 to 17 may be paid a learner's wage of 85% for their first 160 hours.
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 Sonoma County
| City or area | Rate |
|---|---|
| Santa Rosa | $18.21 |
| Sonoma | $18.47 |
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 Petaluma in 2026?
It is $18.31 an hour for every employer, in effect since January 1, 2026. That is $1.41 an hour above California's $16.90 statewide minimum.
When does the Petaluma minimum wage go up next?
Petaluma's minimum wage rises to $18.93 on January 1, 2027, a 3.4% increase that the city has already published.
Does the Petaluma minimum wage apply to small businesses?
Yes. The rate is the same for every employer, whatever its size.
Do fast food workers in Petaluma 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 Petaluma's $18.31. Other restaurant workers get the local rate.
Who has to be paid the Petaluma 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
- Petaluma official minimum wage page (checked: City of Petaluma minimum wage page (Wayback snapshot 2026-01-01); 2027 rate from Bloomberg Tax's report of the city's September 2, 2026 update (the city site blocks automated requests))
- 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.