Short answer: In Florida, employers can pay tipped workers a cash wage of $11.98 an hour, as long as tips bring them up to the $15.00 minimum wage. The most an employer can count from tips, the tip credit, is $3.02 an hour.
Florida tipped wage at a glance
| Florida | |
|---|---|
| Minimum wage | $15.00 an hour |
| Cash wage for tipped workers | $11.98 an hour |
| Maximum tip credit | $3.02 an hour |
| Who counts as a tipped employee | Federal rule: someone who regularly gets more than $30 a month in tips |
| In force since | 30 September 2026 |
The federal tipped minimum is $2.13 an hour with a $5.12 tip credit toward the $7.25 federal minimum wage. Where a state sets a higher figure, the higher one applies.
An example week
A server works 30 hours. The employer pays at least 30 x $11.98 = $359.40 in cash wages. To reach the minimum wage of 30 x $15.00 = $450.00, the server's tips must add up to at least $90.60. If they make less in tips that week, the employer must pay the difference.
Upcoming changes
Annual inflation adjustment from 30 Sep 2027 (amount not yet announced).
Local rates and exceptions
Rose from $14.00 (cash $10.98) on 30 Sep 2026, the last $1 step under the 2020 Amendment 2. The DOL table dated 1 Jul 2026 still shows $14.00.
Tip pools and who keeps the tips
Florida follows federal rules. If your employer takes a tip credit, a pool can include only staff who customarily and regularly receive tips, and employers, managers and supervisors cannot take any of it. If your employer pays the full minimum wage with no tip credit, back-of-house staff such as cooks and dishwashers can be included.
Federal FLSA: employers, managers and supervisors may not keep any part of employees' tips. A mandatory tip pool may include only customarily tipped staff when a tip credit is taken; if the full minimum wage is paid, back-of-house staff may share the pool.
To share a pool fairly by hours or points, use the tip split calculator. To work out what a server owes support staff, use the tip-out calculator.
Who owns the tips
Federal rules apply: your employer cannot keep your tips, whether or not it takes a tip credit. Florida has no separate state deadline for paying card tips, so they are due by your regular payday.
Can card fees come out of tips?
Florida has no separate rule, so the federal position applies: your employer cannot take more than the actual fee the card company charges on your card tip. Florida separately limits what businesses may charge customers for paying by card.
Service charges
From 1 July 2026 Florida food service businesses must state any service charge, automatic gratuity, credit card surcharge or delivery fee (an 'operations charge') on the menu, the bill and the receipt, with an automatic gratuity shown on its own line. Under federal rules a compulsory service charge is not a tip.
Income tax on tips in Florida
Florida has no personal income tax, so there is no state tax on your tips. Federal income tax still applies, and the federal 2025 tips deduction applies on your federal return.
Other rules
- Florida's wage law lets you sue for unpaid minimum wages after giving your employer written notice and 15 days to pay.
- Your employer cannot retaliate against you for asserting your minimum wage rights.
The agency in charge is the FloridaCommerce.
Tips and federal income tax
From 2025 to 2028, up to $25,000 of qualified tips a year can be deducted from federal taxable income. See the no tax on tips calculator for who qualifies and what it saves.
Taking tips by card
Customers carry less cash. A personal QR code lets them tip you by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay from their own phone, with no app to install. See QR code tip jars by job.
Sources
- US DOL WHD, Minimum Wages for Tipped Employees (revised 1 Jul 2026)
- US DOL WHD, State Minimum Wage Laws (updated 1 Jul 2026)
- Florida Constitution, Article X, Section 24 (Florida minimum wage)
- Section 448.110, Florida Minimum Wage Act (2026 Florida Statutes)
- 29 CFR 531.54 Tip sharing and tip pooling
- 29 CFR 531.52 General restrictions on an employer's use of its employees' tips
- Section 509.214, Florida Statutes (operations charges)
- Do I have to file a personal income tax return in Florida?
Checked in October 2026 against the sources above. Wage rates change, often on 1 January and 1 July; check the state labor department before relying on a figure. This is general information, not legal advice.
Common questions
What is the tipped minimum wage in Florida in 2026?
In Florida, employers can pay tipped workers a cash wage of $11.98 an hour, as long as tips bring them up to the $15.00 minimum wage. The most an employer can count from tips, the tip credit, is $3.02 an hour.
Does Florida allow a tip credit?
Yes. Employers can count up to $3.02 an hour of tips toward the $15.00 minimum wage.
What happens if my tips do not make up the minimum wage?
When an employer pays a tipped cash wage, it must make up any shortfall so that your cash wage plus tips is at least the full minimum wage for the hours you worked.
Can my employer or manager keep part of my tips?
No. Under federal law, employers, managers and supervisors may not keep any part of employees’ tips, including through a tip pool.
Is the Florida minimum wage going up?
Annual inflation adjustment from 30 Sep 2027 (amount not yet announced).
Can my employer take card fees out of my tips in Florida?
Florida has no separate rule, so the federal position applies: your employer cannot take more than the actual fee the card company charges on your card tip. Florida separately limits what businesses may charge customers for paying by card.
Does Florida tax tips?
Florida has no personal income tax, so there is no state tax on your tips. Federal income tax still applies, and the federal 2025 tips deduction applies on your federal return.
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