Georgia tip laws (2026)
Most Georgia restaurants follow federal law: $7.25 an hour, with a $2.13 tipped cash wage and a $5.12 tip credit. Georgia's own $5.15 minimum leaves out workers paid partly in tips, so it doesn't set the tipped wage. Cities can't set a higher minimum for private employers.
Georgia at a glance
Federal tip creditGeorgia: $7.25 an hour minimum wage. Tipped staff can be paid $2.13 cash, with up to $5.12 counted from tips.
| State minimum wage | $7.25/hr | The federal rate applies to most restaurants. See Wages.[1] |
|---|---|---|
| Tipped cash wage | $2.13 | Plus up to $5.12 in tips = $7.25.[1] |
| Max tip credit | $5.12 | Federal rule applies.[1][2] |
| Tip pooling | Allowed | Mandatory pools allowed.[1][3] |
| Card-fee deduction | Pro rata only | Only the tip's share of the fee.[1][3] |
| Card tip payout | Federal rule: card tips are due by the regular payday. | Pools are paid out by payday, or soon after if amounts aren't known yet.[1][4] |
| Local minimum wages | None | State law blocks local rates.[4] |
Rates verified against the U.S. Department of Labor on . Rates as of . Tipped totals are worked out from the rates above. Download this data (CSV)
02The yes/no sheet
Can you do this in Georgia?
In Georgia you can take the federal tip credit, can require staff to join a tip pool and can take out only the tip's share of a card fee. Each answer below carries its condition and an official source.
| Number | Can you… | Answer | The condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Take a tip credit against minimum wage? | Yes (federal) | Federal rule: pay $2.13 cash and count up to $5.12 in tips.[1] |
| 02 | Make staff join a tip pool? | Yes | Federal rules apply. No extra Georgia tip rule was found.[1][3] |
| 03 | Include bartenders, bussers, runners and hosts? | Depends | Bartenders and bussers: yes. Fits a standard pool as a customarily tipped job. Managers stay out. Food runners and hosts: Can join a standard pool if the job is customarily tipped. Otherwise only a full-minimum pool.[1] |
| 04 | Include cooks and dishwashers? | Depends | Federal rule: cooks and dishwashers can join a required pool only if everyone gets the full federal minimum in cash.[1] |
| 05 | Give managers or supervisors a share? | No | Federal rule: managers and supervisors can't keep workers' tips or share in pools. They keep only tips for service they directly and solely provide.[1] |
| 06 | Let an owner keep any of the tips? | No | Employers can't keep workers' tips. An owner with at least 20% equity who actively manages counts as a manager.[1] |
| 07 | Pick your own split (hours, points or percentages)? | Depends | Federal rule: no percentage cap on a valid pool. Eligibility, notice and minimum wage rules still apply.[1] |
| 08 | Take card processing fees out of tips? | Pro rata | Federal rule: only the actual share of the card fee can come out of the tip, and pay can't drop below minimum.[1][3] |
| 09 | Hold card tips until payday? | Deadline | Federal rule: card tips are due by the regular payday. Pools are paid out by payday, or soon after if amounts aren't known yet.[1][4] |
| 10 | Cover walkouts, breakage or register shortages from tips? | No | Not from tips.[1] |
| 11 | Keep a mandatory service charge for the house? | Federal rule | Federal rule: a required service charge isn't a tip. Amounts paid to staff are wages and count toward overtime.[1][5] |
| 12 | Pay tips on a payroll card? | Depends | State law lets employers pick a payroll card. Federal rules still bar making it the only option. Offer another way to get paid too.[4][6] |
03State vs federal
Georgia vs federal law
Georgia follows the federal baseline on the rules below: $7.25 minimum wage, $2.13 tipped cash wage and up to $5.12 in tip credit.
| Rule | Federal (FLSA) | Georgia | Comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum wageFederal applies | Federal$7.25[1] | Georgia$7.25[3] | Federal applies |
| Tipped cash wageFederal applies | Federal$2.13[1] | Georgia$2.13[2][3] | Federal applies |
| Max tip creditFederal applies | Federal$5.12[1] | Georgia$5.12[1][2] | Federal applies |
| Who counts as tippedFederal applies | FederalMore than $30 a month in tips, customarily and regularly received in the occupation.[1] | GeorgiaFederal rule: more than $30 a month in tips, customarily and regularly received in the job.[1] | Federal applies |
| Managers in the poolFederal applies | FederalManagers/supervisors meeting the executive duties test cannot keep employees’ tips or receive from pools; they may keep only tips received directly for services they directly and solely provide. No salary-level test is used for this tip restriction.[1] | GeorgiaFederal rule: managers and supervisors can't keep workers' tips or share in pools. They keep only tips for service they directly and solely provide.[1] | Federal applies |
| Kitchen in the poolFederal applies | FederalCooks and dishwashers may join a nontraditional mandatory pool only when all workers receive a direct cash wage of at least the full federal minimum wage and no tip credit is taken; employer/managers/supervisors remain excluded. State law may be stricter.[1] | GeorgiaFederal rule: cooks and dishwashers can join a required pool only if everyone gets the full federal minimum in cash.[1] | Federal applies |
| Card fees from tipsSame as federal | FederalOnly the actual proportional credit-card transaction fee may be deducted from charged tips; no deduction exceeding that fee or reducing required minimum wages; state law may forbid even that deduction.[1] | GeorgiaTip's share of the fee only[1][3] | Same as federal |
| Card tip payoutFederal applies | FederalCharged tips due by regular payday, without waiting for processor reimbursement. Employer-administered pools fully distributed by regular payday for the workweek/pay period; if the amount/distribution cannot be determined before payroll, distribute as soon as practicable afterward.[1] | GeorgiaFederal rule: card tips are due by the regular payday. Pools are paid out by payday, or soon after if amounts aren't known yet.[1][4] | Federal applies |
| Mandatory service chargesFederal applies | FederalA compulsory service charge is not an FLSA tip. Amounts distributed to employees are wages that may satisfy wage obligations and must enter the regular rate for overtime. This federal wage classification does not decide contractual or state-law ownership.[1] | GeorgiaFederal rule: a required service charge isn't a tip. Amounts paid to staff are wages and count toward overtime.[1][5] | Federal applies |
| Overtime for tipped staffState rule | FederalFor covered nonexempt employees, overtime generally begins after 40 hours in a workweek. Use the full regular rate, at least the full federal minimum wage, not $2.13; the hourly tip credit is not increased for overtime. Voluntary tips above the tip credit are excluded; distributed service charges enter the regular rate.[1] | GeorgiaOvertime after 40 hours a week, on the full minimum or regular rate, not $2.13. The tip credit stays the same.[1] | State rule |
Every state starts from the same federal floor. Federal tip law baseline: the FLSA rules, rates and sources, and how Georgia fits among the four tip credit classes.
Two minimums
Why $5.15 isn't the number
Georgia's statute still lists $5.15. It leaves out tipped workers, so federal law sets the tipped wage for most restaurants.[3][2][7][1]
Federal law (most employers)
- $7.25 minimum wage
- $2.13 tipped cash wage
- $5.12 tip credit
- Tips have to close the gap each week
Georgia law (state-only coverage)
- $5.15 minimum wage
- Leaves out workers paid wholly or partly in tips
- Applies only where federal law doesn't
04Wages
Minimum wage and the tip credit in Georgia
Georgia has no tipped wage of its own, so the federal rule applies: $2.13 cash, up to $5.12 from tips, $7.25 in total.[3][2]
One server, one slow 30-hour week in Georgia
A busy week with $153.60 or more in tips needs no top-up. Every tip above that is the server's. Fictional worker and tips.
- Tip credit conditions
- Federal rule: give the five-part notice first. Cash plus tips has to reach the minimum each week. Workers keep tips, except a valid pool.[1]
- Who counts as tipped
- Federal rule: more than $30 a month in tips, customarily and regularly received in the job.[1]
- Overtime
- Overtime after 40 hours a week, on the full minimum or regular rate, not $2.13. The tip credit stays the same.[1]
Other rates
| Rate | Hourly |
|---|---|
| Tier FLSA-covered employeesThe federal minimum covers most employers, including most restaurants. Since .[7] | $7.25 |
| Tier State-only covered employmentOnly where federal law doesn't reach. State law leaves out workers paid wholly or partly in tips. Since .[3][10] | $5.15 |
| Youth or training Federal youth opportunity wageUnder 20, first 90 calendar days of a new job. Employers can't push out other workers to use it.[11] | $4.25 |
Scheduled increases
No statewide increase with a published amount is on file as of .
06Tip pool
Who can be in the tip pool in Georgia
Georgia allows tip pools, and employers can make them mandatory. Owners, managers and supervisors can't share in them. A tip pool collects tips and splits them among staff; a tip-out is one worker handing part of their tips to others.
| Role | Can share? | Condition |
|---|---|---|
| Front of house | ||
| Server | Allowed | Fits a standard pool as a customarily tipped job. Managers stay out.[1] |
| Bartender | Allowed | Fits a standard pool as a customarily tipped job. Managers stay out.[1] |
| Busser | Allowed | Fits a standard pool as a customarily tipped job. Managers stay out.[1] |
| Food runner | Depends | Can join a standard pool if the job is customarily tipped. Otherwise only a full-minimum pool.[1] |
| Host | Depends | Can join a standard pool if the job is customarily tipped. Otherwise only a full-minimum pool.[1] |
| Barback | Depends | Can join a standard pool if the job is customarily tipped. Otherwise only a full-minimum pool.[1] |
| Expo | Depends | Can join a standard pool if the job is customarily tipped. Otherwise only a full-minimum pool.[1] |
| Back of house | ||
| Cook | Depends | Only in a pool where everyone gets the full federal minimum in cash and no tip credit is taken.[1] |
| Dishwasher | Depends | Only in a pool where everyone gets the full federal minimum in cash and no tip credit is taken.[1] |
| Leadership | ||
| Shift lead | Depends | Depends on actual duties. Anyone who meets the manager test gets no pool share.[1] |
| Manager or supervisor | Not allowed | No share of pooled tips. Actual duties decide who counts as a manager.[1] |
| Owner | Not allowed | No share of pooled tips. Owners with 20% or more who actively manage count as managers.[1] |
- Managers and supervisors
- Federal rule: managers and supervisors can't keep workers' tips or share in pools. They keep only tips for service they directly and solely provide.[1]
- Owners
- Employers can't keep workers' tips. An owner with at least 20% equity who actively manages counts as a manager.[1]
- Back of house
- Federal rule: cooks and dishwashers can join a required pool only if everyone gets the full federal minimum in cash.[1]
- Who sets the percentages
- The employer can set a valid required pool. In a standard pool, tipped workers get told the contribution amounts.[1]
- Cap on what a pool can take
- Federal rule: no percentage cap on a valid pool. Eligibility, notice and minimum wage rules still apply.[1]
07Put it to work
Setting up a tip pool in Georgia
Under Georgia rules, 6 of the 10 staff in this example can share a $1,200 pool. The table splits the same pool by percentage, by points and by hours.
| Who | By % | By points | By hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maya | $268.29 | $250.00 | $211.78 |
| Jordan | $268.29 | $250.00 | $211.76 |
| Priya | $268.29 | $250.00 | $211.76 |
| Sam | $175.61 | $200.00 | $211.76 |
| Luis | $109.76 | $125.00 | $176.47 |
| Ava | $109.76 | $125.00 | $176.47 |
| Theo | Not in the pool. Out here: this pool includes servers paid with a tip credit. | ||
| Kim | Not in the pool. Out here: this pool includes servers paid with a tip credit. | ||
| Rafa | Not in the pool. Out here: this pool includes servers paid with a tip credit. | ||
| Dana | Not in the pool. No share of pooled tips. | ||
| Total | $1,200.00 | $1,200.00 | $1,200.00 |
Fictional restaurant and staff. The guest-facing staff here are assumed to meet Georgia's condition for sharing (see who can be in the tip pool, above). Percentages and point weights are examples, not a recommendation. Shares are rounded to the cent, and any leftover cent goes to the first server. Run your own numbers in the tip pooling calculator.
Ferry Tip Manager: support pool split by hours
Servers and bartenders pay into the support pool, and Tip Manager splits it by hours worked. Each person sees their share, with no spreadsheet at close.
Who it's for Full-service restaurants that tip out bussers, runners and bar backs
08Service charges
Service charges vs tips in Georgia
Georgia law doesn't say who a mandatory service charge belongs to, but it does set rules for how the charge is shown to guests. Under federal law a mandatory service charge is not a tip, and any part paid to staff counts as wages.
| Question | OptionalTip | MandatoryService charge |
|---|---|---|
| Who sets the amount | The guest | The business |
| Who it belongs to | The worker it was left for, or the pool | Federal rule: a required service charge isn't a tip. Amounts paid to staff are wages and count toward overtime.[1][5] |
| Can it go to staff? | Yes, through the pool | Yes. Amounts paid to staff are wages, not tips.[1] |
| How it's taxed (federal) | Tip income the worker reports | Regular wages, with payroll taxes[12][13] |
| Guest notice | None needed | To treat an added charge as optional for sales tax, conspicuously disclose that customers may remove it on the bill, menu or visible signage.[5] |
- Step 1Did the guest choose whether to pay it, and how much?YesIt's a tip. It belongs to staff.NoIt's a mandatory charge. Go to step 2.
- Step 2What does Georgia say?Federal ruleFederal rule: a required service charge isn't a tip. Amounts paid to staff are wages and count toward overtime.[1][5]
- Step 3Check the cityNo city service charge rules on file for Georgia.
- Menu and receipt notice
- To treat an added charge as optional for sales tax, conspicuously disclose that customers may remove it on the bill, menu or visible signage.[5]
- Large-party auto gratuities
- For federal tax purposes, a required automatic gratuity is a service charge, even when staff get it. The label doesn't make it a tip.[12][13]
Local service charge rules
No local service charge rules on file for Georgia.
More on the difference: service charge vs tip.
09Card tips
Card tips in Georgia: fees and payout timing
In Georgia only the tip's share of the card processing fee can come out of a card tip. Payout deadline under the federal rule: card tips are due by the regular payday. Pools are paid out by payday, or soon after if amounts aren't known yet.
Federal rule: only the actual share of the card fee can come out of the tip, and pay can't drop below minimum.[1]
When card tips have to land
- TonightGuest adds a tip On the card, at the table.
- CloseShift is tallied The pool is split by your rules.
- DeadlineGeorgia rule Federal rule: card tips are due by the regular payday. Pools are paid out by payday, or soon after if amounts aren't known yet.[1][4]
- Last dayFinal pay No state deadline was found. Federal law says final wages are due by the regular payday.[14][15]
Paydays: Covered manual, mechanical and clerical workers are paid at least twice a month, in full.[4]
Paying tips on a payroll card
- Allowed?DependsState law lets employers pick a payroll card. Federal rules still bar making it the only option.[4]
- Worker consent needed?YesFederal rules protect the worker's choice. Georgia's statute doesn't require separate consent.[6]
- Free way to get the money?State ruleAgency guidance requires at least one free way to get wages. Cards must be cashable on demand at full value, with funds available 30 days.[16][3]
- Must you offer another option?YesFederal rules require another way to get paid. A 2019 state change removed older opt-out wording.[6]
- Holding cash tipsState ruleFederal rule: an employer can collect cash tips to run a valid pool, then pay them out by payday.[1]
- Tips shown on the pay stubNoNo Georgia tip breakdown rule was found. Federal records rules still apply.[17][3]
Ferry Pay: each tip share, paid out digitally
Each person's direct tips, tip outs and payable amount in one view, then paid through Ferry Pay. No cash to keep on hand for payouts. Eligibility and fees apply.
Who it's for Operators who want to stop the nightly cash run
“Since launching this card program, we've reduced our cash-carrying costs by over 66 percent”
10Records
Records and notices in Georgia
Keep each tipped worker's tips and hours on record, shift by shift. Federal law: payroll records for 3 years, supporting wage records for 2.
Georgia State
- Tip records Federal rule: keep identity, time and pay records. Tip-credit employers also track reported tips, credits and hours by job.[1][18]
- How long to keep them Federal rule: payroll records for 3 years, supporting wage records for 2. Tax rules are separate.[18]
- Tip credit notice Required. Federal rule: tell workers the cash wage, credit amount, actual-tips limit and pool rules before taking the credit.[1]
- Posters and forms FLSA minimum wage poster.[18]
Everywhere Federal
- Tip records Maintain employee identity, time and pay records. Tip-credit employers additionally retain tipped employee, reported tips, credit amounts and hours/earnings by tipped and nontipped occupation. No-tip-credit employers operating mandatory pools record each recipient and weekly/monthly tips. IRS daily records/reporting are separate obligations.[1]
- How long to keep them FLSA: payroll records at least three years; underlying wage-computation records two years. Tax retention is separate.[18]
- Tip credit notice Oral or written notice must state cash wage; tip credit amount; credit cannot exceed actual tips; employee retains tips except valid traditional pool; credit unavailable until informed. Traditional pool contribution amounts also disclosed.[1]
- A written pool policy Good practice, not a federal rule: who's in, how it splits, when it pays. Share it with staff. How to write one.
Think your tips were handled wrong in Georgia?
Workers in Georgia can file a tip or wage claim with the Georgia Department of Labor (1-877-709-8185). Filing is free, and this page can't settle a dispute; the state can.[22]
Retaliation: Federal law bars retaliation for oral or written wage complaints. Remedies include reinstatement, lost wages and damages.[20]
Penalties under federal law: Unpaid wages, kept tips and any tip credit taken, plus equal damages and fees. Georgia's state remedy excludes tipped workers.[15][3][21]
Can they take this out of my tips?
- Walkouts and dine-and-dashNot allowedTips can't cover employer losses. Separate wage-deduction rules may apply.[1]
- BreakageNot allowedTips can't cover employer losses. Separate wage-deduction rules may apply.[1]
- Register shortagesNot allowedTips can't cover employer losses. Separate wage-deduction rules may apply.[1]
- UniformsNot allowedTips can't pay for uniforms. Separate wage-deduction rules may apply.[1]
- Card processing feesAllowedOnly the actual share of the card fee, and pay can't drop below the required wage.[1]
- A manager's shareNot allowedEmployers, managers and supervisors get no share of pooled tips.[1]
11Law changes
What changed in Georgia tip law, and what's coming
No statewide increase with a published amount is on file for Georgia as of . Most recent change: HB 463 adds a Georgia cash-tip income-tax exclusion up to $1,750 for 2026–2028 and employer reporting. Wage and pooling rules are unchanged ().
Key statutes
- O.C.G.A. 34-4-3(a), (b)(5), (c): state minimum wage and exclusions
- O.C.G.A. 34-4-3.1: local wage/benefit preemption
- O.C.G.A. 34-4-6: state-covered minimum-wage remedies
- O.C.G.A. 34-7-2: payment frequency and payroll cards
- 29 U.S.C. 203(m), 206, 207, 216: FLSA baseline for covered tipped employment
Not covered here? Ask the Georgia Department of Labor at 1-877-709-8185 or on dol.georgia.gov.
12FAQ
Georgia tip law questions
Plain answers to the 8 questions restaurant owners and staff ask most about Georgia tip law, each linked to its source.
What is Georgia's tipped minimum wage?
Does the $5.15 Georgia minimum apply to tipped workers?
Can a Georgia city set a higher minimum wage?
Not for private employers. State law blocks local wage mandates, though local governments can set pay for their own staff.[3]
Can managers get a cut of the tip pool?
No. Federal law bars managers and supervisors from pooled tips. They keep only tips for service they directly and solely provide.[1]
Can cooks share in tips?
Yes, if everyone in the pool gets the full $7.25 in cash and the employer takes no tip credit.[1]
Can tips cover card-processing fees?
Only the actual share of the fee for that tip, and pay can't drop below the required wage.[1]
Can an employer require a payroll card?
13Compare
How Georgia compares with nearby states
Georgia borders Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. Florida pays a higher minimum wage than Georgia's $7.25. Running locations on both sides of a line? Each one follows its own state's rules.
Neighboring states
- Alabama tip laws$7.25 min wage Federal $2.13 cash wage Federal
- Florida tip laws$15.00 min wage $11.98 tipped cash wage Above $2.13
- North Carolina tip laws$7.25 min wage $2.13 tipped cash wage $2.13 cash
- South Carolina tip laws$7.25 min wage Federal $2.13 cash wage Federal
- Tennessee tip laws$7.25 min wage Federal $2.13 cash wage Federal
States with the same rules
Same tip credit class as Georgia: Federal rates apply.
- Louisiana tip laws$7.25 min wage Federal $2.13 cash wage Also runs on federal tip rules, and only the tip's share of card fees
- Mississippi tip laws$7.25 min wage Federal $2.13 cash wage Also runs on federal tip rules, and only the tip's share of card fees
- Wyoming tip laws$7.25 min wage Federal $2.13 cash wage Also runs on federal tip rules, and only the tip's share of card fees
The law decides who's in. Ferry runs the split.
See how operators set pool rules in Ferry Tip Manager and pay tips out without a cash run. Bring your own Georgia setup.
14Sources
Sources for Georgia tip laws
Every figure on this page links to one of these 25 sources: 22 for Georgia and 3 for the federal baseline. They are statutes, regulations and government agency pages, each with the date it was checked.
- 1Fact Sheet #15: Tipped Employees Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)U.S. Department of Labor · Official source · Checked Pinpoint: Tip Credit, paragraph 2; Tip Credit, paragraph 3; opening paragraphwww.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/15-tipped-employees-flsa
What the source says
“An employer must pay a tipped worker at least $2.13 per hour under the FLSA.”
“the federal minimum wage, which is currently $7.25 per hour.”
“The maximum tip credit that an employer can currently claim is $5.12 per hour: ($7.25 - $2.13 direct (or cash) wage = $5.12).”
- 2Individuals FAQs - Fair Labor Standards ActGeorgia Department of Labor · Official source · Checked Pinpoint: tipped minimum wage FAQdol.georgia.gov/faqs-individuals/individuals-faqs-fair-labor-standards-act
What the source says
“An employer of a tipped employee is only required to pay $2.13 an hour in direct wages, if that amount plus the tips received equals at least the federal minimum wage for each hour worked.”
- 3Official Code of Georgia Annotated, Title 34, 2017 base volumeGeorgia General Assembly · Official source · Page updated 2017 · Checked Pinpoint: 34-4-3(b)(5), gratuity-paid worker exclusion; O.C.G.A. 34-4-3(a), physical p. 31; 34-4-6, physical p. 36www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t34-%28v26%29-2017-pdf.pdf
What the source says
“Any employee whose compensation consists wholly or partially of gratuities;”
“$5.15 per hour for each hour worked in the employment of such employer.”
“the employee, at any time within three years, may bring a civil action in superior court for the recovery of the difference between the amount paid and the minimum wage provided in this chapter, plus an additional amount equal to the original claim, which shall”
- 4Official Code of Georgia Annotated, Title 34, 2025 supplementGeorgia General Assembly · Official source · Page updated 2025 · Checked Pinpoint: 34-4-3.1(b)(1); own-employees exception in (b)(3); 34-7-2(b), physical p. 23; 34-7-2(b)(3)www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t34-%28v26%29-pdf.pdf
What the source says
“Any and all wage or employment benefit mandates adopted by any local government entity are hereby preempted.”
“the dates so selected shall be such that the month will be divided into at least two equal periods; and provided, further, that the pay- ments made on each such date shall in every case correspond to the full net amount of wages or earnings”
“By credit to a payroll card account;”
- 5Georgia Rule 560-12-2-.115 Restaurants, paragraph 5rules.sos.ga.gov · Official source · Checked Pinpoint: Rule 560-12-2-.115(5)(b), conditional optional-charge tax treatmentrules.sos.ga.gov/gac/560-12-2
What the source says
“the seller clearly and conspicuously states on the bill, menu, or signage located in an area visible to customers that tips, gratuities, and service charges are optional and may be removed from the bill at the customer's discretion.”
“An amount, whether designated as a tip, gratuity, or service charge, is mandatory and subject to tax when”
- 6What is a payroll card?Consumer Financial Protection Bureau · Official source · Page updated · Checked Pinpoint: paragraph following definitionwww.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/what-is-a-payroll-card-en-401
What the source says
“Your employer can’t require you to receive your wages on a payroll card.”
“Your employer has to offer you at least one alternative to a payroll card.”
- 7Minimum WageGeorgia Department of Labor · Official source · Checked Pinpoint: federal rate historydol.georgia.gov/minimum-wage
What the source says
“Effective July 24, 2009 , the federal minimum wage increased to $7.25 per hour.”
- 8Tip Regulations under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)U.S. Department of Labor · Official source · Checked Pinpoint: Regulatory History 2020-2024, item 3www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/flsa/tips
What the source says
“a federal court vacated the revision, with the effect of reinstating the Department’s original dual jobs regulation.”
- 9Field Assistance Bulletin No. 2026-1: Withdrawal of Opinion Letters and 80/20 Guidance on Related DutiesU.S. Department of Labor · Official source · Page updated · Checked Pinpoint: p. 1, introductory paragraphswww.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/WHD/fab/fab2026-1.pdf
What the source says
“These withdrawn opinion letters and the FOH provision that implemented them should no longer be relied upon as WHD enforcement guidance.”
- 10Summary of General Statutes Enacted at the 2001 SessionGeorgia Office of Legislative Counsel; Digital Library of Georgia · Official source · Page updated 2001 · Checked dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_ggpd_y-ga-bl400-pl4-bs1-bs7-b2001
What the source says
“The Act amends O.C.G.A. Section 34-4-3. Effective July 1, 2001.”
- 11Fact Sheet #32: Youth Minimum Wage - Fair Labor Standards ActU.S. Department of Labor · Official source · Checked Pinpoint: youth minimum wage discussion; Opening, nondisplacementwww.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/32-minimum-wage-youth
What the source says
“$4.25 an hour to employees who are under 20 years of age during the first 90 consecutive calendar days after initial employment.”
“The law contains certain protections for employees that prohibit employers from displacing any employee in order to hire someone at the youth minimum wage.”
- 12Tip recordkeeping and reportingInternal Revenue Service · Official source · Checked Pinpoint: Service charges are not tips, paragraph 2; qualified tips deduction, net-income limit; tip income, Social Security/Medicarewww.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/tip-recordkeeping-and-reporting
What the source says
“Service charges (also referred to as “auto-gratuities”), when distributed to an employee, are generally treated as wages paid by the employer to the employee rather than tips paid by the customer.”
“For self-employed individuals, the deduction may not exceed the individual’s net income (without regard to this deduction) from the trade or business in which the tips were earned.”
“These amounts are subject to federal income tax and generally are also subject to Social Security and Medicare taxes.”
- 13Revenue Ruling 2012-18Internal Revenue Service · Official source · Page updated 2012 · Checked Pinpoint: Q 1/A 1, four distinguishing factors; p. 1, ruling headingwww.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/rr-12-18.pdf
What the source says
“compulsion; (2) the customer must have the unrestricted right to determine the amount; (3) the payment should not be the subject of negotiation or dictated by employer policy; and (4) generally, the customer has the right to determine who receives the payment.”
“Rev. Rul. 2012-18”
- 14Last PaycheckU.S. Department of Labor · Official source · Checked Pinpoint: opening paragraphwww.dol.gov/general/topic/wages/lastpaycheck
What the source says
“Employers are not required by federal law to give former employees their final paycheck immediately.”
- 15Handy Reference Guide to the Fair Labor Standards ActU.S. Department of Labor · Official source · Checked Pinpoint: Enforcement, Litigation procedures; Basic Wage Standardswww.dol.gov/agencies/whd/compliance-assistance/handy-reference-guide-flsa
What the source says
“An employee may file a private suit to recover back wages, an equal amount in liquidated damages, plus attorney’s fees and court costs.”
“Wages required by the FLSA are due on the regular payday for the pay period covered.”
- 16Georgia Employer Handbook, DOL-224Georgia Department of Labor · Official source · Page updated · Checked Pinpoint: Handbook, Wage Payments sectiondol.georgia.gov/media/18666/download
What the source says
“the employee must be able to have at least one opportunity to access their wages without a charge or fee.”
- 17Questions and Answers About the FLSA, DOL WHDU.S. Department of Labor · Official source · Checked Pinpoint: Recordkeeping and Notices, Are pay stubs required?www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/flsa/faq
What the source says
“However, the FLSA does not require an employer to provide employees pay stubs.”
- 18Fact Sheet #21: Recordkeeping Requirements under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)U.S. Department of Labor · Official source · Page updated · Checked Pinpoint: Posting, paragraph 1www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/21-flsa-recordkeeping
What the source says
“Each employer shall preserve for at least three years payroll records, collective bargaining agreements, sales and purchase records.”
“Employers must display an official poster outlining the provisions of the Act, available at no cost from local offices of the Wage and Hour Division and toll-free, by calling 1-866-4USWage (1-866-487-9243).”
“Records on which wage computations are based should be retained for two years,”
- 19GDOL Service Directorydol.georgia.gov · Official source · Checked Pinpoint: Directory introductory contact paragraphdol.georgia.gov/contact-us/gdol-service-directory
What the source says
“by calling the GDOL Virtual Agent by phone at 1-877-709-8185 unless otherwise specified.”
- 20Fact Sheet # 77 A: Prohibiting Retaliation Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)U.S. Department of Labor · Official source · Checked Pinpoint: Coverage, paragraph 1; Enforcement remedieswww.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/77a-flsa-prohibiting-retaliation
What the source says
“the protection applies to all employees of an employer even in those instances in which the employee’s work and the employer are not covered by the FLSA.”
“employment, reinstatement, lost wages and an additional equal amount as liquidated damages.”
- 2129 U.S.C. 216 PenaltiesOffice of the Law Revision Counsel, U.S. House · Official source · Page updated · Checked uscode.house.gov/us/usc/t29/s216
What the source says
“the sum of any tip credit taken by the employer and all such tips unlawfully kept by the employer, and in an additional equal amount as liquidated damages.”
- 22Obtain Information About An Employment IssueGeorgia Department of Labor · Official source · Checked Pinpoint: opening paragraph; Federal wage/hour referral paragraphdol.georgia.gov/obtain-information-about-employment-issue
What the source says
“The Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) receives many inquiries for help with various employment issues; however, resolution of most workplace problems is the responsibility of several federal agencies.”
“The U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) Wage and Hour Division enforces regulations related to the Fair Labor Standards Act (minimum wage, overtime pay, hours) and the Family Medical Leave Act.”
- 23Summary of General Statutes Enacted at the 2026 Sessionlegis.ga.gov · Official source · Page updated 2026 · Checked Pinpoint: Act 465/HB 463; effective May 11 applicable January 1, 2026www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/legislative-counsel-document-library/sumdoc2026-edit.pdf
What the source says
“The Act excludes up to $1,750.00 of overtime compensation or cash tips from taxation and imposes reporting requirements on the employer.”
- 24Enacted House Bill 463, Act 465gov.georgia.gov · Official source · Page updated · Checked Pinpoint: § 2-4, paragraph 17(E), sunsetgov.georgia.gov/document/2026-signed-legislation/hb-463/download
What the source says
“This paragraph shall stand repealed and reserved on December 31, 2028.”
- 25How to File a ComplaintU.S. Department of Labor · Official source · Checked www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/contact/complaints
15Methodology
How we research these pages
Every figure on this page comes from an official source, a statute, a regulation or a government agency page, and links to it where it is used. Ferry checks the page against those sources on a schedule and logs every change.
- 1
Official sources only
Statutes, regulations, state labor agencies, city ordinances and the U.S. Department of Labor. No vendor blogs, no AI answers, no secondary summaries as the only source.
- 2
Every figure is linked
Each rate and rule carries a numbered link to the statute or agency page behind it, with the exact pinpoint and, where available, a link that opens at the sentence itself.
- 3
Re-checked on a schedule
Every page is re-checked each January and July, and whenever a state or city changes a rate. Cash wage plus tip credit is checked against the minimum wage on every build.
- 4
Gaps are left out, not guessed
If a rule can't be confirmed from an official source, it isn't shown. The page points to the state agency instead.
What changed on this page
- First version of this page. Every figure was checked against the official sources listed on this page.
Researched by Ferry's tip operations research team. Last reviewed .
Changes to the law itself are listed in What changed and what's coming.
16Every state
Tip laws in every state
Pick any state for its tip credit, tip pool, service charge and card tip rules. Each chip shows the state's tip credit class.
- No tip creditNo tip credit
- Above $2.13Tip credit, cash wage above federal
- $2.13 cashTip credit, federal cash wage
- FederalFederal rates apply
51 of 51 state pages. Open the master guide for the federal baseline, tip credit classes and the full comparison table.