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Prevailing wage guides
Explanations written from DIR's own documents and the rate data on this site. Each one cites its sources and says when it was checked.
The guides cover California and the federal Davis-Bacon rules so far. Rates for every state, DC and four territories are on the state pages, with each state's own rules on its page, and the Davis-Bacon change log lists every 2026 modification by state.
Reading the rates
- How to read a California prevailing wage determination
Regional PDFs and county tables, finding your Area, the pay columns, footnote letters, asterisks and scheduled increases, on DIR's real August 2026 files.
- California prevailing wage changes in 2026
What moved in 2026: 1,557 county rates rose (median $3.15), the top trades, carpenters and laborers, January increases, and the next release on Feb 22, 2027.
Pay by trade
- California electrician prevailing wage, county by county
Inside wireman pay in all 58 counties, $63.58 to $147.73: base vs. employer payments, overtime, changes since 2024 and scheduled raises.
- California carpenter prevailing wage and the four Areas
Why counties share carpenter rates: Areas 1–4, the Placer/El Dorado split, north vs. south pay, history and raises.
- California laborer groups and what each pays
Which job titles fall in which laborer group, why the group numbers run in opposite directions north and south, and Group 1 since 2024.
- California apprentice prevailing wage
How apprentice rates work: the wage sheets, percentage ladders, the 1:5 ratio, DAS 140/142 and training fund deadlines.
Rules and compliance
- Davis-Bacon vs California prevailing wage
When federal, state or both laws apply, with five San Diego trades compared rate for rate.
- What counts as public works in California
Labor Code 1720's definition, the $1k / $15k / $25k / $30k thresholds, DIR registration fees and penalties, who pays.
- Prevailing wage fringe benefits in California
Paying fringe as cash or into plans, the base-rate floor, training money to the CAC, the 3% NEBF, annualization.
- Prevailing wage overtime rules in California
Daily, weekly, Saturday and Sunday/holiday overtime, and how footnotes change it, worked hour by hour on real rows.
- DIR certified payroll (eCPR)
Who files eCPR, what each record holds, deadlines, the public CPR search, corrections, penalties.