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Washington · Flagger · 15 counties

Flagger prevailing wage, King County group, Washington (15 counties)

L&I sets the same flagger rates, row for row, in 15 counties: Clallam, Grays Harbor, Island, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Lewis, Mason, Pacific, Pierce, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish, Thurston and Whatcom. Every figure on this page applies in each of them.

$60.82an hour, total

$42.89 wage + $17.93 fringe benefits

On Washington public works in each of these 15 counties, a flagger must be paid at least $60.82 an hour in total: $42.89 in wages plus $17.93 in fringe benefits for health, pension, vacation, training and other plans. L&I's rate took effect September 2, 2026.

L&I published this rate on August 3, 2026 and it took effect September 2, 2026. Checked against L&I's wage lookup on October 24, 2026.

Base wage and fringe: $42.89 + $17.93

The wage is the taxable hourly rate. The other lines are what Washington law calls "usual benefits": contributions to health, pension, vacation and holiday, apprenticeship and similar plans. A contractor that doesn't provide a benefit pays its value as wages instead (RCW 39.12.010).

Base wage (taxable)	$42.89
Health and welfare	$8.80
Pension	$6.80
Vacation and holiday	$1.08
Training	$1.10
Other benefits	$0.15
Total straight-time hourly rate	$60.82

Set from: collective bargaining agreement, Western WA Master Labor Agreement 2024-2027 Agreement between the Associated General Contractors of Washington and Washington and Northern Idaho District Council of Laborers. Where a county has a collective bargaining agreement, L&I adopts its wage and benefits; with more than one, the higher rate prevails. Otherwise L&I uses wage surveys (RCW 39.12.015).

Overtime

L&I overtime code 11X:

Overtime Calculations are based on the hourly rate actually paid to the worker. On public works projects, the hourly rate must be not less than the prevailing rate of wage minus the hourly rate of the cost of fringe benefits actually provided for the worker.

ALL HOURS WORKED IN EXCESS OF EIGHT (8) HOURS PER DAY OR FORTY (40) HOURS PER WEEK SHALL BE PAID AT ONE AND ONE-HALF TIMES THE HOURLY RATE OF WAGE.

Work performed in excess of ten (10) hours of straight time per day when four ten (10) hour shifts are established and all work on Saturdays, except for make-up days shall be paid at time and one-half (1 ½) the straight time rate.

Work performed outside the normal work hours of 5:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. shall be paid at one and one-half (1-1/2) times the straight time rate, (except for special shifts or multiple shift operations). When the first shift of multiple shift (a two or three shift) operation is started at the basic straight time rate or at a specific overtime rate, all shifts of that day’s operation shall be completed at that rate. When due to conditions beyond the control of the Employer or when contract specifications require that work can only be performed outside the regular day shift of 5:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., then a special shift may be worked at the straight time rate, plus the shift pay premium when applicable. The starting time of work will be arranged to fit such conditions of work. Such shifts shall consist of eight (8) hours work for eight (8) hours pay or ten (10) hours work for ten (10) hours pay for four ten-hour shifts.

In the event the job is down due to weather conditions, then Saturday may, be worked as a voluntary make-up day at the straight time rate. However, Saturday shall not be utilized as a make-up day when a holiday falls on Friday. All work performed on Sundays and holidays and work in excess of twelve (12) hours per day shall be paid at double (2x) the straight time rate of pay.

After an employee has worked eight (8) hours at an applicable overtime rate, all additional hours shall be at the applicable overtime rate until such time as the employee has had a break of eight (8) hours.

When an employee returns to work without a break of eight (8) hours since their previous shift, all such time shall be a continuation of shift and paid at the applicable overtime rate until such time as the employee has had a break of eight (8) hours.

Special Shifts: When due to conditions beyond the control of the Employer or when contract specifications require that work can only be performed outside the regular day shift, then a special shift may be worked at the straight time rate. The starting time of work will be arranged to fit such conditions of work. Such shift shall consist of eight (8) hours work for eight (8) hours pay or ten (10) hours work for ten (10) hours pay for four ten- hour shifts

Washington has no single overtime rule for prevailing wage. Each rate carries its own L&I code, copied here as published.

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Davis-Bacon flagger rates in these counties

The counties share L&I's rates, but not always the same federal wage determination. When a contract requires both the state rate and the Davis-Bacon rate, paying the higher of the two meets both. The contract documents say which apply.

County	Federal classification	Base + fringe	WD	vs L&I
Clallam County	Federal rates listed on the county page; no one-to-one match
Grays Harbor County	Federal rates listed on the county page; no one-to-one match
Island County	Federal rates listed on the county page; no one-to-one match
Jefferson County	Federal rates listed on the county page; no one-to-one match
King County	No federal row for this trade
Kitsap County	No federal row for this trade
Lewis County	Federal rates listed on the county page; no one-to-one match
Mason County	Federal rates listed on the county page; no one-to-one match
Pacific County	Federal rates listed on the county page; no one-to-one match
Pierce County	No federal row for this trade
San Juan County	Federal rates listed on the county page; no one-to-one match
Skagit County	No federal row for this trade
Snohomish County	No federal row for this trade
Thurston County	No federal row for this trade
Whatcom County	No federal row for this trade

Holidays

L&I holiday code 15J:

Holidays: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, the Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day (9). Any holiday which falls on a Sunday shall be observed as a holiday on the following Monday. If any of the listed holidays falls on a Saturday, the preceding Friday shall be a regular work day.

When this rate changes

Rates lock at the bid date. A project uses “the rates that are in effect on the date when bids by prime contractors are due”, and they stay for the life of the contract. If the contract isn't awarded within six months of the bid date, the award-date rates apply. Contracts without bids use the date they're signed (WAC 296-127-011).
L&I publishes on the first business day of February and August, and rates take effect 30 days later. Corrections can be published at any time and also take effect 30 days later (WAC 296-127-011(1); L&I publications and corrections). L&I's next set is due February 1, 2027, effective March 3, 2027.
L&I doesn't republish every rate each period. A rate stays until L&I changes it, so each one has its own date. This one was published August 3, 2026 and took effect September 2, 2026.

How the King County group compares

The main flagger rate in every county that has one, and how the pay splits here and in the nearest counties. All bars use the same scale.

Every county in Washington

King $60.828385

$54.42Asotin$60.82Clallam

KingNearby: Clallam $60.82, Grays Harbor $60.82, Island $60.82, Jefferson $60.82, Kitsap $60.82, Lewis $60.82, Mason $60.82, Pacific $60.82, Pierce $60.82, San Juan $60.82, Skagit $60.82, Snohomish $60.82, Thurston $60.82, Whatcom $60.82Each column is a group of counties with about the same main rate; its height is how many. 0 counties pay more than King, 14 the same, 24 less.

Wage and fringe benefits, nearby

King County groupbase $42.89$60.82
Pierce Countybase $42.89$60.82
Snohomish Countybase $42.89$60.82
Kittitas Countybase $37.05$54.83

Which county is in which flagger group

Every Washington county with a flagger rate. Counties L&I treats alike share one page; the rest have their own. You pay the rate for the county where the work is done.

Counties	Main classification	Total	Base
King County group, 15 counties: Clallam, Grays Harbor, Island, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Lewis, Mason, Pacific, Pierce, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish, Thurston, Whatcom	Journey Level	$60.82	$42.89
Clark County group, 5 counties: Clark, Cowlitz, Klickitat, Skamania, Wahkiakum	Journey Level	$60.14	$42.05
Grant County group, 8 counties: Adams, Columbia, Douglas, Ferry, Grant, Okanogan, Pend Oreille, Stevens	Journey Level	$57.49	$38.38
Yakima County group, 3 counties: Chelan, Kittitas, Yakima	Journey Level	$54.83	$37.05
Spokane County group, 8 counties: Asotin, Benton, Franklin, Garfield, Lincoln, Spokane, Walla Walla, Whitman	Journey Level	$54.42	$35.38

5 groups of counties with identical L&I rates, and 0 counties with rates of their own.

Washington flagger prevailing wage by county, with a map

Notes on this rate

L&I's notes, in L&I's words. Some add premiums for hazardous work, special shifts or certifications.

9N Tide Work: When employees are called out between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.to work on tide work (work located in the tide plane) all time worked shall be at one and one-half times the hourly rate of pay. Swinging Stage/Boatswains Chair: Employees working on a swinging state or boatswains chair or under conditions that require them to be tied off to allow their hands to be free shall receive seventy-five cents ($0.75) per hour above the classification rate. When Laborers are required to work in or with live sanitary sewage, they will receive a premium payoff forty ($40.00) dollars per day above their regular daily classification pay. Further, the employer will pay all necessary inoculations to prevent disease if requested by the employee and as recommended by the Department of Labor and Industries (Industrial Safety and Health Division).

Are you being paid this rate?

Add your wage to what your employer pays into health, pension and other plans for you, and compare it with $60.82. Each contractor files an L&I-approved Statement of Intent to Pay Prevailing Wages before it's paid, and an Affidavit of Wages Paid when the job is accepted (RCW 39.12.040). On contracts over $10,000 the approved intent and L&I's contact details are posted on the job site (RCW 39.12.020).

Source

Washington State Department of Labor & Industries, prevailing wage lookup, Flaggers (FLAG), published August 3, 2026, effective September 2, 2026: secure.lni.wa.gov/wagelookup/. L&I keeps a wage record for each county; for the row this page leads with:

Clallam County: L&I wage record 149981
Grays Harbor County: L&I wage record 149981
Island County: L&I wage record 149981
Jefferson County: L&I wage record 149981
King County: L&I wage record 149981
Kitsap County: L&I wage record 149981
Lewis County: L&I wage record 149981
Mason County: L&I wage record 149981
Pacific County: L&I wage record 149981
Pierce County: L&I wage record 149981
San Juan County: L&I wage record 149981
Skagit County: L&I wage record 149981
Snohomish County: L&I wage record 149981
Thurston County: L&I wage record 149981
Whatcom County: L&I wage record 149981

Each figure comes from L&I's lookup and is checked against L&I's CSV export and a second, separate query. How we check · Download every Washington rate as CSV · Report an error