- Kentucky rates in one place
- Breaks Kentucky requires
- Seventh-day overtime
- Pay changes, paydays and final pay
- How Kentucky's rate got here
- A rule for construction and mining firms
- Kentucky and the neighbouring states
- Who enforces Kentucky's wage rules
- Kentucky payroll mistakes to avoid
- My verdict
- Frequently asked questions
The minimum wage in Kentucky is $7.25 an hour as of October 2026, set by KRS 337.275 since July 1, 2009. Kentucky adds rules federal law doesn't have: a paid 10-minute rest break in every four hours, a meal period between the third and fifth hour, and overtime on the seventh day for anyone who works all seven days of a week.
This page draws on the text of KRS 337.275, the Kentucky Education and Labor Cabinet's wages and hours page and the U.S. Department of Labor's state, tipped and payday tables, read in October 2026. The statute also says that if the federal minimum hourly wage is ever set higher than Kentucky's, the federal rate becomes the state rate.
Kentucky rates in one place
| Pay item | Amount (as of October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Minimum wage | $7.25 an hour |
| Tipped cash wage | $2.13 an hour |
| Maximum tip credit | $5.12 an hour |
| Tips needed to count as tipped | More than $30 a month |
KRS 337.275 lets an employer pay a tipped employee, someone who customarily and regularly receives more than $30 a month in tips, the same hourly rate the federal law sets for tipped employees. Tips must still bring the total to $7.25. My tip pooling guide covers shared tips.
Breaks Kentucky requires
Here's where Kentucky stands out from its neighbours. The Cabinet says every employee is entitled to a rest period of at least ten minutes during each four hours worked, and that rest period is paid. Employees are also entitled to a reasonable meal period no sooner than the third hour and no later than the fifth hour of the shift, unless the employee and employer agree another arrangement. A duty-free meal period doesn't have to be paid.
- Paid rest break: at least 10 minutes in every four hours worked.
- Meal period: a reasonable time between the third and fifth hour, unless agreed otherwise.
- Minors under 18: a 30-minute documented lunch break for each five hours of continuous work, and nothing shorter counts.
My lunch break laws guide shows how few states require paid rest breaks at all.
Seventh-day overtime
Kentucky has a separate 7th day overtime law. The U.S. Department of Labor's state table explains that employers who let covered employees work seven days in one workweek must pay time and a half for the hours worked on the seventh day. It doesn't apply when the employee isn't permitted to work more than 40 hours in total that week. Normal overtime is time and a half after 40 hours a week, and the Cabinet says an employer can require overtime.
Comp time instead of overtime isn't allowed for employees covered by the overtime law. The exception the Department of Labor notes is county and local government staff, who can take comp time on written request.
Pay changes, paydays and final pay
- Tell employees about any change to their rate of pay before they work any hours at the new rate, because changes can't be backdated.
- Run payroll at least semi-monthly, which is how the U.S. Department of Labor's payday table lists Kentucky.
- When someone leaves for any reason, pay them by the next regular payday or within 14 days, whichever is later.
My final paycheck guide compares Kentucky's 14-day rule with other states.
How Kentucky's rate got here
| Date | Kentucky minimum wage |
|---|---|
| June 26, 2007 | $5.85 |
| July 1, 2008 | $6.55 |
| July 1, 2009 | $7.25 |
| As of October 2026 | $7.25 |
A rule for construction and mining firms
The Cabinet also enforces a performance bond rule. Unless they've been doing business in Kentucky for five years, employers in construction work or in severing, preparing or transporting minerals must furnish a performance bond to guarantee wage payment. The bond must equal the company's gross payroll at full capacity for four weeks.
Kentucky and the neighbouring states
| State | Basic minimum wage (as of October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Kentucky | $7.25 |
| Indiana | $7.25 |
| Tennessee | No state law, $7.25 federal |
| Ohio | $11.00 (larger employers) |
| Illinois | $15.00 |
| Missouri | $15.00 |
| Virginia | $12.77 |
Kentucky pays the federal floor, while several of its neighbours pay more. My Ohio minimum wage guide covers the state across the river.
Who enforces Kentucky's wage rules
The Division of Wages and Hours, part of the Kentucky Education and Labor Cabinet, administers and enforces the state's laws on minimum wage, overtime, wage payment, lunch breaks, rest periods, payroll deductions, child labor and wage discrimination. It investigates employee complaints, and workers can file a wage and hour complaint online. Employers can also contact the division with general questions before they set a policy.
Kentucky payroll mistakes to avoid
- Treating rest breaks as unpaid. Kentucky's 10-minute rest periods are paid time.
- Scheduling a meal break before the third hour or after the fifth without the employee's agreement.
- Letting someone work seven days in a row without paying the seventh-day premium.
- Backdating a pay cut instead of telling the employee before they work at the new rate.
- Giving a minor a 20-minute lunch. For under-18s, nothing shorter than 30 minutes counts.
Making a role salaried doesn't settle the overtime question on its own. The Cabinet says a salaried position may or may not still be owed overtime for hours over 40 in a week, depending on the duties and pay.
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My verdict
Kentucky's $7.25 is the easy part. The rules that cost Kentucky employers in wage claims are the paid 10-minute rest breaks, the third-to-fifth-hour meal window and seventh-day overtime. Build those into your rota and your payroll is in good shape.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum wage in Kentucky?
It's $7.25 an hour as of October 2026, set by KRS 337.275 since July 1, 2009.
Does Kentucky require paid breaks?
Yes. Employees are entitled to a paid rest period of at least 10 minutes during each four hours worked.
When must a lunch break be given in Kentucky?
No sooner than the third hour and no later than the fifth hour of the shift, unless both sides agree otherwise.
What is Kentucky's seventh-day overtime rule?
Employers who let covered employees work all seven days of a workweek must pay time and a half for hours on the seventh day.
What is the tipped minimum wage in Kentucky?
Employers can pay the federal tipped cash wage of $2.13 an hour, with tips bringing the total to $7.25.
When is a final paycheck due in Kentucky?
By the next regular payday or within 14 days, whichever is later.
Can a Kentucky employer change an employee's pay?
Yes, but the employee must be told before working any hours at the new rate.
Who enforces wage laws in Kentucky?
The Division of Wages and Hours in the Kentucky Education and Labor Cabinet.
Can a Kentucky employer require overtime?
Yes. The Cabinet says nothing prohibits an employer from requiring overtime, which is paid at time and a half after 40 hours.
