Louisiana has no state minimum wage law, so employers covered by the federal Fair Labor Standards Act must pay at least $7.25 an hour as of October 2026. Tipped staff can be paid a $2.13 cash wage if tips make up the rest, with a federal tip test of more than $30 a month.
Louisiana is one of five states with no minimum wage law of its own, alongside Alabama, Mississippi, South Carolina and Tennessee. That doesn't mean there are no wage rules. The state has firm laws on final pay, deductions and working hours for minors. This guide uses the U.S. Department of Labor's tables, the Louisiana Workforce Commission's labor law page and minors booklet, and Louisiana Revised Statutes 23:631 and 23:635, all read in October 2026.
Louisiana pay floors in one table
| Rule | What applies in Louisiana (as of October 2026) |
|---|---|
| State minimum wage law | None |
| Minimum wage for FLSA-covered employers | $7.25 an hour (federal) |
| Cash wage for tipped staff | $2.13 an hour |
| Maximum tip credit | $5.12 an hour |
| Tips needed to count as tipped | More than $30 a month |
Because the state relies on federal law, the Louisiana Workforce Commission's own labor law page sends minimum wage and overtime questions to the U.S. Department of Labor. If a business isn't covered by the federal law, there's no state rate to fall back on, which is why checking federal coverage comes first. My federal minimum wage guide explains how that coverage works.
The final paycheck deadline people get wrong
This is the rule most owners miss. Louisiana Revised Statutes 23:631 says that when you let someone go, or when they resign, you must pay what you owe them on or before the next regular payday or no later than 15 days after they leave, whichever comes first. It applies to staff paid by the hour, day, week or month.
- Work out the amount due under the terms of employment, including accrued vacation pay if your policy says the person is eligible and has earned it.
- Pay it by the next regular payday or within 15 days of the departure date, whichever is earlier.
- Pay in the usual way, or by mail with postage prepaid to the employee's current address in your records.
- If you dispute part of the amount, pay the part you don't dispute on time. The employee can take the rest to court.
A collective bargaining agreement that says otherwise can change this, but for most small businesses the 15-day limit is the one to diary.
No fines from wages
Under Louisiana Revised Statutes 23:635, you can't fine employees or deduct fines from their wages. The section allows exceptions where an employee wilfully or negligently damages goods, work or the employer's property, and where an employee has been convicted of, or pled guilty to, theft from the employer. A lateness fine taken from a paycheck doesn't fit any of those.
Hours for workers under 18
The commission's minors booklet sets out the state's limits. For minors under 16:
- No more than 3 hours on a school day and no more than 18 hours in a school week.
- No work between 7:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., extended to 9:00 p.m. from June 1 through Labor Day.
- A meal break of at least 30 minutes in every five-hour work period, recorded in your normal timekeeping system.
For 16 and 17-year-olds who haven't graduated from high school, the booklet bars work between 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. before a school day at 16, and between midnight and 5:00 a.m. before a school day at 17. Every employer of minors must keep an employment certificate on file for each one, available at the work site. The booklet lists fines of $100 to $500, jail of 30 days to six months, or both for breaking these rules.
Paydays and adult breaks
- Paydays: the federal payday table says Louisiana's twice-a-month rule applies to businesses with 10 or more employees in manufacturing, mining or boring for oil, and to every public service corporation.
- Adult breaks: Louisiana doesn't appear on the federal list of states with a meal period rule for adults. Under federal law, short breaks of about 5 to 20 minutes that you offer are paid work time.
Other Louisiana employment laws to know about
The commission's labor law page lists the state laws it points employers to beyond wages. They include the Louisiana final paycheck law, the rule on unauthorized deductions from paychecks, work hours, the Louisiana pregnancy discrimination law, the rights of employees serving on jury duty, and the law that stops employers making staff pay for a medical exam or drug test. Each one has its own section of the Revised Statutes, and the page lists where to find them. If you're writing a staff handbook for a Louisiana team, those headings make a sensible checklist.
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Louisiana against nearby states
| State | Minimum wage rule (as of October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Louisiana | No state law, federal $7.25 for covered employers |
| Mississippi | No state law, federal $7.25 for covered employers |
| Texas | $7.25, the federal rate adopted by reference |
| Arkansas (4 or more employees) | $11.00 |
If you also hire in Texas, my Texas minimum wage page covers how that state's rules work.
My verdict
Louisiana's wage rules are short, but they bite. The hourly floor is the federal one, so the real risk sits elsewhere: the 15-day final pay limit, the ban on fines from wages and the school-day hours for teenagers. If you only remember one thing, make it the final paycheck rule, because it's the one ex-employees take to court.
Frequently asked questions
Does Louisiana have a minimum wage?
No. Louisiana has no state minimum wage law, so employers covered by the federal Fair Labor Standards Act pay at least $7.25 an hour as of October 2026.
What is the tipped minimum wage in Louisiana?
Under federal rules, tipped staff can be paid a $2.13 cash wage with a tip credit of up to $5.12, as long as tips bring them up to $7.25 an hour.
When is a final paycheck due in Louisiana?
On or before the next regular payday or no later than 15 days after the person leaves, whichever comes first, under Louisiana Revised Statutes 23:631.
Can a Louisiana employer deduct fines from wages?
No, except where the employee wilfully or negligently damages goods or property, or is convicted of or pleads guilty to theft from the employer.
How many hours can a 15-year-old work in Louisiana?
No more than 3 hours on a school day and 18 hours in a school week, and not between 7:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., or 9:00 p.m. from June 1 through Labor Day.
