North Carolina Minimum Wage Law

Employers in North Carolina must conform with these state rules regarding the minimum wage paid to employees.

The minimum wage rate in North Carolina is $7.25 per hour.

Employees are covered by North Carolina's minimum wage law, with the following exemptions:

• agricultural employees
• domestics, including babysitters and companions
• pages in the state general assembly or governor's office
• persons confined in and working for any penal, correctional or mental institution of the State or a local government
• models, actors or performers in motion pictures or theatrical, radio or television productions
• persons employed by an outdoor drama in a production role, including lighting, costumes, properties and special effects
• any employee of a summer youth camp or of a seasonal religious or nonprofit educational conference center
• persons employed in catching, processing or first sale of seafood
• persons employed in a bona fide executive, administrative, professional or outside sales capacity
• persons employed in an enterprise engaged in commerce or in the production of goods for commerce as defined in the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
• volunteers in medical, educational, religious or nonprofit organizations, including volunteer firefighters, rescue and emergency medical services personnel in an incorporated, nonprofit, volunteer community fire department or rescue squad
• immediate family or dependents of an employer
• seasonal recreation program employees
• any person while participating in a ride sharing arrangement
• computer systems analysts, computer programmers, software engineers, or other similarly skilled workers