Washington tip pooling laws & tipped minimum wage
Washington is one of only seven states that ban the tip credit: every tipped worker gets the full minimum wage in cash, and tips are paid on top.
| Regular minimum wage | $17.13/hr |
| Minimum cash wage for tipped workers | $17.13/hr (full minimum) |
| Maximum tip credit | Not allowed |
| Tips belong to | Employees — always |
A tip credit lets an employer count your tips toward the minimum wage it owes you. Rates reviewed July 2026. Rates change — confirm with the Washington labor department. Not legal advice.
What's specific to Washington
Washington bans the tip credit and has the highest state minimum wage. Seattle, SeaTac, and other cities set even higher local rates.
Washington bans the tip credit — you get the full minimum in cash
Washington does not allow a tip credit. Your employer must pay you the full state minimum wage of $17.13 an hour in cash, one of the highest state minimums in the country, before a single tip is counted. State law is direct about it: tips and service charges cannot be used as part of your hourly minimum wage.
That changes what your tips are. They are not filling a gap up to the minimum — you already have the minimum. Every tip is money on top of a full wage, which is why Washington is called a one-fair-wage state. The rate also rises each January, adjusted for inflation.
Several cities set a minimum well above the state rate
Where you work inside Washington matters. Seattle’s minimum wage is $21.30 an hour in 2026, and cities including SeaTac, Tukwila, Renton, Burien, and Bellingham all set rates above the state $17.13. These local rates, not the state figure, are the cash floor for workers in those cities.
None of these local increases come with a tip credit either. The higher city minimum is the full cash wage you are owed before tips.
Back-of-house staff can be in a mandatory tip pool
Because Washington has no tip credit, the pooling rules are broader than in tip-credit states. Your employer may require a tip pool that includes back-of-house workers such as cooks and dishwashers, not just servers and bartenders.
What stays off-limits is the house. Tips belong to the employees who earn them, and your employer, along with salaried managers, supervisors, and owners, cannot keep any part of the pool or apply it toward wages.
Tip pooling in Washington
Washington follows the federal baseline for pooling: employers may require tip pooling, and because no tip credit exists, pools may legally include back-of-house workers like cooks and dishwashers. Managers and supervisors are always excluded.
One federal rule applies everywhere: managers and supervisors can never take from a tip pool. Separately, credit card processing fees may only be deducted from tips where state law allows it — and several no-tip-credit states restrict that practice too.
What this means for your tip-out
Because Washington pays the full minimum wage before tips, your base pay does not depend on how the pool splits. Use the tip-out calculator to split a shift by your house's percentages or by hours, and see standard tip-out percentages to check whether your house's rates are typical.
Washington tip law FAQs
What is the tipped minimum wage in Washington?
Washington does not allow a tip credit, so tipped employees must be paid the full minimum wage of $17.13/hr in cash. All tips come on top of that wage.
Is mandatory tip pooling legal in Washington?
Washington follows the federal baseline for pooling: employers may require tip pooling, and because no tip credit exists, pools may legally include back-of-house workers like cooks and dishwashers. Managers and supervisors are always excluded.
Can my manager take a share of the tip pool in Washington?
No. Federal law prohibits managers, supervisors, and owners from keeping any portion of employee tips in every state, including Washington. A manager may keep only tips they directly and solely earned (e.g., a table they personally served start to finish).
Can my employer count my tips toward the $17.13 minimum wage?
No. Washington bans the tip credit. Your employer must pay the full minimum wage — $17.13 statewide, or the higher local rate in cities like Seattle — in cash, and your tips are entirely on top of that. If your paycheck falls below the applicable minimum, file a claim with the Washington Department of Labor and Industries.
Can my restaurant make me share tips with the cooks and dishwashers?
Yes. Because Washington has no tip credit, a mandatory tip pool may include back-of-house employees such as cooks and dishwashers. The one firm limit is that the employer, owners, and salaried managers or supervisors cannot take any share of the pool.