Politics & Government
Minimum Wage Increase For VA Signed Into Law
Virginia's minimum wage will begin to increase gradually in 2027. Here's what workers and businesses need to know.
RICHMOND, VA — Gov. Abigail Spanberger has signed legislation to begin incrementally raising Virginia’s minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2028. The first increase will be in 2027.
Virginia’s minimum wage as of January 2026 is $12.77 per hour. It will increase to $13.75 per hour on Jan. 1, 2027, and rise to $15 per hour on January 1, 2028. Starting in 2029, the wage is to be adjusted according to inflation annually, the governor's office said.
In a press release, Spanberger said, “Today, we are putting more money in the pockets of Virginia workers. If you work full time in Virginia, you should be able to afford to live in Virginia. You should be able to keep up with your rent or mortgage, fill your medications, and save for your kids’ futures.
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The bill was introduced by Democrat Jeion A. Ward of Hampton. When it passed, Virginia Speaker of the House Don Scott called raising the wage a moral imperative.
In a statement, Scott said, “Raising the minimum wage is about people — it’s about families struggling to keep the lights on, parents working double shifts to afford childcare, and workers who keep Virginia running but are still left behind. … No one working full-time should have to choose between rent and groceries.”
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State Republicans, however, warned that the wage increase could also increase inflation. In February, when the bill passed Virginia's House of Representatives, Republican Senator Mark Peak told ABC8 News the bill could make inflation worse and cost the state jobs.
“Obviously, that’s what happens, they’ve got to cover their employee costs by raising the cost of their goods,” Peake said. “What this does is it forces companies, instead of paying lower wages to entry-level employees and young people, they go to robots."
In 2024, then-Gov. Glenn Youngkin vetoed legislation that would have raised the minimum to $15 an hour, disappointing state Democrats.
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s living wage calculator says $25.72 is a living wage for the state of Virginia.
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