At a Glance
Quick Answer
Rhode Island has an active prevailing wage law (Rhode Island Prevailing Wage Law (R.I.G.L. Section 37-13-1 et seq.)). Administered by Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training. Certified payroll is required. Federal Davis-Bacon applies to all federal projects.
Rhode Island has one of the lowest thresholds in the nation at $1,000. The law covers all public construction, reconstruction, alteration, or repair of public buildings, roads, and other public works. The Department of Labor and Training sets prevailing wage rates.
Context
Prevailing Wage & Bidding in Rhode Island
Rhode Island has one of the lowest prevailing wage thresholds in the nation, just $1,000, administered by the Department of Labor and Training under R.I.G.L. 37-13-1 et seq. In practical terms, virtually every public construction, reconstruction, alteration, or repair project, including public buildings and roads, triggers prevailing wage. When you bid public work in Rhode Island, assume the wage law applies and price labor to the department's published rates for each trade classification, including required fringe benefits, rather than to your standard market wages.
Certified payroll is required, so build weekly reporting into your overhead for your own crews and every subcontractor on the job. Because the threshold is so low, contractors sometimes underestimate compliance exposure on small repair or alteration contracts; a minor public job still demands full wage and reporting compliance. Map each scope item to the correct classification and confirm the current rate schedule before you finalize your number, since misclassification is a frequent source of underpayment findings. Where a Rhode Island project also receives federal funding, Davis-Bacon applies in parallel and you pay the higher applicable rate by classification.
Rhode Island enforces strongly. Contractors who violate the law face back-wage liability, civil penalties, and debarment from public contracts, with criminal penalties available for willful violations. Debarment can shut you out of the public market, so accurate classification and timely certified payroll protect both your margin and your eligibility to keep winning work. The winning approach is simple: treat the $1,000 threshold as effectively universal, price to the current schedule, and bake compliance administration into the bid.
Details
Coverage Details
State Law Details
- Law
- Rhode Island Prevailing Wage Law (R.I.G.L. Section 37-13-1 et seq.)
- Agency
- Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training
- Thresholds
- Public works projects of $1,000 or more
- Certified Payroll
- Required
Federal Davis-Bacon Coverage
The federal Davis-Bacon Act applies to all federally funded or federally assisted construction contracts over $2,000 in Rhode Island. This includes projects funded by federal agencies, FHWA highway projects, HUD housing, and projects receiving federal grants.
Reference
Key Facts
One of the lowest thresholds in the nation at $1,000
Department of Labor and Training administers the program
Covers construction, reconstruction, alteration, and repair of public works
Strong enforcement with debarment and criminal penalty provisions
Enforcement
Penalties
Contractors face payment of back wages, debarment from public contracts, and civil penalties. Criminal penalties may apply for willful violations.
Resources
Related Tools & Templates
Turn wage rules into bid-ready alerts
Use ConstructionBids.ai to track matching public projects, save bid searches, and move wage-sensitive scopes into your estimating workflow.
FAQ
Questions Contractors Ask
Does Rhode Island have a prevailing wage law?
Yes. Rhode Island has an active state prevailing wage law: Rhode Island Prevailing Wage Law (R.I.G.L. Section 37-13-1 et seq.). Rhode Island has one of the lowest thresholds in the nation at $1,000. The law covers all public construction, reconstruction, alteration, or repair of public buildings, roads, and other public works. The Department of Labor and Training sets prevailing wage rates.
Does Davis-Bacon apply in Rhode Island?
Yes. The federal Davis-Bacon Act applies to all federally funded construction projects over $2,000 in Rhode Island, regardless of state law. Contractors must pay the prevailing wage rate determined by the DOL for the project location.
Is certified payroll required in Rhode Island?
Yes. Rhode Island requires certified payroll on state prevailing wage projects. Additionally, certified payroll is always required on federal Davis-Bacon projects using form WH-347.
What are the penalties for prevailing wage violations in Rhode Island?
Contractors face payment of back wages, debarment from public contracts, and civil penalties. Criminal penalties may apply for willful violations.
What is Rhode Island's prevailing wage threshold?
Rhode Island applies prevailing wage to public works projects of $1,000 or more, one of the lowest thresholds in the country. In practice nearly every public construction, alteration, or repair job is covered, so bid labor at the Department of Labor and Training's published rates including fringe benefits.
Are small public repair jobs in Rhode Island subject to prevailing wage?
Yes. Because the threshold is only $1,000, even minor repair, alteration, or reconstruction on public buildings and roads typically triggers prevailing wage and certified-payroll obligations. Do not assume a small contract is exempt; map each task to the correct classification and price to the current schedule.
What penalties apply for prevailing wage violations in Rhode Island?
Violators face back-wage liability, civil penalties, and debarment from public contracts, with criminal penalties possible for willful violations. Debarment can lock you out of the public market entirely, so accurate worker classification and timely certified payroll are critical to protecting both margin and bidding eligibility.