What is a Davis-Bacon wage determination?

A Davis-Bacon wage determination is an official DOL document that lists the minimum wage and fringe benefit rates for each trade classification in a specific geographic area. Federal construction contracts must include the applicable wage determination, and all contractors on the project must pay at least those rates.

How do I know which wage determination applies to my project?

The wage determination is included in the bid documents or contract. It is identified by a WD number (e.g., WD 2015-5207). If it is not in the bid package, request it from the contracting officer or look it up on SAM.gov using the state and county.

Do subcontractors have to pay Davis-Bacon rates?

Yes. Davis-Bacon requirements flow down to all subcontractors on federally funded construction projects, regardless of subcontract value. Every sub on the project must pay the applicable prevailing wage rates and submit certified payroll reports.

What happens if I pay less than the prevailing wage?

Underpaying prevailing wages triggers back-wage liability for the difference owed to each affected worker. Repeated violations can result in debarment — being prohibited from federal contracting for up to 3 years. Always verify the wage determination before starting a public works project.

Wage Determination Finder | Free Davis-Bacon Lookup Tool

The Wage Determination Finder helps subcontractors look up Davis-Bacon prevailing wage rates by state, county, and trade classification. Every federally funded construction project over $2,000 requires payment of DOL-published prevailing wages and fringes.

Look Up a Wage Classification

State

Select the state where the project is located

Trade Classification

Select your trade to see classification details

Official Rates

Prevailing wage rates change quarterly and vary by county. Get the current, binding rates directly from SAM.gov.

Search SAM.gov Wage Determinations →

SAM.gov Wage Determinations — Official source for Davis-Bacon Act wage determinations by state and county DOL Wage and Hour Division — Davis-Bacon and Related Acts compliance information WDOL.gov — Legacy wage determination search tool (being migrated to SAM.gov)

Davis-Bacon Quick Reference

Applies toFederal construction contracts over $2,000

Rates sourceDOL Wage and Hour Division via SAM.gov

Update frequencyQuarterly by county

Certified payroll formWH-347 (submit weekly)

Apprentice ratiosPer registered apprenticeship program

The Davis-Bacon Act (40 USC 3141-3148) requires payment of prevailing wages on federally funded or assisted construction contracts over $2,000. Wage determinations are issued by the DOL Wage and Hour Division and specify minimum rates by classification and county.

Example

An electrician working on a federal school renovation in Cook County, IL needs to verify her rate.

StateIllinois

TradeELEC — Electrician (Inside Wireman)

StepSearch SAM.gov for IL wage determination

FringeBase rate + health, pension, vacation fringe

ActionPull WD number → use in WH-347

How to Use This Tool

1Select the project state from the dropdown menu.
2Choose the county where work will be performed.
3Select your trade or occupation classification (e.g., Electrician, Carpenter, Laborer).
4Choose the project type — building, highway, heavy, or residential — as each has separate rates.
5Review the wage determination number and rates, then follow the link to the official DOL determination.

How to Apply the Results

Use the found wage determination number to pull the official rates from SAM.gov or the DOL website. Enter the base wage and fringe amounts into the Labor Burden Calculator to get your true burdened cost for bid pricing.

Frequently Asked Questions

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