Tipped Minimum Wage in Rhode Island
Rhode Island (RI) · Tipped minimum wage · Last reviewed June 2026
Federal tipped wage
$2.13/hr cash
Tip credit
Allowed
Must reach
Full min with tips
How the tip credit works
Under federal law, employers can pay tipped employees a cash wage as low as $2.13 per hour and claim a 'tip credit' for the difference — but only if tips bring the worker up to at least the full minimum wage. If tips fall short, the employer must make up the gap.
Tipped wages in Rhode Island
Rhode Island allows a tip credit, but the required tipped cash wage and the exact rules vary and change. Confirm the current tipped minimum with the state before you run payroll.
Staying compliant
Track tipped hours and tips so you can show that cash wages plus tips met the full minimum for every shift — the most common tipped-wage claim is exactly that they didn't.
Official sources
More Rhode Island guides
Tipped minimum wage in other states
Rhode Island tipped minimum wage: frequently asked questions
What is the tipped minimum wage in Rhode Island?
Rhode Island allows a tip credit with a lower cash wage (federally as low as $2.13/hr), as long as tips bring the worker to the full minimum. Confirm the current state tipped wage.
Can my employer pay me $2.13 an hour in Rhode Island?
Possibly, as the federal tipped cash floor, but only if your tips bring total pay to at least the full applicable minimum wage each shift.
Track Rhode Island hours the easy way
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