Santa Clara County has no county-specific minimum wage above the California state floor for unincorporated areas. Workers in unincorporated SCC follow the state rate set by SB-3, while San Jose and other cities maintain higher local minimums.
Unlike Los Angeles County, Santa Clara County has not enacted a countywide minimum wage ordinance for unincorporated areas. Workers in SCC unincorporated zones (covering Stanford, Alum Rock pockets, Coyote Valley, and South County rural lands) earn at least the California statewide floor of $16.50 per hour as of January 2025, indexed annually under SB-3. Most populated SCC area sits inside cities that adopted higher rates: San Jose ($17.95), Sunnyvale ($19.00), Mountain View ($19.20), Cupertino ($18.20), Palo Alto ($18.20), and Santa Clara ($18.20). The California Labor Commissioner enforces the state floor; cities enforce their own ordinances independently.
California Labor Commissioner imposes wage citations of $100 per first violation and $250 per subsequent violation, plus restitution of unpaid wages and liquidated damages equal to unpaid amounts. Willful violations trigger criminal misdemeanor liability under Labor Code §1199.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Santa Clara County, CA
In unincorporated Santa Clara County, the County Noise Ordinance (Title B, Division B11, Chapter VIII of the County Ordinance Code) sets exterior noise limit...
Santa Clara County, CA
In unincorporated Santa Clara County, fence height is regulated by the County Zoning Ordinance administered by the Department of Planning and Development. Fe...
Santa Clara County, CA
ALL fireworks - including state-approved 'Safe and Sane' fireworks - are illegal in unincorporated Santa Clara County. The County has banned the sale, posses...
Santa Clara County, CA
Residential pools and spas in unincorporated Santa Clara County are governed by California Health and Safety Code Sections 115920 through 115929 (the Pool Sa...
Santa Clara County, CA
Unincorporated Santa Clara County allows movable tiny homes as a substitute for one Accessory Dwelling Unit under Zoning Ordinance Section 4.10.015(E), adopt...
Santa Clara County, CA
In unincorporated Santa Clara County, sheds are regulated as accessory buildings under Zoning Ordinance Section 4.20.020. A shed whose combined length plus w...
See how Santa Clara County's minimum wage preemption rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.