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Prevailing wage · Texas

Texas prevailing wage rates

Texas public works pay the prevailing rates the public body sets in its call for bids. There is no state agency and no state certified payroll filing: contractors keep wage records open to the public body's inspection, and the penalty is $60 per worker per day of underpayment.

Reviewed October 8, 2026 1 official source cited
State agency
None
Rates set by
The public body
State filing
None
Counties with federal rates
254
Active federal WDs
290

Two kinds of prevailing wage in Texas

Federal (Davis-Bacon). Construction contracts over $2,000 paid for or assisted with federal money pay the rates in a federal wage determination for the county and construction type. Those rates are on this site, county by county, and the weekly certified payroll is usually the WH-347.

State (Texas law). State and local public works pay the state's rates under Texas Government Code chapter 2258 [Gov't Code 2258]. There is no state agency: the public body that awards the contract sets the rates and enforces them.

On federally funded Texas projects (including federal-aid highway work), Davis-Bacon applies and the weekly federal certified payroll (WH-347) goes to your prime or the agency. The state chapter adds the public body's rates and the $60-a-day penalty on state and local work.

Texas prevailing wage law at a glance

Which projects are covered

  • Chapter 2258 applies to "the construction of a public work, including a building, highway, road, excavation, and repair work or other project development or improvement, paid for in whole or in part from public funds." It does not apply to maintenance work, and the chapter sets no dollar threshold [Gov't Code 2258.002, 2258.021].

How state rates are set

Each public body sets its rates, either by its own survey or by using the Davis-Bacon rates published by the U.S. Department of Labor. The rates must be in the call for bids and in the contract, and the public body's determination is final [Gov't Code 2258.022].

Because a public body may adopt the Davis-Bacon rates, the federal county pages below can be a useful reference. Always use the rates in your contract.

Overtime

Workers get at least the prevailing rate for legal holiday and overtime work as the public body determines it [Gov't Code 2258.021].

Davis-Bacon wage rates by county in Texas

Select a county for its federal wage determinations by construction type (building, residential, heavy, highway), with every classification's base and fringe rate.

Federal data: SAM.gov general wage determinations, fetched October 7, 2026. For state rates, use the agency link above.

Certified payroll in Texas

No state filing: keep records open to the public body's inspection. No state schedule; follow your contract.

For Texas projects LevelWage prepares the WH-347 package, the common format when a contract or a federal funding source requires certified payroll.

Read the full Texas certified payroll guide

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between Texas prevailing wage and Davis-Bacon?
Davis-Bacon is federal: it covers construction paid for or assisted with federal money, with rates from wage determinations on SAM.gov. Texas's own law covers state and local public works, with rates set by the state. On federally funded Texas projects (including federal-aid highway work), Davis-Bacon applies and the weekly federal certified payroll (WH-347) goes to your prime or the agency. The state chapter adds the public body's rates and the $60-a-day penalty on state and local work.
Does Texas require certified payroll?
State law requires records of each worker's name, occupation and wages, open to the public body's inspection, but no state certified payroll filing [Gov't Code 2258.024]. Your contract can require weekly certified payrolls, and federally funded projects do.
Are Texas prevailing wage rates the same as Davis-Bacon?
Often. A public body can set rates by its own survey or adopt the Davis-Bacon rates [Gov't Code 2258.022]. The rates in your contract govern.
Where do the county rates on this page come from?
From the active Davis-Bacon general wage determinations SAM.gov publishes for Texas (290 of them, fetched October 7, 2026). Every county page shows the WD number, modification, publish date and a link to the source.

Sources

  1. Texas Government Code chapter 2258

LevelWage prepares reports for your review. This page explains the rules in plain words; it is not legal advice. When a rule matters to a decision, read the source and your contract.

Keep reading

Texas

Certified payroll in Texas

No state filing: keep records open to the public body's inspection

Federal

The Davis-Bacon Act for subcontractors

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