When it applies
California's prevailing wage law covers public works projects over $1,000 (Labor Code 1771). Workers must be paid at least DIR's general prevailing wage for their craft in the county. Rates are published twice a year, and the rate that applies is generally the one in effect when the project was first advertised for bid. Look up current rates on our California prevailing wage rates by county pages.
If the project also has federal funding, Davis-Bacon applies too. Pay the higher of the two rates for each classification, and meet both sets of reporting rules.
Register with DIR
To bid on, be listed in a bid for, or work on a public works contract, a contractor must be registered with DIR (Labor Code 1725.5). Registration costs $400 per fiscal year (July 1 to June 30), or $800 and $1,200 for two and three years. Working while unregistered can bring a $2,000 penalty.
Small projects are exempt from registration and from eCPR: $25,000 or less for new construction, alteration, installation, demolition or repair, and $15,000 or less for maintenance. Prevailing wages and payroll records still apply on those jobs above $1,000.
Electronic certified payroll (eCPR)
Each contractor and subcontractor submits certified payroll records directly to the Labor Commissioner in DIR's online system (Labor Code 1771.4(a)(3)). The awarding body first registers the project with DIR; you then join it with your registration number and DIR's project ID.
- How often: at least once every 30 days while work is performed and within 30 days after the last day of work, or more often if the contract says so. DIR recommends weekly.
- Two ways in: type each payroll into DIR's web form, or upload an XML file. V1 XML is accepted until January 13, 2027; use V2.
- No-work weeks: submit a statement of non-performance.
- Corrections: submit an amended record for the same week. It takes precedence; the original stays visible.
- Other portals don't count: sending payroll to a prime, awarding body or labor compliance program does not meet the DIR requirement.
Primes and agencies may still ask for paper copies, usually in DIR's suggested A-1-131 format. See certified payroll forms.
Full SSNs and ITINs
Unlike the federal WH-347, California's electronic record needs each worker's full 9-digit Social Security number, or ITIN if they have no SSN. Duplicate SSNs in one file are rejected. DIR's public search of certified payrolls hides names, addresses and SSNs, but notes fields are public, so never put personal information there.
In PrevailCrew, full numbers are typed at export and stay in your browser by default. You can choose to save them encrypted. See security.
Daily overtime
On California public works, the workday is 8 hours and the workweek 40. Hours beyond those must be paid at not less than 1.5 times the basic rate (Labor Code 1811 and 1815). Many crafts' determinations also set Saturday, Sunday and holiday rates, sometimes double time, so check the determination for each craft. Fringe benefits are owed for every hour but are not multiplied.
Penalties
| Problem | Penalty |
|---|---|
| Payroll records not provided within 10 days of a written request (Labor Code 1776(h)) | $100 per worker for each calendar day until you comply; can be withheld from progress payments |
| Electronic certified payroll not submitted (Labor Code 1771.4) | $100 a day, up to $5,000 per project, once records are 14 days late |
| Paying less than the prevailing wage (Labor Code 1775) | Up to $200 per worker per day, plus the wages owed |
| Unpaid daily or weekly overtime (Labor Code 1813) | $25 per worker per day |
The underpayment penalty has minimums of $40, $80 or $120 per worker per day, depending on whether it was an honest mistake corrected promptly, a repeat within three years, or willful.
A weekly routine that works
- Confirm the project's bid advertisement date and the DIR rates for each craft.
- Each week, enter hours per worker, per day, per craft, including daily overtime and any double time.
- Check rates, overtime and fringe. Itemize plan contributions (health and welfare, pension, vacation and holiday, training).
- Upload to DIR within 30 days at the latest, weekly if you can. Keep a copy for the prime.
PrevailCrew's Crew plan builds DIR's eCPR V2 XML from your weekly grid and checks DIR's rules before you upload, such as no more than 24 hours a day per worker and every SSN matching its stored last four digits.