Blog · Updated July 5, 2026
Every State That Requires Salary Ranges in Job Postings (2026)
14 US states plus Washington DC now require employers to publish a salary range in job postings — and more take effect this year. This table is generated from the same rules database our validator runs, and is updated within days of every law change.
Pay transparency laws have moved fast. In 2020 only Colorado had a job-posting salary rule. By 2026 more than a third of US workers live in a jurisdiction where employers must disclose pay in every external job posting. If your company posts jobs in more than one state — or accepts remote applicants — you almost certainly need to comply with multiple laws simultaneously.
Active posting requirements (16 jurisdictions)
| Jurisdiction | Law | Effective | Threshold | Requires | Max penalty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | California SB 1162 | Jan 1, 2023 | 15+ employees | Salary range in postings | Up to $10,000 |
| Colorado | Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act | Jan 1, 2021 | All employers | Salary range in postings + benefits description | Up to $10,000 |
| Delaware | Delaware SB 1 | Jun 1, 2025 | 10+ employees | Salary range in postings + benefits description | Up to $10,000 |
| Hawaii | Hawaii SB 1057 | Jan 1, 2024 | 50+ employees | Salary range in postings | Not yet specified |
| Illinois | Illinois Equal Pay Act (HB 3129) | Jan 1, 2025 | 15+ employees | Salary range in postings + benefits description | Up to $10,000 |
| Jersey City, NJ | Jersey City Ordinance 22-026 | Apr 13, 2022 | 5+ employees | Salary range in postings + benefits description | Up to $2,000 |
| Maryland | Maryland Wage Range Transparency Act (SB 525 / HB 649) | Oct 1, 2024 | All employers | Salary range in postings + benefits description | Up to $600 |
| Massachusetts | Massachusetts Wage Transparency Act | Oct 29, 2025 | 25+ employees | Salary range in postings | Up to $25,000 |
| Minnesota | Minnesota Pay Transparency Law (Minn. Stat. § 181.173) | Jan 1, 2025 | 30+ employees | Salary range in postings + benefits description | Not yet specified |
| New Jersey | New Jersey Pay Transparency Act (P.L. 2024, c.91) | Jun 1, 2025 | 10+ employees | Salary range in postings + benefits description | Up to $600 |
| New York City | NYC Local Law 32 | Nov 1, 2022 | 4+ employees | Salary range in postings | Up to $250,000 |
| New York State | New York Labor Law §194-b | Sep 17, 2023 | 4+ employees | Salary range in postings | Up to $3,000 |
| Vermont | Vermont H.704 | Jul 1, 2025 | 5+ employees | Salary range in postings | Not yet specified |
| Virginia | Virginia Pay Transparency Law (SB215 / HB636) | Jul 1, 2026 | All employers | Salary range in postings | Not yet specified |
| Washington | Washington Equal Pay and Opportunities Act | Jan 1, 2023 | 15+ employees | Salary range in postings + benefits description | Up to $1,000 |
| Washington DC | DC Wage Transparency Omnibus Amendment Act of 2023 | Jun 30, 2024 | All employers | Salary range in postings | Up to $20,000 |
Taking effect soon
| Jurisdiction | Law | Effective | Threshold | Requires | Max penalty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maine | Maine LD 54 (26 M.R.S. § 622-A) | Jul 29, 2026 | 10+ employees | Salary range in postings | Up to $500 |
Disclosure-on-request states
A second group of jurisdictions stops short of a posting mandate but requires employers to disclose the pay range when an applicant or employee asks (or, in Nevada, automatically after an interview). If you hire in these states, your recruiters need a documented answer ready even though the posting itself is unaffected.
| Jurisdiction | Law | Effective | Threshold | Requires | Max penalty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati, OH | Cincinnati Pay Equity Ordinance (No. 83-2019) | Mar 13, 2020 | 15+ employees | Pay range on request (no posting mandate) | Not yet specified |
| Connecticut | Connecticut PA 21-30 | Oct 1, 2021 | All employers | Pay range on request (no posting mandate) | Not yet specified |
| Nevada | Nevada SB 293 | Oct 1, 2021 | All employers | Pay range on request (no posting mandate) | Not yet specified |
| Rhode Island | Rhode Island Pay Equity Act | Jan 1, 2023 | All employers | Pay range on request (no posting mandate) | Not yet specified |
| Toledo, OH | Toledo Pay Transparency Ordinance (No. 173-19) | Jun 25, 2020 | 15+ employees | Pay range on request (no posting mandate) | Not yet specified |
What counts as a “job posting”?
Most laws define a posting as any public communication advertising an open position — including listings on your careers page, LinkedIn, Indeed, Glassdoor, and third-party ATS boards. Internal-only postings are often excluded, but the thresholds differ. California SB 1162 also requires employers to provide pay scale on request for existing employees, regardless of whether they applied externally.
What is a valid salary range?
Every covered law requires a range— a minimum and a maximum — not just a midpoint or “competitive salary.” Colorado and Washington also require a good-faith estimate, meaning the range must reflect what you actually expect to pay a qualified candidate. Ranges like “$50,000–$500,000” have drawn enforcement scrutiny in Colorado for being unreasonably wide. See what counts as a valid salary range for the standard each state applies.
Frequently asked questions
What states require salary ranges in job postings?
As of July 2026, 14 states plus Washington DC have an active law requiring a salary or pay range in job postings: California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York State, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Washington DC. Several cities — including New York City and Jersey City — have their own ordinances, and the EU Pay Transparency Directive extends the requirement to job ads across EU member states.
Do job postings have to include salary?
It depends on where the role can be performed. If a posting is open to candidates in a state with a pay transparency law — including remote roles workable from that state — the posting generally must include a good-faith salary range. There is no federal requirement yet; coverage is state by state.
Are salary ranges required for remote job postings?
Usually yes, if the role can be performed from a covered state. Colorado, California, Washington, New York, and Massachusetts all apply their posting rules to remote roles accessible to their residents, which means a single nationwide remote posting can be subject to a dozen laws at once.
What happens if a job posting doesn't include a salary range?
Penalties vary by state, from a few hundred dollars per posting in New Jersey and Maryland to $25,000 per violation in Massachusetts and $250,000 for a willful uncured violation in New York City. California's posting penalties run $100–$10,000 per violation at the Labor Commissioner's discretion, and its 2026 amendments extended the statute of limitations on claims to three years.
Does a salary range have to be accurate?
Yes. Every posting law requires a "good-faith" range — the pay the employer honestly expects to offer. A single number, "competitive salary," or an implausibly wide range (like $50,000–$500,000) can each be treated as non-compliant.
Check any job posting in seconds. Paste the URL or text into PayTransparency’s free validator and get a state-by-state compliance report with fine exposure estimates. For penalty details by state, see the fines & penalties guide.