Pay transparency laws by state (2026): which US states require salary ranges in job postings

Reviewed 1 July 2026
There is no federal pay-transparency law in the US, so the rules are set state by state. As of 1 October 2026, 18 of the 51 US jurisdictions (50 states and DC) have a statewide pay-transparency law, and 15 require the salary range in the job posting itself. Connecticut joined them on 1 October 2026.
New pay rules for job ads in Connecticut
What happened
From 1 October, a job ad in Connecticut must show the pay or pay range. It must also say what the benefits are. This is true for every employer, even a very small one.
What it means for you
Add the pay and a short note on benefits to any job ad open to Connecticut. It counts even when the job sits in a different state. The test is who the person reports to.
Dates to know
- 1 October 2026Job ads must show pay and benefits.
- 26 September 2027Delaware firms with more than 25 staff must show pay in job ads.
Source: Connecticut General Assembly. We check this page every week. Last checked .
Pay transparency laws require employers to share pay information with job applicants and employees. In the US there is no federal pay-transparency law, so the rules are set state by state. The strongest form requires the salary or wage range in the job posting itself, as in California, Colorado, New York and Washington. Others require disclosure only on request or before an offer, as in Nevada and Rhode Island. Connecticut moved to a posting requirement on 1 October 2026, and its adverts must also describe the benefits. Most also ban asking candidates about their salary history. The employer size that triggers the duty, and the effective date, vary by state, and more states keep joining, so the picture changes often.
The big picture
There is no federal pay-transparency law in the US. As of 1 October 2026, 18 of the 51 US jurisdictions (50 states and DC) have a statewide pay-transparency law, and 15 of those require the salary range in the job posting itself. Connecticut joined them on 1 October 2026, and Delaware follows in September 2027.
Position as at 1 October 2026. Source.
Which states require the pay range in job postings?
States that require the salary or wage range in the posting itself include California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Vermont, Virginia and Washington, plus DC. Connecticut joined on 1 October 2026 and Delaware follows in September 2027. Thresholds and details differ, so check each state's row.
What is the difference between posting and on-request states?
Posting states require the range in the advert, so candidates see it before they apply. On-request states, such as Nevada and Rhode Island, require the employer to give the range at a set point, for example before an offer or on request, but not in the advert itself. Connecticut left this group on 1 October 2026.
Do these laws ban asking about salary history?
Most do. A salary-history ban stops employers asking candidates what they currently or previously earn, so past pay gaps are not carried forward. Some states with no posting requirement still ban salary-history questions, such as Oregon. Each state's position is shown in the table.
US pay transparency, handled by Teamed
- Pay ranges in required postings
- Salary-history rule applied per state
- Pay scale disclosed on request
Pay transparency by state
51 jurisdictions
| Source | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | In job postings | 15+ employees | 1 Jan 2023 | Yes | source |
| Colorado | In job postings | All employers | 1 Jan 2021 | Yes | source |
| Connecticut | In job postings | All employers | 1 Oct 2021 (pay range and benefits in job ads from 1 Oct 2026) | Yes | source |
| District of Columbia | In job postings | All employers | 30 Jun 2024 | Yes | source |
| Hawaii | In job postings | 50+ employees | 1 Jan 2024 | Yes | source |
| Illinois | In job postings | 15+ employees | 1 Jan 2025 | Yes | source |
| Maine | In job postings | 10+ employees | 29 Jul 2026 | Yes | source |
| Maryland | In job postings | All employers | 1 Oct 2024 | Yes | source |
| Massachusetts | In job postings | 25+ employees | 29 Oct 2025 | Yes | source |
| Minnesota | In job postings | 30+ employees | 1 Jan 2025 | Yes | source |
| New Jersey | In job postings | 10+ employees | 1 Jun 2025 | Yes | source |
| New York | In job postings | 4+ employees | 17 Sep 2023 | Yes | source |
| Vermont | In job postings | 5+ employees | 1 Jul 2025 | Yes | source |
| Virginia | In job postings | All employers | 1 Jul 2026 | Yes | source |
| Washington | In job postings | 15+ employees | 1 Jan 2023 | Yes | source |
| Nevada | On request | All employers | 1 Oct 2021 | Yes | source |
| Rhode Island | On request | All employers | 1 Jan 2023 | Yes | source |
| Delaware | Upcoming | More than 25 employees | 26 Sep 2027 | Yes | source |
| Alabama | No state law | – | – | Partial (cannot refuse to hire for withholding wage history) | source |
| Alaska | No state law | – | – | No | source |
| Arizona | No state law | – | – | No | source |
| Arkansas | No state law | – | – | No | source |
| Florida | No state law | – | – | No | source |
| Georgia | No state law | – | – | No | source |
| Idaho | No state law | – | – | No | source |
| Indiana | No state law | – | – | No | source |
| Iowa | No state law | – | – | No | source |
| Kansas | No state law | – | – | No | source |
| Kentucky | No state law | – | – | No | source |
| Louisiana | No state law | – | – | No | source |
| Michigan | No state law | – | – | No | source |
| Mississippi | No state law | – | – | No | source |
| Missouri | No state law | – | – | No | source |
| Montana | No state law | – | – | No | source |
| Nebraska | No state law | – | – | No | source |
| New Hampshire | No state law | – | – | No | source |
| New Mexico | No state law | – | – | No | source |
| North Carolina | No state law | – | – | No | source |
| North Dakota | No state law | – | – | No | source |
| Ohio | No state law | – | – | Local only | source |
| Oklahoma | No state law | – | – | No | source |
| Oregon | No state law | – | – | Yes | source |
| Pennsylvania | No state law | – | – | No | source |
| South Carolina | No state law | – | – | No | source |
| South Dakota | No state law | – | – | No | source |
| Tennessee | No state law | – | – | No | source |
| Texas | No state law | – | – | No | source |
| Utah | No state law | – | – | No | source |
| West Virginia | No state law | – | – | No | source |
| Wisconsin | No state law | – | – | No | source |
| Wyoming | No state law | – | – | No | source |
Frequently asked questions
Is there a federal pay transparency law in the US?
No. Pay-transparency requirements are set by individual states and some cities. There is no single federal law requiring salary ranges in job postings.
Do pay transparency laws apply to remote jobs?
Often yes. Several states apply their posting rules to remote roles that could be performed in the state, so one remote posting can trigger several states' rules at once. Check each state's requirements.
Which state has the broadest pay transparency law?
Colorado was the first to require ranges in all postings and remains one of the broadest, applying to all employers with at least one Colorado employee. Maryland, DC and Virginia also apply to employers of all sizes.
Who is responsible if we hire through an Employer of Record?
The EOR is the legal employer, so the pay-transparency duties for those employees sit with the EOR. Teamed handles compliant pay ranges and postings, salary-history compliance, and disclosure where a state requires it.
US employment law is set state by state, and it keeps moving. When Teamed is your legal employer, this is our job in every state: compliant offers, postings and policies that meet each state’s rules, so you can hire across the US without setting up 50 payrolls or reading 50 statutes.





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