Prevailing Wage Wisconsin: Understanding Federal Requirements After the State Repeal
Last Updated: July 2026
If you are searching for Wisconsin prevailing wage rates, you may have run into a confusing answer: there is no state rate to find. Wisconsin repealed its state prevailing wage law, so the rate sheets and determinations that contractors once pulled for state and local projects no longer exist. That change leads many contractors to assume prevailing wage no longer matters in Wisconsin at all.
That assumption can be a costly one. While Wisconsin no longer has a state prevailing wage law, the federal Davis-Bacon Act still applies to any construction project that receives federal funding. With recent federal investment flowing into highways, clean energy, broadband, and water infrastructure across the state, more Wisconsin contractors are encountering Davis-Bacon requirements, not fewer.
This guide makes the rules simple. We will clarify what changed, explain when federal prevailing wage applies in Wisconsin, show you how to find the right wage rates by county, walk through the certified payroll reporting process, and share best practices for staying compliant with confidence.
Not working in Wisconsin? Explore our state-by-state guide for detailed information on states that still have their own prevailing wage requirements.
Table of Contents
- Does Wisconsin Have Prevailing Wage?
- Why You Might See Conflicting Information
- When Federal Prevailing Wage Applies In Wisconsin
- Wisconsin Prevailing Wage Rates and Determination
- What Contractors Still Have To Do: Certified Payroll
- Violations and Penalties
- Best Practices for Staying Compliant
- Federal Compliance That Scales With Your Projects
Does Wisconsin Have Prevailing Wage?
No. Wisconsin no longer has a state prevailing wage law for state or locally funded public works projects. This is why searches for Wisconsin prevailing wage rates, current rate sheets, or state wage determinations tend to come up empty or surface outdated documents from years past.
The common belief that "Wisconsin has no prevailing wage," however, is only partly correct. There is no state mandate, but federal prevailing wage requirements under the Davis-Bacon Act apply to any construction project that receives federal funding, regardless of which state the work takes place in. Those federal requirements have been in place since 1931 and apply uniformly across all fifty states.
The distinction matters for every Wisconsin contractor bidding on public work:
- State or locally funded projects only: no prevailing wage requirements apply.
- Projects with any federal funding: Davis-Bacon Act requirements apply.
- Mixed-funding projects: if federal dollars are involved, Davis-Bacon applies to the covered work.
Given the steady flow of federal infrastructure dollars into Wisconsin, many contractors will run into Davis-Bacon requirements even though the state itself no longer sets a prevailing wage. Understanding when those federal rules kick in is the key to bidding accurately and staying compliant.
Why You Might See Conflicting Information
If your research is turning up contradictory guidance, there is a simple reason: Wisconsin's rules changed, and a lot of older content has not caught up.
Wisconsin repealed its prevailing wage requirements in two stages through the 2017 to 2019 state budget. Projects funded by local units of government, such as cities, villages, towns, counties, and school districts, became exempt on January 1, 2017. State-funded projects advertised for bid after September 23, 2017 followed shortly after. Since then, local governments have also been barred from creating their own prevailing wage ordinances.
That means any article, PDF, or rate sheet referencing Wisconsin state prevailing wage rates from 2015 through 2018 is now obsolete. Contractors should not rely on those figures for current projects. In fact, Wisconsin's own Department of Workforce Development now directs contractors to the federal Davis-Bacon rates issued by the U.S. Department of Labor for projects where prevailing wage still applies.
The takeaway is straightforward. Today, only federal Davis-Bacon requirements apply to construction projects in Wisconsin, and those are the rules worth your attention.
When Federal Prevailing Wage Applies in Wisconsin
The Davis-Bacon Act applies to federally funded or federally assisted construction contracts that exceed $2,000. That threshold is low enough that most federally funded construction work falls under Davis-Bacon coverage. The threshold is also cumulative, so if multiple contracts on the same project add up to more than $2,000 in federal funding, the requirements apply to the covered work.
Recent infrastructure funding has widened the footprint considerably. Spending under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act has pushed federal dollars into transportation, clean energy, broadband, and water projects throughout Wisconsin, bringing more contractors under Davis-Bacon than in past years.
In Wisconsin, federal funding commonly triggers prevailing wage requirements on project types such as these
- Federal highway work, including Wisconsin Department of Transportation projects that receive Federal Highway Administration funds for interstate maintenance, bridges, and highway expansion.
- Military and federal facility construction, such as work at Fort McCoy, Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers, federal courthouses, and post offices.
- Clean energy and broadband buildout funded through the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act programs.
- Housing projects funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, including Community Development Block Grant work.
- Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund projects, which carry Davis-Bacon requirements administered with Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources oversight.
Covered Workers and Work Types in Wisconsin
Davis-Bacon covers laborers and mechanics who perform construction, alteration, or repair work on covered projects. That includes most hands-on trades, such as carpenters, electricians, plumbers, ironworkers, equipment operators, and general laborers. It does not cover material suppliers delivering to the site, administrative and clerical staff, or licensed professionals like engineers and architects who are not performing manual work.
Work classifications are divided into building construction and heavy or highway construction, each with its own wage determination.
- Building construction covers structures like offices, schools, and hospitals
- Heavy and highway construction covers roads, bridges, utilities, and similar infrastructure
Using the wrong classification is one of the most common compliance mistakes, so it pays to confirm the right category before work begins.
Wisconsin Prevailing Wage Rates and Determination
With no state law in place, the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division sets the prevailing wage rates that apply in Wisconsin. The Department determines these rates through surveys of wages paid on similar construction projects in each geographic area, giving particular weight to collectively bargained rates where they prevail. The resulting wage determinations reflect real compensation levels in local construction markets and are updated periodically.
Each wage determination includes two components: the basic hourly rate and the fringe benefit rate. We cover how to satisfy the fringe portion in more detail below.
How To Find Your County's Determination
Federal wage determinations are published by county and by construction type, which makes them the closest thing to a Wisconsin prevailing wage rate sheet that still exists. To find the determination for your project, use SAM.gov, the System for Award Management, which maintains the official database of federal wage determinations. Search by state and county to locate the current rates for your project's location and construction type. The contracting officer for your project will also identify the applicable wage determination in the contract documents. Because rates vary from one county to the next, contractors working across multiple Wisconsin counties should confirm the correct determination for each project rather than assuming a single statewide figure.
Rate Lock-In Rules
Wage determinations are generally locked in at the time of contract award. If the Department of Labor updates rates while your project is underway, you typically continue using the determination in effect at award unless your contract specifies otherwise or a modification incorporates the change. When in doubt, work with your contracting officer to confirm the correct rates apply for the full duration of the project.
Spend Less Time on Davis-Bacon Paperwork
Wisconsin follows federal Davis-Bacon rules, which means staying current on wage determinations for every county and keeping subcontractor reporting accurate. WageIQ tracks those federal determinations and automates your prevailing wage calculations, so the right rates reach every worker before payroll runs. Want the reporting handled too? Our Managed Service team generates your WH-347 forms, manages subcontractor reporting, and handles submissions, so you can focus on building. We see it as a partnership built around your success.
Apprentices and Registered Apprenticeship
Apprentices may be paid less than the listed journeyworker rate only when they are individually registered in a bona fide apprenticeship program registered with the U.S. Department of Labor or with a state agency recognized by the Department. Wisconsin operates its own recognized program under Chapter 106 of the Wisconsin Statutes, administered by the Department of Workforce Development's Bureau of Apprenticeship Standards. Registered apprentices are paid a percentage of the journeyworker rate as specified in their apprenticeship contract.
One caution is worth flagging. Wisconsin's Youth Apprenticeship program is not a Department of Labor approved apprenticeship program for Davis-Bacon purposes, so those workers cannot be paid sub-journeyworker rates on covered projects. Apprentice-to-journeyworker ratios also apply, and exceeding the allowable ratio is a common violation. Keep your program registration and each apprentice's individual registration documents on file in case of inspection.
Weekly Certified Payroll Reporting
On covered Davis-Bacon projects, contractors and subcontractors must pay workers weekly and submit a certified payroll report every week to the contracting agency. This requirement holds even if you normally run payroll on a biweekly or semi-monthly schedule. Form WH-347 is the standard format, and each weekly report must include:
- Employee name, address, and the last four digits of the Social Security number.
- Work classification for each employee, matching the wage determination classifications.
- Daily and total weekly hours worked on the covered project.
- Hourly rate of pay, including both the base wage and the fringe benefit rate.
- Gross wages earned, itemized deductions, and net wages paid.
- A signed Statement of Compliance certifying the accuracy of the information.
Prime contractors carry an important added responsibility. You are responsible for collecting and submitting certified payrolls from every tier of subcontractors on the project, so clear deadlines and communication with your subs from day one are essential.
Fringe Benefits
The Davis-Bacon prevailing wage is the basic hourly rate plus the fringe benefit amount listed in the wage determination. You can satisfy the fringe obligation in three ways:
- Provide bona fide fringe benefits, such as health insurance, retirement contributions, or vacation pay, of equal or greater value.
- Pay the fringe amount as additional cash wages added to the base rate.
- Use a combination of benefits and cash.
Many Wisconsin contractors who work with seasonal or temporary crews choose the cash-equivalent approach for its simplicity. Whichever method you use, the full prevailing rate of base plus fringe must be accounted for on every covered hour.
Recordkeeping and Posting Requirements
Contractors must retain payroll records for at least three years after project completion. Following the 2023 updates to Davis-Bacon regulations, the retention period now runs from completion of the prime contract, which can extend the timeline for subcontractors on long-running projects. Required records include certified payrolls, timecards, payroll registers, and documentation of fringe benefit payments.
At the job site, you must post the Davis-Bacon Employee Rights poster and the applicable wage determination in a prominent location. Department of Labor inspectors may review records without advance notice, so keeping documentation organized and current is well worth the effort.
Overtime
Davis-Bacon projects are also subject to the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act on prime contracts over $100,000. Under that law, workers must receive overtime at one and a half times the basic rate for all hours worked beyond 40 in a workweek.
Wisconsin contractors should note one helpful distinction. The old state prevailing wage law required daily overtime for hours worked beyond 10 in a single day. Federal Davis-Bacon does not require daily overtime. It requires weekly overtime once a worker passes 40 hours. Contractors accustomed to the former state rules should be careful not to apply the wrong overtime standard. When overtime is owed, it must reflect the full prevailing rate, a detail that is easy to miss and a frequent audit finding.
Violations and Penalties
Department of Labor investigators consistently identify a handful of common Davis-Bacon violations. The penalties for these violations can be significant and long-lasting:
Wage underpayment, including failing to pay full base plus fringe on regular and overtime hours. Back wages owed to underpaid workers, with interest.
Such as paying a skilled tradesperson at the laborer rate.
Including failing to pay full base plus fringe on regular and overtime hours. Late or missing weekly certified payrolls.
Best Practices for Staying Compliant
Pre-Bid Phase
Before bidding on any project, confirm whether federal funding is involved, and remember that federal dollars can be introduced after awarding on some projects. Obtain the applicable wage determination from SAM.gov or the contracting officer and review every classification and rate carefully. Then build full compliance costs into your bid, including prevailing labor rates, the administrative time needed for certified payroll and subcontractor coordination, and any software or support required to track and report accurately.
Once work begins, maintain accurate daily time records from day one and assign proper worker classifications before work starts rather than correcting them later. Submit WH-347 forms weekly and coordinate with all subcontractors to collect their certified payrolls on schedule. Post the wage determination and Davis-Bacon poster at the jobsite, and respond promptly to any requests from the contracting officer.
For Wisconsin projects funded through the Clean Water or Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, be prepared for onsite labor standards interviews using Standard Form 1445, along with checks of apprentice and registration documents. Having that paperwork ready keeps these reviews smooth and stress-free.
Active Project and Close-Out
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- Submit sworn, certified payroll weekly in the WH-347 format.
- Watch for any amended determination published during the project cycle.
- Run an internal payroll audit before close-out to catch and correct discrepancies before the Department does.
Federal Compliance That Scales With Your Projects
From a first Davis-Bacon job to a full slate of federal projects across Wisconsin, the reporting demands grow quickly. WageIQ keeps your wage determinations and prevailing wage calculations accurate as you take on more work, lowering your exposure to costly violations. And if you would rather not manage the paperwork at all, our Managed Service team handles certified payroll report generation, WH-347s, and submissions for you. Choose the level of support that fits your business, backed by a partner invested in your success.