Independent platform; we are not a government body or recruitment agency.4 October 2026
NL Worker Compass
Tools · 2026

Minimum wage checker 2026

Check the Dutch hourly minimum for your age and work date.

Last verified: 4 October 2026Official Dutch sources

Tools

2026 · EUR

Choose your CAO

Look for the CAO name in your employment contract or ask your employer. A sector or job title alone does not establish which agreement applies.

A selection helps you explore conditions. It does not establish that an agreement legally applies to your employment. Rijksoverheid

Your CAO choice is remembered on this device. Salary entries are not saved.

Use the general calculator with your own contract figures. Automatic CAO rules are not available for this selection.

For employees aged 15 or over in 2026; excludes special BBL rates and exceptional rules.

Enter your own details to see an outcome. No amounts or surcharges have been entered in advance.

Indicative base-rate comparison; check your CAO too. This does not decide whether the entire payslip is lawful.

Methodology

The short answer

The Dutch legal minimum is an hourly gross amount. There is no single statutory monthly minimum. The age on the work date and the applicable rate period matter. A collective agreement can require a higher wage than the statutory floor.

From 1 July 2026, the ordinary minimum for employees aged 21 or over is €14.99 an hour. From January to June it was €14.71. Employees aged 15–20 have youth rates. Special BBL learning-and-working rates are outside this checker. Paid leave and paid sickness hours can also count in the relevant working time.

Check the wage floor and the wage scale

The legal minimum and a contractual or CAO wage scale are different checks. First establish the correct ordinary hourly minimum for age and work date; then ask whether the job’s classification requires a higher amount. A calculator’s positive result does not validate housing deductions, unpaid hours or a wrong job classification.

Keep an auditable calculation

Record paid hours by work date and retain schedules and approvals. Where a payroll period crosses a birthday or rate change, ask for the split. Keep gross wages separate from the amount reaching your bank after tax or other deductions. If the explanation remains unclear, take the documents to an independent information point.

What to do next

  1. Choose the date the hours were worked, not simply the date the money reached your account.
  2. Check your age for the period, base rate, paid hours and the applicable CAO wage scale.
  3. If the rate looks too low, keep the contract, time records and payslip, and ask payroll for a written breakdown.
A practical example

At the July adult rate, 40 hours × €14.99 is €599.60 gross for those hours. Multiplying by 52 / 12 gives €2,598.27 as a comparison average, not a fixed legal monthly amount.

Explore this topic

Questions people ask

Which date should I select?

Select the date the hours were worked, rather than only the day wages reached your bank. Rate changes can require splitting a pay period.

Does a positive result prove the entire payslip is lawful?

No. The checker compares the entered ordinary hourly rate with the age and date floor. Hours, deductions and any higher CAO scale need separate checks.

Can I check special BBL apprenticeship rates here?

No. The ordinary checker excludes the special BBL tables. Use the official table for the training arrangement.

What if I turn 21 during the period?

Ask payroll to apply the correct age to the relevant work dates. One rate for the entire period may hide the change.

Should I enter net hourly pay?

No. The statutory comparison is gross. A net quote after tax or accommodation is not suitable input.

Sources

Last verified: 4 October 2026. Sources are in Dutch or English.