Davis-Bacon and Related Acts

On August 23, 2023, the Department published in the Federal Register the final rule, "Updating the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts Regulations." The final rule took effect on October 23, 2023. On June 24, 2024, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas issued a nationwide preliminary injunction impacting three provisions of the final rule. These provisions may not be implemented or enforced at this time. Read more about the injunction.

Prevailing wages on federal construction contracts

Under the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts (DBRA) and Reorganization Plan No. 14 of 1950, the U.S. Department of Labor is responsible for determining prevailing wages, issuing regulations and standards to be observed by federal agencies that award or fund projects subject to Davis-Bacon labor standards, and overseeing consistent enforcement of the Davis-Bacon labor standards.

The Davis-Bacon and Related Acts apply to contractors and subcontractors performing on federally funded or assisted contracts in excess of $2,000 for the construction, alteration, or repair (including painting and decorating) of public buildings or public works. Davis-Bacon Act and Related Act contractors and subcontractors must pay their laborers and mechanics employed under the contract no less than the locally prevailing wages and fringe benefits for corresponding work on similar projects in the area.

The Davis-Bacon Act directs the Department of Labor to determine such locally prevailing wage rates. The Davis-Bacon Act applies to contractors and subcontractors performing work on federal or District of Columbia contracts. The Davis-Bacon Act prevailing wage provisions apply to the “Related Acts,” under which federal agencies assist construction projects through grants, loans, loan guarantees, and insurance.

For prime contracts in excess of $100,000, contractors and subcontractors must also, under the provisions of the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act, as amended, pay laborers and mechanics, including guards and watchmen, at least one and one-half times their regular rate of pay for all hours worked over 40 in a workweek. The overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act may also apply to DBA-covered contracts.

Davis-Bacon prevailing wage resources

Laws and regulations

Review laws, executive orders and regulations related to Davis-Bacon and Related Acts.

Learn about DBRA laws

Coverage

Learn about DBRA purpose, requirements and coverage for applicable federal construction projects.

Learn about coverage

Wage determinations

Find DBRA requirements for providing wage and fringe benefit rates for each classification of laborers and mechanics on contracts subject to the Davis-Bacon Act.

View requirements

Construction surveys

Learn about the survey process used to determine prevailing wages on construction projects subject to the Davis-Bacon and related Acts (DBRA).

Learn about surveys

DBRA compliance principles

Find basic information regarding major aspects of compliance with the Davis-Bacon labor standards.

View compliance topics

DBRA conformance process

Find information about additional classification requests and conformance checklists for contracting agencies.

View process

 

Quick links: Davis-Bacon posters, fact sheets, forms, and training

  • Government Contracts

    • Fact Sheet 66 — Davis-Bacon Fact Sheet

    • Fact Sheet 66B — Interplay Between the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts, the McNamara-O'Hara Service Act, and the Walsh-Healey Public Contracts Act

    • Fact Sheet 66C — The Davis-Bacon and Related Acts: Labor Standards Clauses and Subcontract Agreements

    • Fact Sheet 66D — Application of General Wage Determinations to Davis-Bacon and Related Act Projects

    • Fact Sheet 66E — The Davis-Bacon and Related Acts – Compliance with Fringe Benefit Requirements

    • Fact Sheet 67 — Service Contract Act Fact Sheet

  • Fair Labor Standard Act

    • Fact Sheet 1 — The Construction Industry Under the Fair Labor Standards Act

    • Fact Sheet 13 — Employment Relationship Under the Fair Labor Standards Act

    • Fact Sheet 14 — Coverage Under the Fair Labor Standards Act

    • Fact Sheet 17a — Exemption for Executive, Administrative, Professional, Computer & Outside Sales Employees Under the Fair Labor Standards Act

    • Fact Sheet 21 — Recordkeeping Under the Fair Labor Standards Act

    • Fact Sheet 22 — Hours Worked Under the Fair Labor Standards Act

  • Copeland "Anti-Kickback" Act

Additional Fact Sheets

Find interpretations of statutory provisions, procedures for conducting investigations, and general administrative guidance in our the Field Operations Handbook.

  • Wage Determinations Online - (Note: As of June 14, 2019 WDOL.gov has moved to https://sam.gov/content/home) This website provides a single location for federal contracting officers to use in obtaining appropriate Service Contract Act (SCA) and Davis-Bacon Act (DBA) wage determinations (WDs) for each official contract action.

  • Davis-Bacon and Related Acts Web Information Service
    This site provides public access to Davis-Bacon information and supports the user in filling out the Report of Construction Contractor's Wage Rates (WD-10) Form. The type of information that you will find here includes information about the Schedule of Surveys being conducted to make wage determinations; regional office information; and, help. We also provide a WD-10 Form that you can view, print or save

  • WHD District Offices
    Complaints concerning underpayment of wages should be filed with the appropriate WHD District Office listed here. To find the WHD District Office nearest to you, please click on a state on the map or select a state name.

  • WHD Regions
    The map provide on this site shows where the WHD Regional Offices are located and the areas they cover. Click on one of the areas shown to link to the name, phone number and address for Government Contracts Enforcement Coordinator in that Region.

Online training is available to assist all federal, state and local contracting agencies with information on federal rules concerning prevailing wages and other labor law requirements. The training modules, presented by WHD staff and its federal agency partners, provide contracting officials with information on the process of obtaining wage determinations; adding classifications to wage determinations (conformances); compliance principles, and enforcement process under both the Davis-Bacon Act (DBA) and the McNamara Service Contract Act (SCA).

If you would like to receive email notices about our seminars, please sign up for our mailing list.

View our videos on various Davis-Bacon and Service Contract Act topics.

Additionally, sam.gov website provides a single location for federal contracting officers to use in obtaining appropriate Service Contract Act (SCA) and Davis-Bacon Act (DBA) wage determinations (WDs) for each official contract action. The website is available to the general public as well. Guidance in selecting WDs from this website is provided in the https://sam.gov/content/home Learning Center.