Free California hourly paycheck calculator for 2026. Enter your wage and hours to see take-home pay after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and California deductions — includes CA SDI (1.3%).
Enter your hourly wage. The California minimum wage for 2026 is $16.90.
Enter your regular hours per week and any overtime hours. Overtime is paid at 1.5× your hourly rate.
Choose how often you are paid (weekly, every two weeks, twice a month, or monthly) and your federal filing status from your W-4.
Enter your DE 4 allowances. Leave the default if you are not sure.
Click "Calculate" to see your take-home pay per paycheck and per year, with every federal and state deduction itemized.
Gross pay is your hourly rate × regular hours, plus overtime hours × rate × 1.5, converted to your pay period. Federal income tax is estimated with the IRS 2026 percentage method for a W-4 with no extra adjustments: annual wages minus the standard deduction, taxed at the 2026 brackets. Social Security is 6.2% of wages up to $184,500, and Medicare is 1.45% (plus 0.9% above $200,000). California taxes wages progressively, from 1% to 12.3%, plus a 1% Mental Health Services Tax on income over $1 million. Employers withhold using the EDD's 2026 tables, which are calibrated slightly above the tax rates themselves. Every paycheck also has State Disability Insurance (SDI) taken out at 1.3% of all wages, with no annual cap. SDI funds both disability and Paid Family Leave benefits.
$16.90 an hour for 40 hours a week, paid every two weeks, filing single and 1 DE 4 allowances. Gross pay is $1,352.00 per paycheck ($35,152.00 a year). Withheld per paycheck: Federal income tax $78.39, Social Security (6.2%) $83.82, Medicare (1.45%) $19.60, California income tax $16.45, CA SDI (1.3%) $17.58. Take-home pay: $1,136.15 per paycheck, or $29,540.01 a year — about $14.20 per hour worked.
$25.00 an hour for 40 hours a week, paid every two weeks, filing single and 1 DE 4 allowances. Gross pay is $2,000.00 per paycheck ($52,000.00 a year). Withheld per paycheck: Federal income tax $156.15, Social Security (6.2%) $124.00, Medicare (1.45%) $29.00, California income tax $49.06, CA SDI (1.3%) $26.00. Take-home pay: $1,615.79 per paycheck, or $42,010.52 a year — about $20.20 per hour worked.
$32.00 an hour for 40 regular hours plus 5 overtime hours a week, paid weekly, filing married and 2 DE 4 allowances. Gross pay is $1,520.00 per paycheck ($79,040.00 a year). Withheld per paycheck: Federal income tax $98.55, Social Security (6.2%) $94.24, Medicare (1.45%) $22.04, California income tax $23.84, CA SDI (1.3%) $19.76. Take-home pay: $1,261.57 per paycheck, or $65,601.44 a year — about $28.03 per hour worked.
Find answers to the most common questions about california hourly paycheck calculator.
California taxes wages progressively, from 1% to 12.3%, plus a 1% Mental Health Services Tax on income over $1 million. Employers withhold using the EDD's 2026 tables, which are calibrated slightly above the tax rates themselves. Every paycheck also has State Disability Insurance (SDI) taken out at 1.3% of all wages, with no annual cap. SDI funds both disability and Paid Family Leave benefits. On top of state deductions, every worker pays federal income tax (based on your W-4), Social Security at 6.2%, and Medicare at 1.45%. For a single worker earning $25 an hour full time, total deductions come to about 19% of gross pay.
California's statewide minimum wage is $16.90 per hour in 2026, and fast-food workers at large chains earn at least $20.00. Many cities, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego, set higher local minimums.
California has daily overtime: 1.5× pay for hours over 8 in a day or 40 in a week, and 2× pay for hours over 12 in a day. On the seventh consecutive workday, the first 8 hours are paid at 1.5× and anything beyond 8 at 2×. Enter your weekly overtime hours in the calculator to include them. Under the federal "no tax on overtime" rule for 2025–2028, you may be able to deduct up to $12,500 of the extra half of your overtime pay ($25,000 if married filing jointly) on your federal return. That deduction is claimed when you file, so it does not lower the withholding shown here unless you adjust your W-4.
No. Since January 1, 2024, all wages are subject to SDI, so the 1.3% rate applies to every dollar you earn in 2026. Before 2024 there was an annual wage limit, which is why older paycheck calculators may understate SDI for high earners.
Most single filers with one job claim 1 allowance, and married filers often claim 2. Each allowance reduces annual California withholding by $168.30 in 2026. If your spouse also works, the EDD recommends withholding as single or adding a flat extra amount so you are not under-withheld at tax time.
No. No California city or county withholds a local income tax from wages. San Francisco and some other cities have payroll or business taxes, but they are paid by employers, not deducted from your paycheck.
It uses the official 2026 withholding formulas, so for a standard W-4 and DE 4 allowances with no other deductions it should be within a few dollars of your actual paycheck. Your real check will be lower if you have pre-tax deductions like 401(k) contributions or health insurance premiums (those also reduce your income tax), or extra withholding on your W-4. Sources: IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32, Social Security Administration 2026 wage base, California EDD, 2026 Withholding Schedules — Method B; California EDD, 2026 SDI withholding rate (1.3%); California Labor Code §510 (daily overtime).
Calculations and computational models on QuickBizCalc are verified against published regulatory standards and statutory tax tables:
Publication 15-T (Federal Income Tax Withholding Methods) & Publication 15 (Employer's Tax Guide).
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA 29 U.S.C. § 207) regulations on overtime hours, recordkeeping, and minimum wage.
OASDI taxable maximum wage base limits and statutory FICA tax rates (6.2% Social Security + 1.45% Medicare).
Formulas and worked examples are checked against the sources above before publishing. For advice on your own situation, consult a licensed tax professional or accountant.
California Withholding
Regular withholding allowances from your California DE 4 (or W-4 if you never filed a DE 4).
