Delaware Prevailing Wage

The short version

Delaware does not publish a static wage determination table. Instead, the Delaware Department of Labor's Office of Construction Enforcement issues certified prevailing wage rates on a per-project basis. Contractors submit a request form; DOL returns the rates that apply to that specific project at that specific time.

This is different from the federal Davis-Bacon system, which publishes wage determinations by county and construction type on sam.gov. Do not substitute federal Davis-Bacon rates for Delaware state prevailing wage — they are not the same, and conflating them is a compliance failure.

Where to get the rates for your project

Primary source: Delaware Department of Labor, Office of Construction Enforcement — industrialaffairs.delaware.gov/construction-enforcement.

The official request form:

• Certified Prevailing Wage Rates Request Form (PDF) — submit this to DE DOL for your project's specific rates.

The primary-source library

Every link below is to a Delaware Department of Labor document. Bookmark these — they update, and the authoritative version always lives on DOL's servers, not on ours.

• Delaware Prevailing Wage Regulations (PDF) — the statutory text. Start here for coverage, thresholds, and enforcement.
• Classification of Workers (PDF) — how trades are classified for rate purposes in Delaware.
• Debarment List (PDF) — contractors currently barred from Delaware public work.

Which projects trigger Delaware prevailing wage?

Delaware prevailing wage applies to certain public works projects funded by the state or its political subdivisions. Common coverage categories include state building construction, school district work, and locally-funded infrastructure above the statutory threshold. The Regulations PDF is the authoritative source on coverage and current thresholds — always cross-check your specific project against it before bidding. Do not rely on a general summary (including this one) for the compliance call.

How Delaware prevailing wage differs from federal Davis-Bacon

• Publication model. Davis-Bacon rates are published openly on sam.gov by county and construction type. Delaware rates are issued per-project by request to DE DOL.
• Jurisdiction trigger. Davis-Bacon applies to federally-funded projects above federal thresholds. Delaware prevailing wage applies to state-funded work under state thresholds. A given project may be covered by one, the other, both, or neither.
• Classification schema. Delaware uses its own classification system published in the Classification of Workers PDF. It overlaps with Davis-Bacon categories but is not identical — check the Delaware schema for your specific trade before mapping rates over.
• Certified payroll format. Federal WH-347 and Delaware's equivalent are similar but not identical. Submit the form each jurisdiction requires, not a federal form substituted for a state one.

The practical workflow

1. Confirm your project triggers Delaware prevailing wage. The Regulations PDF linked above defines coverage and the current threshold; check directly.
2. Submit the Certified Prevailing Wage Rates Request Form (PDF above) to DE DOL with your project particulars.
3. Receive the certified rates for your project from DE DOL.
4. Bid, contract, and pay the received rates. Post the rates on the job site per the Regulations.
5. Submit certified payroll records on the schedule the Regulations require. Keep records for the retention period specified.

When to get direct help

If the regulations are ambiguous for your specific project, or if you've received rates that don't match your trade's published classification, contact the Office of Construction Enforcement directly. See industrialaffairs.delaware.gov/construction-enforcement for current contact information and office hours.

Why we built this

The Hive builds tools for working construction and engineering professionals across the Delaware Valley. Delaware's per-project request system is specific enough that every out-of-state contractor we've talked to has gotten the workflow wrong the first time — mostly by assuming a Davis-Bacon-style static table exists. This page makes the primary sources easier to find and the workflow easier to understand. It does not replace the regulations, and it does not issue rates. Rates come from DE DOL for your specific project.

If something is missing that a Delaware public-works contractor would need, email us and we'll add it.