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District of Columbia Paycheck Calculator

Updated for 2026 tax year · figures checked on

DC taxes wages at graduated rates from 4% to 10.75%, but it hasn't published withholding tables since 2018, so employers don't all withhold the same way. This DC paycheck calculator, also a Washington, DC salary and take-home pay calculator, estimates DC income tax from the District's own tax rates and standard deduction, next to federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare.

A single filer on a $60,000 salary, paid every two weeks, has a $2,307.69 paycheck and takes home about $1,840.95, or $47,865 a year.

Take-home pay per bi-weekly paycheck

$1,840.95

$47,864.70 a year from $59,999.94 gross pay (26 paychecks)

  • Take-home 79.8%
  • Federal income tax 8.4%
  • Social Security 6.2%
  • Medicare 1.4%
  • State income tax 4.2%
Paycheck breakdown per paycheck and per year in District of Columbia
ItemPer paycheckPer year
Gross pay$2,307.69$59,999.94
Federal income tax−$193.08−$5,020.08
Social Security−$143.08−$3,720.08
Medicare−$33.46−$869.96
State income tax−$97.12−$2,525.12
Take-home pay$1,840.95$47,864.70

Estimates for informational purposes only, based on 2026 withholding rules. Your actual paycheck may differ. This is not tax advice. Report an issue

District of Columbia salary calculator: what your result means

Your result is take-home pay after federal taxes and an estimate of DC income tax. In the $60,000 example, federal income tax is about 8.4% of gross pay, Social Security and Medicare 7.7%, and DC income tax 4.2%.

Treat the DC line as the year's DC tax spread evenly over your paychecks. Your employer may withhold more or less, because DC gives employers no official formula.

At $100,000 a year, take-home pay is about $2,829.03 every two weeks, or $73,555 a year. A $40,000 salary paid weekly comes to about $635.01 per paycheck.

How the District of Columbia taxes your paycheck

District of Columbia withholding at a glance
State income tax on wagesGraduated rates (see below)
State payroll programs withheld from payNone

Source: DC Office of Tax and Revenue, Individual and Fiduciary Income Tax Rates (official page, archived copy dated 2026-10-10)

District of Columbia withholding rates, all filing statuses schedule
  1. over $04%
  2. over $10,0006%
  3. over $40,0006.5%
  4. over $60,0008.5%
  5. over $250,0009.25%
  6. over $500,0009.75%
  7. over $1,000,00010.75%
District of Columbia withholding rates by taxable wages
ScheduleTaxable wages overRate
All filing statuses$04%
$10,0006%
$40,0006.5%
$60,0008.5%
$250,0009.25%
$500,0009.75%
$1,000,00010.75%

Source: DC Office of Tax and Revenue, Individual and Fiduciary Income Tax Rates (official page, archived copy dated 2026-10-10)

  • These are DC's income tax rates on taxable income. The calculator subtracts the standard deduction first: $15,000 single, $22,500 head of household, $30,000 married.

DC's rates are the same for every filing status: 4% on the first $10,000 of taxable income, 6% up to $40,000, 6.5% up to $60,000, 8.5% up to $250,000, then rising in steps to 10.75% above $1,000,000. Taxable income is your income after the standard deduction.

To estimate your paycheck, the calculator takes your yearly wages, subtracts the DC standard deduction for your filing status, works out the year's tax with those rates and divides it by the number of paychecks. We treat 401(k), Section 125 health insurance, HSA and FSA deductions as lowering DC wages, as they do federally, while we confirm DC's rule.

Why DC withholding is an estimate

DC's Office of Tax and Revenue (OTR) last published withholding tables, Form FR-230, for 2018. In 2022 it said the end of federal personal exemptions affected its ability to produce tables and pointed taxpayers to the DC tax rate schedule. A 2025 DC law then allowed the standard deduction to be used for withholding and gave the Chief Financial Officer authority to issue new rules, which haven't appeared yet.

The DC standard deduction

DC decided not to follow the larger federal standard deduction from the 2025 federal tax law. For 2025 the DC amounts are $15,000 single, $22,500 head of household and $30,000 married filing jointly, and DC's budget law keeps those amounts, with a yearly cost-of-living increase, through 2029. OTR hasn't published the 2026 increase yet, so the calculator uses the 2025 amounts, which can make the estimate slightly high.

Things to know about District of Columbia paychecks

Federal taxes on every paycheck

Every US paycheck has the same three federal deductions, whichever state you work in. Together, Social Security and Medicare are called FICA (Federal Insurance Contributions Act) taxes.

  • Federal income tax withholding. Withholding is tax your employer takes out of each paycheck and sends to the IRS on your behalf. The amount depends on your pay and your Form W-4, using the IRS method in Publication 15-T. It is an estimate of your yearly tax; you settle the difference when you file your return.
  • Social Security. 6.2% of your wages, up to the wage base of $184,500 for the year. The wage base is the most pay that Social Security tax applies to.
  • Medicare. 1.45% of all your wages, with no limit. Once your pay from one employer passes $200,000 in a year, your employer also withholds an extra 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax on the amount above it.

Source: IRS Publication 15 (2026), (Circular E), Employer's Tax Guide.

Ways to change your paycheck

To change DC withholding, give your employer a Form D-4 and ask for an extra amount each paycheck if the estimate here is higher than what's being withheld. If you live outside DC, your employer can ask you for Form D-4A, the Certificate of Non-residence in DC.

  • Update your Form W-4. Claiming dependents, checking the Step 2 box or asking for extra withholding changes how much federal tax comes out of each paycheck. The IRS Tax Withholding Estimator can help you fill it in.
  • Pre-tax deductions. Money you put into a traditional 401(k), an HSA or employer health insurance comes out before federal income tax, so your take-home pay drops by less than the amount you save.
  • Bonuses. Employers often withhold federal tax on a bonus paid separately at a flat rate. Add a bonus under More options to see it.

District of Columbia payroll rules

Minimum wage
$18.40 an hour. DC adjusts its minimum wage every July 1 using a set formula. (Source: US Department of Labor, State Minimum Wage Laws (updated July 1, 2026))
Overtime
Time-and-a-half after 40 hours in a workweek. (Source: US Department of Labor, State Minimum Wage Laws (updated July 1, 2026))
How often you must be paid
At least twice a month, on regular paydays set in advance, no more than 10 working days after the end of the pay period. Executive, administrative and professional employees can be paid once a month. (Source: DC Code § 32-1302, Payment of wages; frequency)
Final paycheck
If you're discharged, final wages are due by the next working day. If you quit, they're due on the next regular payday or within 7 days, whichever comes first. (Source: DC Code § 32-1303, Payment of wages upon discharge or resignation)

For employers in the District of Columbia

State unemployment tax
Employers pay unemployment tax on the first $9,000 of each employee's wages, with new employers at 2.70%. (Source: US Department of Labor, Significant Provisions of State Unemployment Insurance Laws, January 2026)
New hire reporting
Employers must report new hires within 20 days of the hire or rehire date. (Source: US Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Child Support Services, State New Hire Reporting Requirements)
State income tax withholding
Employers file DC withholding returns electronically on MyTax.DC.gov: Form FR-900Q for monthly or quarterly filers, or FR-900A for annual filers. Employees file Form D-4, which OTR lists as under review. (Source: DC Office of Tax and Revenue, Withholding Tax Forms (text confirmed by the site owner, 2026-11-04))

Compare District of Columbia with neighboring states

Take-home pay on a $60,000 salary, single filer, paid bi-weekly, no pre-tax deductions
Per paycheck
District of Columbia$2,525$47,865$1,840.95
Maryland$2,537$47,853$1,840.51
Virginia$2,636$47,754$1,836.69

Paycheck calculators for neighboring states: Maryland, Virginia.

Most-searched state paycheck calculators

District of Columbia paycheck FAQ

What are DC's income tax rates?

From 4% on the first $10,000 of taxable income up to 10.75% above $1,000,000, the same for every filing status.

Why is the DC tax an estimate?

DC hasn't published withholding tables since 2018. The calculator applies DC's tax rates to your yearly wages after the standard deduction and spreads the tax over your paychecks.

What is the DC standard deduction?

$15,000 single, $22,500 head of household and $30,000 married for 2025, with a 2026 cost-of-living increase that OTR hasn't published yet.

When do I get my final paycheck in DC?

By the next working day if you're discharged; if you quit, by the next regular payday or within 7 days, whichever is first.

What is the minimum wage in DC?

$18.40 an hour, adjusted every July 1.

Is overtime taxed more in DC?

No. Overtime is taxed at the same rates as your other wages; a larger paycheck can mean more withholding that period.

Sources and methodology

Every rate and limit on this page comes from the official sources below, checked on . Read how our paycheck calculator works for the calculation order and its limits.