Minimum Wages in Bihar

Minimum wage rates for shops and commercial establishments in Bihar, by skill category, with the effective date and the next revision due.

Effective from1 April 2026

Next revision due1 October 2026

Revision cycle1 April and 1 October each year

Bihar minimum wage rates: shops and commercial establishments

Bihar applies a single rate across the state, with no zone classification.

Skill category	Basic	VDA	Per day	Total per month
Unskilled	₹11,128	₹208	₹436	₹11,336
Semi-skilled	₹11,544	₹208	₹452	₹11,752
Skilled	₹14,066	₹260	₹551	₹14,326
Highly skilled	₹17,160	₹312	₹672	₹17,472

Rates cover shops and commercial establishments only. Other employments notified in Bihar carry their own notified rates, which are usually higher. Verify against the state notification before running payroll.

How Bihar sets minimum wages

Governing law

Code on Wages, 2019, in force from 21 November 2025. The rates below come from the Labour Resources Department's VDA revision effective 1 April 2026.

Employment covered

Shops and commercial establishments

Revision cycle

1 April and 1 October each year

Official source

Labour Resources Department, Government of Bihar: minimum wages and VDA revision effective 1 April 2026 ↗

Bihar fixes wages per day and the monthly figure is the daily rate multiplied by 26. The basic rate was reset at the last full revision and the variable dearness allowance restarted from a small base, which is why the VDA is only ₹8 to ₹12 a day against a basic of ₹428 to ₹660. Each half-yearly revision adds a few rupees a day. One set of rates covers all of Bihar's 89 scheduled employments, so a shop, a private security agency and a hotel in Patna pay the same floor for the same skill category. The narrow gap between unskilled and semi-skilled work, ₹16 a day, is unusual; most states leave a wider step.

Professional tax in Bihar Professional tax calculator Salary calculator Minimum wages under the Code on Wages

Mannu Matta

Checked against the source notification on 6 September 2026

Frequently asked questions: Bihar minimum wages

What is the minimum wage in Bihar?

From 1 April 2026, ₹436 a day or ₹11,336 a month for unskilled work, ₹452 or ₹11,752 semi-skilled, ₹551 or ₹14,326 skilled and ₹672 or ₹17,472 highly skilled. The same rates apply to shops and every other scheduled employment in the state.

Does Bihar have minimum wage zones?

No. One rate applies across the state for each skill category.

How is the monthly minimum wage in Bihar calculated?

The notification fixes a daily rate and the monthly wage is that rate multiplied by 26 working days. ₹436 a day for unskilled work gives ₹11,336 a month.

How often does Bihar revise minimum wages?

Twice a year, on 1 April and 1 October, by revising the variable dearness allowance on the Consumer Price Index. The current rates run from 1 April to 30 September 2026.

Keep minimum wages current without tracking notifications

Engage HRMS applies the right minimum wage by work location and skill category, and flags employees who fall below the floor when a state issues its next revision.

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