Tipping in New Jersey

Last reviewed October 2026

New Jersey Tipping Laws in 2026: Quick Facts

Effective January 1, 2026

New Jersey Minimum Wage

$15.92 per hour ($15.23 for seasonal employers and employers with fewer than 6 employees)¹

New Jersey Tipped Minimum Wage

$6.05 per hour¹

Maximum Tip Credit

$9.87 per hour¹

Who Qualifies as a Tipped Employee?

An employee who customarily and regularly receives more than $30 per month in tips that they keep²

Are Tip Pools Allowed?

Yes, but only among tipped employees²

Are Mandatory Service Charges Tips?

No, even if the employer passes them on to staff²

Can Employers Keep Employee Tips?

No²

Can Credit Card Fees Be Taken From Tips?

No²

New Jersey has its own rules for wages and tips, and its Atlantic City casinos, Jersey Shore boardwalks, and full-service gas stations create tipping situations many visitors may not be familiar with.

Work in New Jersey? Learn about New Jersey's tipping laws, minimum wage, tip pools, and your rights when it comes to tips.

Visiting New Jersey? Explore popular New Jersey experiences where tipping is common and see what customers and workers report about tipping.

What Is New Jersey's Minimum Wage for Tipped Employees?

A tip credit lets an employer count part of an employee's tips toward the minimum wage, so it can pay a lower hourly wage as long as tips make up the difference.

New Jersey's minimum wage is $15.92 per hour for most employers in 2026, and $15.23 per hour for seasonal employers and those with fewer than 6 employees. Tipped employees can be paid a cash wage of $6.05 per hour, with a tip credit of up to $9.87 per hour.¹ If tips plus wages don't reach the full minimum wage, the employer must pay the difference.²

Before taking a tip credit, employers must tell tipped employees in advance about their cash wage, the tip credit amount, and their right to keep their tips. If they don't, they can't take the tip credit.²

On January 1, 2027, the minimum wage rises to $16.48 per hour and the tipped cash wage to $6.61 per hour.³

Who Owns Tips in New Jersey?

In New Jersey, employers can't use employees' tips for anything other than their wages or a valid tip pool.² Employers also can't deduct breakage or cash register shortages from a tipped employee's cash wage.²

Are Tip Pools Allowed in New Jersey?

A tip pool is an arrangement where employees' tips are combined and shared among a group, such as servers, bussers, and bartenders.

Yes, with limits:²

Only tipped employees. A tip pool can include only employees who customarily receive tips. Employers can't give pooled tips to non-tipped staff.
The employer keeps nothing. Employers can't keep any part of the pool.
Contributions must be disclosed. Employers must tell employees in advance about any required pool contribution.
Only kept tips count. The tip credit can be based only on tips each employee actually keeps after the pool.

Are Service Charges Considered Tips in New Jersey?

No. A mandatory service charge, such as 15% added to the bill, isn't a tip in New Jersey, even if the employer gives it to staff. Charges for parties and banquets aren't tips either.²

If you see a service charge on your bill, ask where it goes before deciding whether to tip more.

Can Employers Take Credit Card Fees Out of Tips?

No. New Jersey is stricter than federal law. Employers can't use tips to pay any part of card processing or other transaction fees.²

Tipping While Visiting New Jersey

New Jersey's shore towns, casinos, and roadside traditions create tipping situations many visitors haven't run into before. Summer at the Jersey Shore means beach badges, boardwalks, and rental houses, while Atlantic City draws visitors year-round.

Whether you're spending a week down the shore or driving through on the Turnpike, here are popular experiences where travelers often have questions about tipping.

Getting Around

Full-Service Gas Stations

New Jersey is one of the few places in the country where attendants pump your gas. Out-of-state drivers often wonder whether the attendant expects a tip.

Do You Tip a Gas Station Attendant?

Beaches and Boardwalks

Beach Chair and Umbrella Service

Many Jersey Shore beaches require a paid beach badge, and some offer chair and umbrella rentals with attendants who set them up. Visitors often wonder whether the attendant expects a tip.

Do You Tip a Beach Chair Attendant?

Fishing Charters and Boat Tours

Party boats and private charters run from Point Pleasant, Barnegat Light, and Cape May, and whale and dolphin watching cruises leave from Cape May. Guests often wonder whether the crew expects a tip.

Do You Tip a Fishing Charter Crew?
Do You Tip on a Whale-Watching Tour?

Trolley and Walking Tours

Cape May's trolley tours and historic walking tours are popular ways to see its Victorian homes.

Do You Tip on a Trolley Tour?
Do You Tip a Tour Guide?

Casinos and Entertainment

Atlantic City Casinos

Atlantic City's casino resorts offer table games, shows, and nightlife. First-time visitors often aren't sure whether to tip dealers and cocktail servers.

Do You Tip a Casino Dealer?
Do You Tip a Cocktail Server?
Bartender Tipping

Lodging

Shore Rentals, Inns, and Hotels

Much of the shore's lodging is rental houses and Victorian bed and breakfasts. Guests often aren't sure whether to tip housekeeping at a rental when a cleaning fee is already on the bill.

Do You Tip Vacation Rental Housekeeping?
Do You Tip at a Bed and Breakfast?
Hotel Housekeeping
Bellhops
Valet Parking

Food and Drink

Diners, Restaurants, and Boardwalk Food

New Jersey is known for its diners, and boardwalk pizza, ice cream, and saltwater taffy stands add situations where you may see a tip prompt at the counter.

Do You Tip at a Diner?
Restaurant Tipping
Do You Tip for Counter Service?

What Customers and Workers Report

Tipping customs and expectations don't always match people's real-life behavior.

TippingGuide.com collects feedback from both customers and workers to show the two sides of tipping.

Our Customer and Worker Averages compare what customers report tipping for average service with what workers report expecting to receive.

Explore the categories above to see what customers and workers report for different services and tipping situations.

Information about New Jersey wage and tipping laws is provided for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Laws, regulations, and minimum wages can change. This information was last reviewed in October 2026.

Sources

New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Minimum Wage Increase for 2026
New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, My Work Rights: Tipped Workers
New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Minimum Wage Increase for 2027