You don't have to buy a California labor law poster package. The Department of Industrial Relations says workplace postings "are usually available at no cost from the requiring agency," that "Downloaded posters meet an employer's legal obligation," and that you only replace a posting "when its content changes." New for 2026: every employer gives employees a Know Your Rights notice on or before February 1 each year, and the Labor Commissioner's template is free. California's minimum wage is $16.90 an hour since January 1, 2026; DIR hadn't posted a 2027 rate when we checked on November 4.
The postings every California employer needs
| Posting | What to know | Free from |
|---|---|---|
| Know Your Rights notice | Give it to employees on or before Feb 1 each year (new in 2026); the Labor Commissioner's template is free in 11 languages | template (English) |
| Your industry's IWC wage order | Numbered by industry; offices, banks and accountants use Wage Order 4 | find your order |
| State minimum wage | $16.90 an hour since Jan 1, 2026 | DIR minimum wage |
| Paid sick leave | Also in Spanish, Korean, Tagalog, Chinese and Vietnamese | DIR postings |
| Payday notice | Your regular paydays and the time and place of payment; your own notice is fine | DIR postings |
| Safety and health protection on the job | Cal/OSHA's poster | Cal/OSHA publications |
| Emergency phone numbers | Your local responders' numbers | DIR postings |
| Injuries caused by work (workers' comp) | Download it, or get a printed copy from your claims administrator | DIR postings |
| Your workers' comp carrier | From your insurance carrier | Your carrier |
| Whistleblower protections | Larger than 14-point type, with the Attorney General's hotline | DIR sample |
| No smoking signage | Where smoking is prohibited or permitted | DIR postings |
| Discrimination and harassment; transgender rights | From the California Civil Rights Department, 1-800-884-1684 | Civil Rights Dept |
From DIR's Workplace Postings page, which says its list is not all inclusive: depending on the business there's more, like the Cal/OSHA injury log (11 or more employees last year), forklift operating rules, pregnancy disability leave (5 to 49 employees) and the federal posters it links. Each line read on dir.ca.gov on November 4, 2026. DIR Workplace Postings.
The poster letters in the mail
Offers to sell a "compliance poster" set arrive by mail and email. They aren't a State requirement to buy: DIR says the postings are usually free from the agency that requires them, that it's legal to download and post them, and that downloaded posters meet the legal obligation. Replacing them every year isn't required either: only when a posting's content changes, which DIR says happens yearly for the IWC wage orders and the Know Your Rights notice. One exception it flags: a farm labor contractor's pay-rate poster has to be at least 12 by 10 inches, so a home printer may not do. Got a look-alike letter about your Statement of Information instead? That one costs $20 at the State.
The fix: a free poster wall in an hour
- Find your wage order on DIR's industry index and print it.
- Print the rest from DIR's Workplace Postings page: minimum wage, paid sick leave, Cal/OSHA, whistleblower, workers' comp.
- Add your own two: the payday notice and your workers' comp carrier notice.
- Hand out the Know Your Rights notice by February 1 every year.
- Check DIR each January: it announces posting updates on its home and what's new page.
Rather just ask? Text your question to PJ, a real person in Cardiff, and he answers it. Asking is free. Not sure which wage order or postings your shop needs? A real person checks DIR's list and texts you back. Text PJ
Want a human to just do it?
- Letter Fix: PJ prints the free State set for your shop and puts it up where employees read it: $25 flat, plus printing.
"It's about being nice and showing up." PJ, a real person in Cardiff and Solana Beach. Prices are set in one place and shown before anything starts.
Send this to a shop owner you know. The message is already written; you just pick who.
Text it to a shop owner you know
"California labor law posters are free from the State (DIR) and printing them is legal. The 2026 list and the new Feb 1 notice:"
More for small businesses: the 4 filings to start · the Statement of Information letter · is a seller's permit free?
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Questions people ask
Do I have to buy labor law posters in California?
No. The Department of Industrial Relations says workplace postings are usually available at no cost from the requiring agency and that downloaded posters meet an employer's legal obligation.
Is it legal to print California labor law posters from the internet?
Yes. DIR's posting FAQ: "Posting the wage orders and other postings downloaded from the Internet is legal."
Do California labor law posters change every year?
Only when a posting's content changes, DIR says. The IWC wage orders are updated every year, and the Know Your Rights notice is updated annually and due to employees on or before February 1.
What is the California minimum wage in 2026?
$16.90 an hour for all employers since January 1, 2026, per the Department of Industrial Relations; fast food restaurants and healthcare facilities have their own rates.
What is the California Know Your Rights notice?
A workplace rights notice every employer must give employees on or before February 1, 2026 and each year after. The Labor Commissioner's free template is in English, Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Tagalog, Hindi, Punjabi, Arabic and Urdu.
Which posters does a small business in California need?
DIR lists these for all employers: the Know Your Rights notice, your IWC wage order, the minimum wage, paid sick leave, a payday notice, Cal/OSHA's safety and health poster, emergency phone numbers, the workers' comp notices, whistleblower protections, no smoking signage, and the Civil Rights Department's discrimination and transgender rights notices.
Is a labor law poster letter from the State?
Not if it's a company selling a poster set. DIR says the postings are usually free from the agency that requires them and that downloaded posters meet the legal obligation.
Know someone who needs this?
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More free local tools: the North County toolkit.