Quick answer: For shops and commercial establishments, minimum wages in Maharashtra from 1 July to 31 December 2026 are ₹14,155 a month (unskilled, Zone I), ₹13,559 (Zone II) and ₹12,962 (Zone III), rising to ₹15,766 for skilled work in Zone I. Each rate is a basic wage plus a special allowance of ₹4,134, up from ₹3,900. The order came on 5 August 2026, so July arrears may be due.
Maharashtra does not have one minimum wage. It fixes rates separately for each scheduled employment (shops and commercial establishments, construction, hospitals, security services, engineering and dozens more), then by zone and skill. Every six months, from 1 January and 1 July, the Commissioner of Labour revises the special allowance, Maharashtra's variable dearness allowance. This guide gives the current shop and establishment rates, which apply to the largest number of employers, explains how to find the rate for other employments, and shows how to work out the July 2026 arrears. For other States, see our State minimum wages tracker and the minimum wages in India hub.
Maharashtra minimum wages for shops, July–December 2026
| Zone and skill | Basic (₹/month) | Special allowance (₹/month) | Total (₹/month) | Per day (÷26) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone I: Unskilled | 10,021 | 4,134 | 14,155 | 544.42 |
| Zone I: Semi-skilled | 10,856 | 4,134 | 14,990 | 576.54 |
| Zone I: Skilled | 11,632 | 4,134 | 15,766 | 606.38 |
| Zone II: Unskilled | 9,425 | 4,134 | 13,559 | 521.50 |
| Zone II: Semi-skilled | 10,260 | 4,134 | 14,394 | 553.62 |
| Zone II: Skilled | 11,036 | 4,134 | 15,170 | 583.46 |
| Zone III: Unskilled | 8,828 | 4,134 | 12,962 | 498.54 |
| Zone III: Semi-skilled | 9,664 | 4,134 | 13,798 | 530.69 |
| Zone III: Skilled | 10,440 | 4,134 | 14,574 | 560.54 |
These are the rates for shops and commercial establishments under the special allowance order dated 5 August 2026, effective 1 July to 31 December 2026 (TeamLease RegTech on the July–December 2026 order; SGCMS rate table). Daily figures are the monthly rate divided by 26. The totals above exclude house rent allowance. Under the Maharashtra Workmen's Minimum House Rent Allowance Act, 1983, an establishment covered by that Act (broadly, one employing 50 or more workmen) that does not provide housing must also pay HRA of at least 5% of basic plus special allowance (₹707.75 for Zone I unskilled), in addition to the minimum wage.
Which zone applies?
Zones come from the base notification for each scheduled employment, not from the special allowance order. For shops and commercial establishments, Zone I covers all municipal corporation limits, plus cantonment areas and industrial areas within 20 km of a corporation limit; Zone II covers municipal council areas; and Zone III covers the rest of the State. Use the zone of the place where the employee works, and check your town in the notification for your employment because boundaries differ between employments.
Other scheduled employments, including hospitals
The same order sets a special allowance for every scheduled employment, but the amounts and basic wages differ. For example, construction of roads and buildings has its own basic rates and a special allowance of ₹3,198 a month from 1 July 2026 (WageIndicator, Maharashtra construction rates), so the shop rates above must not be used for a construction site. Hospitals, nursing homes, security agencies and factories likewise have their own entries: for a hospital, look for the hospitals and nursing homes entry in the special allowance order and the matching base notification, not the shop rates. To find your rate:
- Identify the scheduled employment that describes your business.
- Find its basic wage for the employee's zone and skill in the base notification.
- Add the special allowance for that employment from the order for the current half-year.
- Compare the total with the employee's wages, not gross pay.
Since 21 November 2025 the Code on Wages applies to every employee, not only those in a listed employment, so an employer whose business has no specific entry should take advice on which notified rate applies, as rates continue under existing notifications until the State fixes new ones.
What changed from January 2026
The basic wages did not change; only the special allowance rose, from ₹3,900 to ₹4,134 a month for shops, an increase of ₹234 in every zone and skill. For example, Zone I unskilled went from ₹13,921 to ₹14,155 and Zone III unskilled from ₹12,728 to ₹12,962.
Example: July arrears
A Pune store (Zone I) paid 25 unskilled staff ₹13,921 for July 2026 before the order was published. Each is owed ₹234 for July, ₹5,850 in all, and the same again for August if that payroll was also run before the order. Pay the arrears in the next payroll; arrears of wages also attract PF and, where applicable, ESI contributions. Our salary arrears calculator can do the arithmetic.
Official notification PDF
The special allowance order for July–December 2026 (Notification No. 7997, dated 5 August 2026) is published in Marathi by the Commissioner of Labour, Maharashtra, on the Labour Department website, mahakamgar.maharashtra.gov.in. It lists every scheduled employment by entry number, with the special allowance for each zone and skill; shops and commercial establishments are one entry among them. Download it from the official site rather than from rate-chart websites, and read it with the base notification for your employment, which sets the basic wage and the zones.
What Maharashtra employers must check
- Wages as the Code defines them: compare the minimum with basic pay, dearness allowance (including the special allowance) and retaining allowance, plus the amount by which excluded allowances exceed 50% of total remuneration, not with gross salary including HRA; see payroll vs salary vs wages.
- Overtime: pay overtime at no less than twice the ordinary rate of wages; see the overtime calculator.
- Other State deductions: Maharashtra also has professional tax and the labour welfare fund, so update all three when you run payroll.
- Records: show the revised wages in your statutory registers and wage slips.
Paying below the minimum is an offence under the Code on Wages, and the employee can claim the shortfall; see payroll penalties. The next special allowance revision is due from 1 January 2027. Use our monthly salary calculator to rebuild salaries at the new rate.
Stay compliant through every revision. The Practical Payroll Management e-Book explains minimum wages, the Labour Codes wage definition, arrears and statutory deductions with worked examples.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum wage in Maharashtra in 2026?
For shops and commercial establishments, the minimum wage from 1 July to 31 December 2026 is 14,155 rupees a month for an unskilled worker in Zone I, 13,559 rupees in Zone II and 12,962 rupees in Zone III. Skilled rates go up to 15,766 rupees in Zone I. Each rate is a basic wage plus a special allowance of 4,134 rupees. Other scheduled employments have their own rates.
How often are Maharashtra minimum wages revised?
Maharashtra revises the special allowance, its variable dearness allowance, twice a year, for January to June and July to December. The July 2026 order was notified on 5 August 2026 with effect from 1 July 2026. The next revision is due from 1 January 2027.
Is the minimum wage the same for every industry in Maharashtra?
No. Maharashtra fixes separate rates for each scheduled employment, such as shops and commercial establishments, construction, hospitals, security services and engineering industries. Each has its own basic wage and special allowance, so find the entry for your employment before applying a rate.
What is the daily minimum wage in Maharashtra?
For shops and commercial establishments, the daily equivalent from 1 July 2026 is about 544.42 rupees for an unskilled worker in Zone I, 521.50 rupees in Zone II and 498.54 rupees in Zone III, taking the monthly rate divided by 26.
Do employers owe arrears for July 2026?
Yes, if July 2026 wages were paid at the old rate. The special allowance rose from 3,900 rupees to 4,134 rupees a month from 1 July 2026, but the order came only on 5 August 2026, so each worker paid at the January rate is owed 234 rupees for every month paid at the old rate.
Position as of 15 November 2026. Based on the Maharashtra special allowance order of 5 August 2026 for shops and commercial establishments as reported by compliance publishers; rates for other scheduled employments differ, so confirm against the Commissioner of Labour order for your employment and zone. General information, not legal advice.