When Missouri prevailing wage applies
Missouri prevailing wage covers public works construction with a total cost over $75,000, built for public use or benefit or paid for with public funds. If the bid documents for a city, county, school district or state agency job include a wage order, assume it applies and read the contract for the details.
The Annual Wage Order
Rates are set by occupational title and county in the Annual Wage Order published by the Division of Labor Standards, and the order is made part of the contract specifications. Every worker on the job is paid at least the rate for the work they actually do, so classifying people correctly is the first job of the payroll desk.
The records you keep
The contractor and every sub keep full records for each worker on the job. They must be available to the public body and the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, and kept after the job is complete for the period the statute sets. Underpaying the wage order carries a penalty per worker per day, so we check classifications every week rather than at the end.
- Name
- Occupation and craft
- Hours worked
- Wages paid
The affidavit at completion
When the work is done, the contractor and each sub sign an affidavit of compliance stating they paid the prevailing rates (Form PW-4, with a separate MoDOT version on highway work). Final payment can be held until it is filed.
Weekly certified payroll on Missouri jobs
Many Missouri public bodies write weekly certified payroll into their contracts. Whether that is a statewide statutory filing or a contract term varies, so we read each contract and file what it asks for. Our contractor payroll service prepares the reports either way.
Missouri prevailing wage and federal Davis-Bacon
Federally funded or assisted construction falls under Davis-Bacon. There, certified payrolls go to the contracting agency every week, within seven days after the regular payday. The WH-347 form is optional but satisfies the rule, each payroll carries a Statement of Compliance signed by the contractor or an authorised officer, scanned signatures do not count, and workers are identified by an ID or the last four digits, never a full Social Security number.
Sources
- Missouri Department of Labor: wage and hour forms, including the PW-4 affidavit
- U.S. Department of Labor: WH-347 certified payroll
Figures checked against the sources above in October 2026. Rules change; confirm with the agency, your CPA or counsel before you act. This guide is general information, not tax or legal advice.
Up one level Contractor payroll and certified payroll Weekly crew payroll with the certified reports done the same week.