California Paid Family Leave Contribution Rates 2026
California runs State Disability Insurance / Paid Family Leave (SDI/PFL), funded by a payroll contribution of 1.3% of wages.
2026 rate card
- Total contribution rate
- 1.3%
- Employer share
- 0%
- No employer contribution
- Employee share
- 100%
- 1.3% of wages
- Wage cap
- None
- Every dollar of wages is subject
- Maximum employee contribution
- None
- Small-employer relief
- None
- Every employer pays the full rate
Last verified August 19, 2026Source: Employment Development Department (EDD)
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Estimates only. Confirm current rates with your state agency before filing or budgeting.
Who must contribute
- Entirely employee-funded. There is no employer contribution to SDI or PFL.
- SB 951 removed the taxable wage ceiling effective 1 January 2024, so all wages are subject to the 1.3% withholding — there is no annual cap on an employee’s contribution.
- One contribution funds two benefits: Disability Insurance (own illness or injury) and Paid Family Leave (bonding or caregiving).
- PFL provides up to 8 weeks in a 12-month period; DI runs separately for up to 52 weeks.
- Employers may substitute an approved Voluntary Plan, which must be at least as generous as the state plan.
- The maximum weekly benefit is $1,765 a week for 2026, confirmed against EDD’s contribution rates and benefit amounts page on 19 August 2026.
What employees receive
- Maximum weekly benefit
- $1,765.00
- Maximum weeks
- 8 weeks
- Per benefit year, combined where programs stack
- Wage replacement
- 70–90% of wages
Benefit amounts are what an employee on leave receives. They are set separately from the contribution rate and are usually re-published each year against the state average weekly wage — often on a different cycle to the premium.
Benefit figures verified August 19, 2026 against Employment Development Department (EDD).
Private plan option
California permits an employer to substitute an approved private or voluntary plan for the state plan. The plan must be at least as generous as the statutory one and must be approved by Employment Development Department (EDD) before it takes effect. If you run an approved private plan, the state premiums above do not apply — your carrier sets the cost instead. How to decide between the two.
Key dates
- 1 January
- New rates take effect. Update payroll before the first pay run of the year.
- Quarterly
- Wage reports and premium payments are due to Employment Development Department (EDD), generally by the last day of the month following each quarter.
- Autumn
- Next year’s rate is announced. This page is re-checked against the agency in November and updated in December.
Common questions
What is the California paid family leave rate for 2026?
The California State Disability Insurance / Paid Family Leave contribution is 1.3% of wages for 2026. The employer pays 0% of that and the employee pays 100%.
How much does an employer pay for paid family leave in California?
Nothing. California funds its program entirely through employee payroll deductions. The employer's obligation is to withhold the contribution correctly and remit it on time, not to fund it.
Is there a wage cap on California paid leave contributions?
No. California applies the 1.3% rate to all covered wages with no ceiling, so the cost keeps rising with payroll rather than levelling off.
Are small employers exempt from California paid family leave?
No. California has no small-employer exemption or reduced rate — an employer with one covered employee pays the same 1.3% as one with ten thousand.
What is the maximum California paid leave benefit?
Up to $1,765.00 a week, for up to 8 weeks in a benefit year. Wage replacement is 70–90% of wages, so lower earners replace a larger proportion of their pay than higher earners.
Can we use a private plan instead of the California state plan?
Yes. Employment Development Department (EDD) can approve a private or voluntary plan that is at least as generous as the state program. Once approved, you stop paying the state premium and pay your carrier instead. Approval is not automatic and it is not retroactive, so the state rate applies until the plan is in force.
Estimates only. Confirm current rates with your state agency before filing or budgeting.
Last verified August 19, 2026Source: Employment Development Department (EDD)
Maintained by Treesera Technologies, Payroll and compliance calculators. How these rates are sourced.
Employing in more than one state?
California is one of 14 jurisdictions with a paid leave premium, and no two use the same rate, split or cap. Calculate the combined cost in one place.
Calculate the combined cost