Find it on SAM.gov
- Start with your contract. The solicitation or contract lists the WD number and modification, for example a general decision for your state and county. That's the one you're bound to.
- Open SAM.gov wage determinations. If you know the number, use "Search by WD Number". If not, choose Public Buildings or Works (that's Davis-Bacon) and filter by state and county.
- Pick the construction type that matches the project (see below). One county usually has several WDs, one per type.
- Check the modification. The cover sheet's record of modifications lists each change and its date. Use the modification your contract incorporated, not a later one, unless a rule below says otherwise.
SAM.gov noted in 2026 that updates to collectively bargained rates on WDs were delayed, so some union rates may be out of date. Your contract's WD still governs.
The four construction types
| Type | Covers | Excludes |
|---|---|---|
| Building | Sheltered enclosures with walk-in access: schools, offices, hospitals, apartments of 5+ stories | Single-family homes and apartments up to 4 stories |
| Residential | Single-family homes and apartments up to and including 4 stories | — |
| Heavy | Projects that aren't building, residential or highway: flood control, water and sewer lines, water wells | Per DOL's slides: elevated storage tanks, industrial chemical processing, power plants, refineries (often building) |
| Highway | Roads, streets, bridges, parking areas and similar paving | Building structures in rest areas |
A project with distinct parts (say, a building plus a long site utility run) can carry more than one WD. If the contract includes several, each applies to its own part of the work.
Reading a classification line
Each line gives a rate identifier, the classification, the basic hourly rate and the fringe rate. DOL's training slides use this example:
| Identifier | Classification | Rate | Fringes | Minimum per hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CARP0055-001 | Carpenter (acoustical ceiling installation and drywall hanging only) | $26.25 | $8.64 | $34.89 |
| UAVG-CO-0016 | Power equipment operator: bulldozer | $37.85 | $22.72 | $60.57 |
Pay at least the "minimum per hour" total, as cash, as bona fide fringe benefits, or a mix. Overtime premium is half the basic rate, not the total.
What the identifiers mean
| Code | Meaning | When it changes |
|---|---|---|
| Union code + local, e.g. ELEV0101-001 | Union rate prevailed; the date shown is the collective bargaining agreement's effective date | When the union reports a new rate |
| SU, e.g. SUCO2015-015 | Survey rate (non-union). SU + state + survey year + internal number | Only with a new survey or an ECI adjustment |
| UAVG | Union weighted average: all data was union, several unions, no single rate prevailed | Annually |
| SA | State-adopted rate | With the state's rates |
| ECI note | Non-union rate adjusted under 29 CFR 1.6(c)(1) using the Employment Cost Index | No more often than every 3 years |
Which revision applies to your contract
Under 29 CFR 1.6, the WD incorporated in the contract "generally applies for the duration of the contract or project". A revision applies instead when:
- Before bid opening: it was issued at least 10 days before bids opened (later ones too, unless the agency documents there wasn't time to notify bidders).
- Slow award: the contract isn't awarded within 90 days of bid opening; then revisions issued before award apply.
- Modifications: the contract is changed to add substantial new work, extend the term or exercise an option. The latest revision comes in at that point (not for mere extra time to finish the original work).
- Open-ended contracts (like indefinite-delivery contracts): the latest revision is added on each anniversary of award.
General WDs don't expire. Project WDs, issued for one project, are good for 180 days; if not incorporated in that window they're void.
When a classification is missing
If your workers do work no listed classification covers, you can't just pick a close rate. The contracting officer requests a conformance from DOL using form SF-1444. DOL approves an added classification when:
- the work isn't performed by a classification already on the WD;
- the classification is actually used in the area by the construction industry; and
- the proposed rate bears a reasonable relationship to the rates on the WD.
The conformed rate is owed from the first day anyone worked in that classification on the contract, so underpaying while you wait creates back wages. Wanting a lower rate is not a reason for a conformance; workers are paid for the classification of work they actually do.
Putting it on certified payroll
- Column 3 of the WH-347: the classification exactly as named on the WD.
- Column 6A: the basic hourly rate you pay (at least the WD rate).
- Columns 6B/6C: fringe paid through plans or as cash.
- Header: the WD number your contract uses.
The free WH-347 generator takes the classification and rates from your payroll file and puts them in the right boxes. It doesn't look up WD rates for you, so check them against your contract's WD.
Sources
- SAM.gov: wage determinations
- 29 CFR 1.6: use and effectiveness of wage determinations
- DOL WHD: reading and interpreting wage determinations (seminar slides)
- DOL WHD: conformance guide
General information as of November 2026, not legal advice. Your contract and its wage determination govern; questions about a WD go to the contracting agency or DOL ([email protected]).
Related guides
- Davis-Bacon Act requirements
- Davis-Bacon fringe benefits, with examples
- Apprentice rates and ratios
- How to fill out the WH-347, field by field
Questions
Where do I find Davis-Bacon wage rates?
On SAM.gov under Wage Determinations, Public Buildings or Works. Use the WD your contract incorporates.
Do I use the newest wage determination?
Usually not. The contract's WD applies unless a 10-day, 90-day, modification or anniversary rule brings in a revision.
What does SU mean?
A non-union survey rate. It only changes with a new survey or an ECI adjustment.
A classification I need isn't listed. What now?
Ask the contracting officer for a conformance (SF-1444). The approved rate is owed from the first day of that work.