Virginia and Maine Set 2026 Effective Dates for Pay Transparency Laws
Virginia and Maine have enacted pay transparency laws effective July 2026, impacting employer practices.
Why it matters: The new laws require employers to disclose salary ranges in job postings and restrict salary history inquiries, requiring immediate updates to HR policies and compliance measures for organizations operating in these states. Legal and HR departments must prepare for stricter record-keeping and increased transparency demands.
- Virginia's law (SB 215) applies to all employers and takes effect July 1, 2026.
- Maine's law covers employers with 10+ employees, effective July 29, 2026.
- Virginia bars employers from seeking or using applicants’ salary history and requires wage range disclosure in job postings.
- Maine mandates pay range disclosure in postings and detailed pay history record retention for each position.
Virginia and Maine join a growing list of states advancing pay transparency protections. Both states’ newly signed laws will shift hiring procedures, record retention, and compliance requirements for employers starting in July 2026.
- In Virginia, Senate Bill 215—signed on April 22, 2026—applies to all employers statewide. It both prohibits inquiries into and reliance on a job applicant’s wage or salary history and requires employers to post the wage or salary range for every position, internally and externally. Employers must set these ranges "in good faith by reference to actual or budgeted pay scales and wages."
- Maine enacted Legislative Document 54, signed on April 24, 2026, becoming effective July 29, 2026. The law applies to employers with 10 or more employees. It requires them to include a pay range in each job posting and mandates employers keep pay history records for each position throughout employment and for three years after an employee leaves.
- Pay transparency statutes like these are designed to support wage equity and reduce pay disparities, but they will also drive the need for legal and HR teams to revisit hiring workflows, documentation, and compliance policies.
Employers operating in both states—or nationwide—should review job postings, update hiring guidelines, and institute record-keeping systems ahead of the July 2026 deadlines.
By the numbers:
- July 1, 2026 — Effective date for Virginia's pay transparency law
- July 29, 2026 — Effective date for Maine's pay transparency law
- 3 years — Duration Maine employers must keep pay records post-termination
Yes, but: Specific penalties for non-compliance and precise definitions of Maine's 10-employee threshold remain unclear.
What's next: Employers and legal departments should begin updating policies to prepare for the July 2026 enactment dates.