Tamil Nadu builds its minimum wage from a basic rate and a dearness allowance (VDA) declared by the Commissioner of Labour. Shops and commercial establishments are graded by job designation and by four zones, A to D, rather than by unskilled, semi-skilled and skilled. From 1 April 2026 the VDA is ₹7,353 a month for every designation and zone, so the difference between one row and the next comes entirely from the basic.
Two things to check first
Find your zone and your designation, because both change the basic. Then remember that the ₹7,353 VDA applies to shops and commercial establishments only; other scheduled employments have their own allowance in the notification.
Tamil Nadu Minimum Wages for Shops and Commercial Establishments, from 1 April 2026
All figures are in rupees. Total per month is the basic plus the VDA, and total per day is the monthly total divided by 26. Each designation has its own row. Category is General Category and Sub category is not applicable (NA) on every row.
| Class of employment | Zone | Category | Sub category | Basic per month (₹) | VDA per month (₹) | Total per day (₹) | ★ Total per month (₹) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manager | Zone A | General Category | NA | 7,390 | 7,353 | 567.04 | 14,743 |
| Manager | Zone B | General Category | NA | 7,328 | 7,353 | 564.65 | 14,681 |
| Manager | Zone C | General Category | NA | 7,264 | 7,353 | 562.19 | 14,617 |
| Manager | Zone D | General Category | NA | 7,214 | 7,353 | 560.27 | 14,567 |
| Sales Manager | Zone A | General Category | NA | 7,390 | 7,353 | 567.04 | 14,743 |
| Sales Manager | Zone B | General Category | NA | 7,328 | 7,353 | 564.65 | 14,681 |
| Sales Manager | Zone C | General Category | NA | 7,264 | 7,353 | 562.19 | 14,617 |
| Sales Manager | Zone D | General Category | NA | 7,214 | 7,353 | 560.27 | 14,567 |
| Officer | Zone A | General Category | NA | 7,390 | 7,353 | 567.04 | 14,743 |
| Officer | Zone B | General Category | NA | 7,328 | 7,353 | 564.65 | 14,681 |
| Officer | Zone C | General Category | NA | 7,264 | 7,353 | 562.19 | 14,617 |
| Officer | Zone D | General Category | NA | 7,214 | 7,353 | 560.27 | 14,567 |
| Assistant Manager | Zone A | General Category | NA | 6,880 | 7,353 | 547.42 | 14,233 |
| Assistant Manager | Zone B | General Category | NA | 6,815 | 7,353 | 544.92 | 14,168 |
| Assistant Manager | Zone C | General Category | NA | 6,753 | 7,353 | 542.54 | 14,106 |
| Assistant Manager | Zone D | General Category | NA | 6,691 | 7,353 | 540.15 | 14,044 |
| Accountant | Zone A | General Category | NA | 6,880 | 7,353 | 547.42 | 14,233 |
| Accountant | Zone B | General Category | NA | 6,815 | 7,353 | 544.92 | 14,168 |
| Accountant | Zone C | General Category | NA | 6,753 | 7,353 | 542.54 | 14,106 |
| Accountant | Zone D | General Category | NA | 6,691 | 7,353 | 540.15 | 14,044 |
| Supervisor | Zone A | General Category | NA | 6,880 | 7,353 | 547.42 | 14,233 |
| Supervisor | Zone B | General Category | NA | 6,815 | 7,353 | 544.92 | 14,168 |
| Supervisor | Zone C | General Category | NA | 6,753 | 7,353 | 542.54 | 14,106 |
| Supervisor | Zone D | General Category | NA | 6,691 | 7,353 | 540.15 | 14,044 |
| Cashier | Zone A | General Category | NA | 6,829 | 7,353 | 545.46 | 14,182 |
| Cashier | Zone B | General Category | NA | 6,753 | 7,353 | 542.54 | 14,106 |
| Cashier | Zone C | General Category | NA | 6,680 | 7,353 | 539.73 | 14,033 |
| Cashier | Zone D | General Category | NA | 6,619 | 7,353 | 537.38 | 13,972 |
| Clerk | Zone A | General Category | NA | 6,829 | 7,353 | 545.46 | 14,182 |
| Clerk | Zone B | General Category | NA | 6,753 | 7,353 | 542.54 | 14,106 |
| Clerk | Zone C | General Category | NA | 6,680 | 7,353 | 539.73 | 14,033 |
| Clerk | Zone D | General Category | NA | 6,619 | 7,353 | 537.38 | 13,972 |
| Typist | Zone A | General Category | NA | 6,829 | 7,353 | 545.46 | 14,182 |
| Typist | Zone B | General Category | NA | 6,753 | 7,353 | 542.54 | 14,106 |
| Typist | Zone C | General Category | NA | 6,680 | 7,353 | 539.73 | 14,033 |
| Typist | Zone D | General Category | NA | 6,619 | 7,353 | 537.38 | 13,972 |
| Salesman | Zone A | General Category | NA | 6,829 | 7,353 | 545.46 | 14,182 |
| Salesman | Zone B | General Category | NA | 6,753 | 7,353 | 542.54 | 14,106 |
| Salesman | Zone C | General Category | NA | 6,680 | 7,353 | 539.73 | 14,033 |
| Salesman | Zone D | General Category | NA | 6,619 | 7,353 | 537.38 | 13,972 |
| Bill Collector | Zone A | General Category | NA | 6,767 | 7,353 | 543.08 | 14,120 |
| Bill Collector | Zone B | General Category | NA | 6,691 | 7,353 | 540.15 | 14,044 |
| Bill Collector | Zone C | General Category | NA | 6,619 | 7,353 | 537.38 | 13,972 |
| Bill Collector | Zone D | General Category | NA | 6,553 | 7,353 | 534.85 | 13,906 |
| Booking Clerk | Zone A | General Category | NA | 6,767 | 7,353 | 543.08 | 14,120 |
| Booking Clerk | Zone B | General Category | NA | 6,691 | 7,353 | 540.15 | 14,044 |
| Booking Clerk | Zone C | General Category | NA | 6,619 | 7,353 | 537.38 | 13,972 |
| Booking Clerk | Zone D | General Category | NA | 6,553 | 7,353 | 534.85 | 13,906 |
| Driver | Zone A | General Category | NA | 6,767 | 7,353 | 543.08 | 14,120 |
| Driver | Zone B | General Category | NA | 6,691 | 7,353 | 540.15 | 14,044 |
| Driver | Zone C | General Category | NA | 6,619 | 7,353 | 537.38 | 13,972 |
| Driver | Zone D | General Category | NA | 6,553 | 7,353 | 534.85 | 13,906 |
| Peon | Zone A | General Category | NA | 6,691 | 7,353 | 540.15 | 14,044 |
| Peon | Zone B | General Category | NA | 6,619 | 7,353 | 537.38 | 13,972 |
| Peon | Zone C | General Category | NA | 6,541 | 7,353 | 534.38 | 13,894 |
| Peon | Zone D | General Category | NA | 6,470 | 7,353 | 531.65 | 13,823 |
| Watchman | Zone A | General Category | NA | 6,691 | 7,353 | 540.15 | 14,044 |
| Watchman | Zone B | General Category | NA | 6,619 | 7,353 | 537.38 | 13,972 |
| Watchman | Zone C | General Category | NA | 6,541 | 7,353 | 534.38 | 13,894 |
| Watchman | Zone D | General Category | NA | 6,470 | 7,353 | 531.65 | 13,823 |
| Shop Assistant | Zone A | General Category | NA | 6,691 | 7,353 | 540.15 | 14,044 |
| Shop Assistant | Zone B | General Category | NA | 6,619 | 7,353 | 537.38 | 13,972 |
| Shop Assistant | Zone C | General Category | NA | 6,541 | 7,353 | 534.38 | 13,894 |
| Shop Assistant | Zone D | General Category | NA | 6,470 | 7,353 | 531.65 | 13,823 |
| Helper | Zone A | General Category | NA | 6,691 | 7,353 | 540.15 | 14,044 |
| Helper | Zone B | General Category | NA | 6,619 | 7,353 | 537.38 | 13,972 |
| Helper | Zone C | General Category | NA | 6,541 | 7,353 | 534.38 | 13,894 |
| Helper | Zone D | General Category | NA | 6,470 | 7,353 | 531.65 | 13,823 |
The VDA is from the Commissioner of Labour's statement No. Z3/3459/2026 dated 18 February 2026, which lists G.O. (2D) No. 65 dated 20 August 2024 as the wage order for shops and commercial establishments. Managers, sales managers and officers share one rate, as do the other designations grouped in each band. Check the notification for the zone that covers your workplace.