Where can the full list of 2026 OPM special rate tables and their covered occupations be downloaded from OPM.gov?
Executive summary
The complete 2026 OPM special rate tables and their covered occupations can be downloaded directly from OPM’s Special Rates landing pages—notably the SearchByTable page for table-level downloads and the IndexByOccupations and IndexByAgencies listings that map tables to covered occupations and agencies [1] [2] [3]. The broader Salaries & Wages hub on OPM.gov points users to those special rates pages and related pay materials [4].
1. Where to download the full list: the Special Rates “SearchByTable” page
The canonical starting point for the downloadable 2026 special rate tables is the OPM Special Rates search-by-table page, found at https://www.opm.gov/special-rates/2026/SearchByTable.aspx, which presents the complete set of 2026 special rate tables and allows direct access to each table [1]. That page is the OPM-hosted index intended to deliver the actual table files and links that agencies and employees consult for special-rate pay schedules [1].
2. How the tables are indexed on OPM: by occupation and by agency
OPM also publishes indexed views that match special rate table numbers to occupations and to agencies—specifically the 2026 index to title 5 special rate tables by occupation (IndexByOccupations.aspx) and the 2026 index by agency (indexbyagencies.aspx)—so users who want to find which table covers a particular occupation or which agency-specific tables apply can download the mapping from those pages [2] [3].
3. File formats and example salary-table downloads
The special rates and related pay materials are provided as downloadable salary-table PDFs on OPM’s site—examples include PDF salary tables such as Salary Table 2026-BOS (LEO) and a range of locality and LEO-specific PDF tables that OPM posts in its salary-tables folder [5] [6] [7] [8] [9]. Those PDFs incorporate the 2026 adjustments (for example, locality payments and the January 2026 1% GS increase where applicable) and show annual rates by grade and step used to compute special rates [6] [8].
4. How to find which occupations are covered by each table
The occupation-index page ties each special rate table number to the occupational series and grade ranges covered, enabling users to translate a special rate table (for example, table 001M or 0497) directly into the occupational scope that triggers the special-rate pay computation [2] [10]. For law enforcement and other defined categories OPM provides separate guidance and tables—OPM’s LEO landing page explains how law enforcement officer special rates interact with locality pay and points users to specific LEO tables [11] [10].
5. Context, effective dates, and agency guidance
OPM’s memoranda and fact sheets make clear the effective dates and procedural rules for applying special rates—for instance, a 2026 OPM memorandum announcing special rates for certain law enforcement personnel states the special rates are effective January 11, 2026, and instructs agencies on citation and simultaneous-pay-action rules [12]. The Salaries & Wages hub aggregates the 2026 Special Rates Tables, Special Rates Search tools, and related materials so agencies and employees can access policy memos, locality definitions, and downloadable tables from one collection point [4].
6. Practical next steps and points of contact
To retrieve the full set, download the table-index page (SearchByTable.aspx) and then use the IndexByOccupations or IndexByAgencies pages to locate the specific tables that cover a given occupation or agency; individual table PDFs (salary-tables/pdf/2026/*.pdf) are linked from those indexes and from the Salaries & Wages 2026 collection [1] [2] [4] [5]. For questions about interpretation or to request additional materials, OPM directs agencies to its Pay-Leave Policy contacts listed on the Salaries & Wages pages [4].