Teen jobs and child labor laws: what you can do at 14, 15, 16 and 17.
The jobs and hours federal law allows at each age, every state's hour limits and the jobs teens actually hold, from the U.S. Department of Labor, the eCFR and BLS.
Federal law sets 14 as the minimum age for most non-farm jobs. At 14 and 15 you can work only in jobs the law lists, such as office work, cashiering, bagging, shelving and limited food service, for up to 3 hours on a school day and 18 in a school week; at 16 and 17 there is no federal hours limit, but hazardous jobs stay off-limits until 18. States add their own rules, and the stricter rule applies.
Rules by age
| Age | Jobs | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Under 14 | Only exempt work: newspaper delivery, acting, a parent's business, some farm work | — |
| 14 and 15 | Only listed jobs (29 CFR 570.34) | 3 a school day, 18 a school week; 8 and 40 when school is out; 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. |
| 16 and 17 | Any job except 17 hazardous occupations | No federal limit; state limits may apply |
| 18 and older | Any job | No child labor limits |
Work-hour rules in your state
Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, DC, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming.
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Questions people ask
What is the youngest age you can work?
Do you need a work permit?
Can a 15 year old work at McDonald's?
How this page is built
Federal rules from 29 CFR part 570 (eCFR, up to date as of Nov 2, 2026); state hours from DOL's table as of July 15, 2025 (re-read Nov 4, 2026).
- Your situation: work permits, school-year rules, and exceptions for graduates, family businesses, farm work, acting and work-study programs vary; this page is a summary, not legal advice.
- Stricter rule: where federal and state law differ, the employer must follow the stricter one; some employers are not covered by the federal law, and then state law alone applies.
- Questions: the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (1-866-487-9243) answers federal questions; your state labor office answers state ones.
- 29 CFR § 570.2, § 570.34, § 570.35, eCFR, up to date as of Nov 2, 2026.
- U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, Selected State Child Labor Standards Affecting Minors Under 18 in Non-farm Employment, as of July 15, 2025 (re-read Nov 4, 2026).