Teen jobs · official work-hour rules
How many hours can a teen work? Every state, ages 14 to 17.
Federal limits and each state's daily and weekly hour limits for 14-, 15-, 16- and 17-year-olds, from the U.S. Department of Labor's state table, with a page for every state.
Quick answer
Under federal law, 14- and 15-year-olds can work up to 3 hours on a school day and 18 hours in a school week (8 hours a day and 40 a week when school is out), between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. (9 p.m. in summer); 16- and 17-year-olds have no federal hours limit. States can be stricter: DOL's state table lists hours limits for 16- and 17-year-olds in 21 of the 52 jurisdictions on this page, and lower limits than federal law for 14- and 15-year-olds in 1.
Federal rule
DataFederal hours limits for 14- and 15-year-olds
| When | Per day | Per week |
|---|---|---|
| School in session | 3 hours | 18 hours |
| School not in session | 8 hours | 40 hours |
| Time of day | 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. | 9 p.m. from June 1 through Labor Day |
DOL footnote b: Students of 14 and 15 enrolled in approved Work Experience and Career Exploration programs may work during school hours up to 3 hours on a school day and 23 hours in a school week.
All states
DataTeen work hours by state
DOL's table, as of July 15, 2025: hours a day – hours a week – days a week. Night limits are on each state's page.
| State | Under 16 | 16 and 17 |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 8-40-6 non-school day/week 3-18-6 school day/week | None listed |
| Alaska | 9 - 23-6 (DOL note c: combined hours of work and school) | 6-day week |
| Arizona | 8-40 non-school day/week 3-18 school day/week | None listed |
| Arkansas | 8-48-6 | 16-year-old children cannot work more than 10 hours consecutive or more than 10 hours in a 24 hours period. |
| California | 8-40 non-school day/week 3-18 school day/week | 8-48 non-school day/-week: 3-18 school day/week |
| Colorado | 8-40 non-school day/week 6-40 school day/week | 8-40 |
| Connecticut | 8-40 during periods of school vacation of 5 days or more | Enrolled in and not graduated from a secondary institution. 8-48-6, non-school days/weeks. 6-32 school day/week, in restaurant, recreational, amusement, theater, manufacturing, mechanical, retail, hairdressing, bowling alley, pool hall, or photography gallery establishments. Not enrolled in and not graduated from a secondary institution. 8-48-6 in retail/mercantile establishments. 9-48-6 in restaurant, manufacturing, mechanical, recreation, amusement and theater establishments |
| Delaware | 8-40-6 non-school day/week 4-18-6 school day/week | 12 (DOL note c: combined hours of work and school) |
| DC | 8-48-6 | 8-48-6 |
| Florida | 8-40-6 non-school day/week 3-15-6 school day/week Minors under 16 may work 8-40 during non-school day or week. | 8-30-6 school day/week |
| Georgia | 8-40 non-school day/week 4-40 school day/week | None listed |
| Hawaii | 8-40-6 non-school day/week 3-18-6 school day/week | None listed |
| Idaho | 9-54 | None listed |
| Illinois | 8-40 non-school day/week 3-18 school day/week | None listed |
| Indiana | 8-40 non-school day/week 3-18 school day/week | None listed |
| Iowa | 8-40 non-school day/week 6-28 school day/week | None listed |
| Kansas | 8-40 | None listed |
| Kentucky | 8-40 non-school day/week 3-18 school day/week | 6-30 school day/week (6- 40 school day/week with parental permission and at least a 2.0 school grade point average) |
| Louisiana | 8-40-6 non-school day/week 3-18-6 school day/week | None listed |
| Maine | 8-40-6 non-school day/week 3-18-6 school day/week | If enrolled in school: 10-50-6 non-school day/week 6 (except 8 on last scheduled day of school week)- 24-6 school day/week |
| Maryland | 8-40 non-school day/week 4-23 school day/week | 12 (DOL note c: combined hours of work and school) |
| Massachusetts | 8-48-6 | 9-48-6 |
| Michigan | 40 non-school day/week 3-18 school day/week | 10-48 non-school day/week 10/24 school day/week |
| Minnesota | 8-40 | None listed |
| Mississippi | 8-44 in factory, mill, cannery, workshop, or manufacturing establishment. | None listed |
| Missouri | 8-40-6 non-school day/week 3-40-6 school day/week | None listed |
| Montana | 8-40 non-school day/week 3-18 school day/week | None listed |
| Nebraska | 8-48 | None listed |
| Nevada | 8-48 | None listed |
| New Hampshire | 8-48 non-school days/week 3-23 school days/week | A 48-hour work week, with work up to 6-days per week, is permitted during vacation, if enrolled in school. A 30-hour work week, with work up to 6-days per week, is permitted if enrolled in school. |
| New Jersey | 8-40-6 non-school day/week 3-18-6 school day/week | 8-40-6 - Workers 16 and up may work up to 50 hours in one week and up to 10 hours a day only between the last day of school and Labor Day. |
| New Mexico | 8-40 non-school day/week 3-18 school day/week | None listed |
| New York | 8-40-6 non- school day/week 3-18-6 school day/week | 8-48-6 school day/week: 4 before school day, 8 Friday, Saturday, Sunday or holiday-28, if enrolled in school. |
| North Carolina | 8-40 non-school day/week 3-18 school day/week | None listed |
| North Dakota | 8-40 non-school day/week 3-18 school day/week | None listed |
| Ohio | 8-40 non-school day/week 3-18 school day/week | None listed |
| Oklahoma | 8-40 non-school day/week 3-18 school day/week (if employer is not covered by FLSA, may work 8 hours on a school day which precedes a non-school day and 40 hours in a week when school is in session if attendance is not compulsory) | None listed |
| Oregon | 8-40-6 non-school day/week 3-18-6 school day/week | 44-hour week |
| Pennsylvania | 8-40-6 non-school day/week 3-18 school day/week | 10-48-6 non-school day/week 8-28-6 school day/week |
| Puerto Rico | 8-40-6 (DOL note c: combined hours of work and school) | 8-40-6 |
| Rhode Island | 8-40 | 9-48 |
| South Carolina | 8-40 non-school day/week 3-18 school day/week | None listed |
| South Dakota | 8-40 non-school day/week 4-20 school day/week | None listed |
| Tennessee | 8-40 non-school day/week 3-18 school day/week | None listed |
| Texas | 8-48 | None listed |
| Utah | 8-40 non-school day/week 3-18 school day/week | None listed |
| Vermont | 8-40-6 non-school day/week 3-18-6 school day/week | None listed |
| Virginia | 8-40 non-school day/week 3-18 school day/week | None listed |
| Washington | 8-40-6 non-school day/week 3 (8 Saturday and Sunday) 16-6 school day/week | 8-48-6 non-school day/week 4-20-6 school day/week |
| West Virginia | 8-40 non-school day/week 3-18 school day/week | None listed |
| Wisconsin | 8-40-6 non-school day/week 3-18-6 school day/week | None listed |
| Wyoming | May not work more than 8 hours during any 12 hour period | None listed |
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FAQ
Questions people ask
How many hours can a 16 year old work?
Federal law sets no hours limit for 16- and 17-year-olds; some states do. DOL lists state limits for 16- and 17-year-olds in 21 of 52 jurisdictions; see your state's page.
How many hours can a 15 year old work?
Up to 3 hours on a school day and 18 hours in a school week, or 8 hours a day and 40 a week when school is out, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. (9 p.m. from June 1 through Labor Day), under federal law; some states are stricter.
How many hours can a 14 year old work?
The same federal limits as 15-year-olds: 3 hours on a school day, 18 in a school week, 8 on a non-school day and 40 in a non-school week.
Method
How this page is built
State cells are copied from DOL's table as of July 15, 2025 (re-read Nov 4, 2026); federal rules from 29 CFR part 570 (eCFR, up to date as of Nov 2, 2026).
What this page can't tell you
Sources- 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.
- 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).
- 29 CFR § 570.35, eCFR, up to date as of Nov 2, 2026.