How many hours can a teen work in Kansas? Ages 14 to 17, from official tables.
Daily and weekly hour limits and late-night rules for 14-, 15-, 16- and 17-year-olds in Kansas, from the U.S. Department of Labor's state table and federal law.
In Kansas, 14- and 15-year-olds can work up to 3 hours on a school day and 18 hours in a school week, and up to 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week when school is out, combining federal law and Kansas' rules as listed by the U.S. Department of Labor (the stricter limit applies). For 16- and 17-year-olds, DOL's table lists no state hours limit in Kansas, and federal law sets none.
Work hours for 14- and 15-year-olds in Kansas
Format in DOL's table: hours a day – hours a week – days a week.
| Rule | Hours | Not allowed to work |
|---|---|---|
| Federal law (FLSA) | 3 hours a day and 18 a week in school weeks; 8 a day and 40 a week when school is out | 7 p.m. (9 p.m. June 1 through Labor Day) to 7 a.m. |
| Kansas (DOL table) | 8-40 | 10 p.m. before school day to 7 a.m. |
| What applies (stricter of the two) | School weeks: 3 hours a day, 18 a week. School out: 8 a day, 40 a week. | The earlier evening cutoff of the two |
Federal limits are the binding ones for 14- and 15-year-olds working for an employer covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act; Kansas' listed limits are not lower.
Work hours for 16- and 17-year-olds in Kansas
DOL's table lists no state limit on daily or weekly hours for 16- and 17-year-olds in Kansas. Federal law sets no hours limit at 16 and 17, but bans hazardous jobs until 18 (see jobs for 16 and 17 year olds).
How late teens can work in Kansas
| Age | Not allowed to work |
|---|---|
| Under 16 | 10 p.m. before school day to 7 a.m. |
| 16 and 17 | None listed |
DOL notes: State hours limitations on a school day and in a school week usually apply only to those enrolled in school. Several states exempt high school graduates from the hours and/or nightwork or other provisions, or have less restrictive provisions for minors participating in various school-work programs. Separate nightwork standards in messenger service and street trades are common, but are not displayed in table. Some states have exceptions or special conditions for minors engaged in specific employments, such as street trades, recreation and entertainment, and jobs in establishments offering alcoholic beverages for sale.
What federal law adds
The Fair Labor Standards Act sets 14 as the minimum age for most non-farm jobs (29 CFR 570.2) and limits 14- and 15-year-olds to work outside school hours: no more than 3 hours on a school day and 18 hours in a school week, no more than 8 hours on a non-school day and 40 hours in a non-school week, and only between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. (9 p.m. from June 1 through Labor Day) (29 CFR 570.35). There is no federal hours limit at 16 and 17, but 17 hazardous-occupation orders bar workers under 18 from jobs such as driving most motor vehicles, power-driven meat slicers, roofing and excavation. DOL's state table adds: State hours limitations on a school day and in a school week usually apply only to those enrolled in school. Several states exempt high school graduates from the hours and/or nightwork or other provisions, or have less restrictive provisions for minors participating in various school-work programs. Separate nightwork standards in messenger service and street trades are common, but are not displayed in table. Some states have exceptions or special conditions for minors engaged in specific employments, such as street trades, recreation and entertainment, and jobs in establishments offering alcoholic beverages for sale.
What teens can do, and what to do next
What federal law lets you do.
Open →Ages 16 and 17Jobs for 16 and 17 year oldsThe jobs teens actually hold.
Open →All statesTeen work hours by stateEvery state's limits on one page.
Open →PayKansas minimum wageThe state's hourly floor.
Open →InterviewsFirst job interviewQuestions and answers that work.
Open →Free toolFree resume checkerCheck a first resume in seconds.
Open →Disclosure: TryHired makes HIRED, a paid job-search program, so we have a conflict of interest when we mention it. Everything on this page is free to use without buying anything.
Questions people ask
How many hours can a 16 year old work in Kansas?
How many hours can a 15 year old work in Kansas?
How late can a 15 year old work in Kansas?
How old do you have to be to work in Kansas?
How this page is built
State limits are copied from the U.S. Department of Labor's table of state child labor standards, as of July 15, 2025, which we re-read on Nov 4, 2026; it is the latest edition DOL has published, and states may have changed their law since. Federal rules come from 29 CFR part 570 as published in the eCFR (up to date as of Nov 2, 2026). Where both apply, the stricter rule governs.
- 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 § 570.2, § 570.35, eCFR, up to date as of Nov 2, 2026.