How many hours can a teen work in Puerto Rico? 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 Puerto Rico, from the U.S. Department of Labor's state table and federal law.
In Puerto Rico, 14- and 15-year-olds are limited by federal law to 3 hours on a school day and 18 hours in a school week (8 a day and 40 a week when school is out), and Puerto Rico adds: 8-40-6 (DOL note c: combined hours of work and school). For 16- and 17-year-olds, Puerto Rico sets 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week, 6 days a week.
Work hours for 14- and 15-year-olds in Puerto Rico
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. |
| Puerto Rico (DOL table) | 8-40-6 (DOL note c: combined hours of work and school) | 6 p.m. to 8 a.m. |
Work hours for 16- and 17-year-olds in Puerto Rico
DOL's table for Puerto Rico: 8-40-6
In plain terms: 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week, 6 days a week.
How late teens can work in Puerto Rico
| Age | Not allowed to work |
|---|---|
| Under 16 | 6 p.m. to 8 a.m. |
| 16 and 17 | 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. |
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.
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Questions people ask
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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.