Under federal law, how many hours a minor can work per week depends on age and the school calendar. A 14- or 15-year-old is capped at 18 hours in any week school is in session and 40 hours during school breaks. Once a worker turns 16, federal law lifts the weekly hour cap entirely, though many states impose their own limits that go further.
Hour Limits for 14- and 15-Year-Olds
The tightest federal hour rules apply to the youngest teens legally allowed to hold most non-agricultural jobs. When school is in session, a 14- or 15-year-old may work up to 18 hours in a week and no more than 3 hours on any school day. On days school is not in session, they can work up to 8 hours. During weeks when school is out entirely (summer, winter break, spring break), the weekly cap rises to 40 hours.1eCFR. 29 CFR 570.35 – Hours of Work and Conditions of Employment Permitted for Minors 14 and 15 Years of Age
“School in session” tracks the calendar of the local public school district where the minor lives, not the minor’s own school. Homeschooled teens follow the local public school schedule. If public schools are open even for a partial day, the 3-hour daily cap applies.2eCFR. 29 CFR 570.35 – Hours of Work and Conditions of Employment Permitted for Minors 14 and 15 Years of Age
Federal law also controls when shifts can happen. Work must fall between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. for most of the year. From June 1 through Labor Day, the evening cutoff extends to 9 p.m.1eCFR. 29 CFR 570.35 – Hours of Work and Conditions of Employment Permitted for Minors 14 and 15 Years of Age A shift running from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. during the school year is illegal even if the total weekly hours stay under 18.
Hour Limits for 16- and 17-Year-Olds
Once a worker turns 16, federal law drops the daily and weekly hour limits. A 16- or 17-year-old can legally work full-time hours, overtime, and late-night shifts under federal rules alone.3U.S. Department of Labor. Fact Sheet 43 – Child Labor Provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act for Nonagricultural Occupations There is no federal restriction on start or end times for this age group.
Federal hazardous occupation orders still apply until 18, prohibiting jobs involving explosives, power-driven hoisting equipment such as forklifts, roofing, excavation, logging, and operating many power-driven machines including meat slicers and bakery equipment.4eCFR. 29 CFR Part 570 – Child Labor Regulations, Orders and Statements of Interpretation – Section: Subpart E So a 17-year-old can lawfully work a 50-hour week at a retail store, but none of those hours can be spent operating a forklift in the stockroom.
Overtime rules also still apply. When a 16- or 17-year-old works more than 40 hours in a week, the employer must pay at least one-and-a-half times the regular rate for every hour beyond 40.5U.S. Department of Labor. Wages and the Fair Labor Standards Act Being a minor does not create an overtime exemption.
State Laws Often Tighten Federal Limits
Federal rules set the floor, not the ceiling. When a state law is more protective, the stricter rule wins. Many states impose weekly hour limits on 16- and 17-year-olds during the school year that don’t exist at the federal level, or prohibit work past 10 p.m. or midnight on school nights. Some states require shorter maximum shifts or mandatory meal breaks after a set number of consecutive hours for all minors.
Work permits or employment certificates are another common state requirement. These documents typically need a school official’s signature before the minor can start a job. In some areas, a school can decline to issue a permit if the student’s grades or attendance have slipped.
State rules vary widely, so a 17-year-old working 40 hours a week might be perfectly legal under federal law but in violation of a state cap. Checking with the state labor department is the only reliable way to confirm the full set of rules that apply.
When Different Rules Apply
Several categories of work operate outside the standard framework.
Agricultural Work
Farming has its own age and hour structure. Children as young as 12 or 13 can work in agriculture outside school hours with parental consent, and those 14 and older can hold any non-hazardous farm job outside school hours without special permission. Hazardous agricultural tasks (operating certain heavy equipment, working with pesticides) are restricted to workers 16 and older, with one major exception: children of any age can perform any farm task, including hazardous work, on a farm owned or operated by their parent.6Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 29 USC 213 – Exemptions
Parent-Owned Businesses
Outside agriculture, a child under 16 working in a business solely owned by their parent can work any hours at any time of day. The parent still cannot employ the child in manufacturing, mining, or any occupation covered by a hazardous occupation order.7U.S. Department of Labor. FLSA – Child Labor Rules Advisor The exemption applies only when the parent is the sole owner, not a partner or corporate shareholder.
Newspaper Delivery and Performing Arts
Delivering newspapers directly to consumers, and performing in movies, theater, radio, or television productions, are specifically exempt from the hour and time-of-day restrictions that apply to other 14- and 15-year-olds.8eCFR. 29 CFR Part 570 – Child Labor Regulations, Orders and Statements of Interpretation Hazardous-work prohibitions still apply.
Penalties for Scheduling Minors Beyond Legal Hours
Federal enforcement carries real financial consequences. A standard child labor violation, including scheduling a 14-year-old past the allowed hours, can result in a civil penalty of up to $16,849 per affected employee. When a violation is willful or repeated, that ceiling rises to $76,558. If a willful or repeated violation causes the death or serious injury of a worker under 18, the penalty can reach $153,116 per violation.9eCFR. 29 CFR Part 579 – Child Labor Violations – Civil Money Penalties These amounts are adjusted for inflation annually.
Criminal prosecution is also possible. A willful violation of the FLSA can lead to a fine of up to $10,000, imprisonment for up to six months, or both, though imprisonment is reserved for offenders who have already been convicted of a prior FLSA violation.10Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 29 USC 216 – Penalties Because penalties are calculated per worker, a single scheduling mistake across a shift of minors can generate fines well into six figures.