How Many Hours Can a 15-Year-Old Work? Federal Child Labor Rules

Teen workers face a different set of rules from adults. Federal child labor regulations limit when and how long 14- and 15-year-olds can work, while workers aged 16 and 17 face job restrictions instead of hour caps. This guide lays out the federal limits, shows worked examples and explains why your state may be stricter.

The short answer

Federal law does not set a single "maximum hours" number for every minor. It depends on age. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and the Department of Labor's child labor regulations at 29 CFR Part 570, a 15-year-old working in a non-farm job may work no more than 3 hours on a school day, 18 hours in a school week, 8 hours on a non-school day and 40 hours in a non-school week. Work must fall between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., except from June 1 through Labor Day, when evening hours extend to 9 p.m. The same limits apply to 14-year-olds, who are the youngest workers the federal rules allow in most non-agricultural jobs.

Sixteen- and seventeen-year-olds have no federal limit on hours or time of day, but they are barred from jobs the Secretary of Labor has declared hazardous. Your state may set tighter rules at every age. When federal and state law differ, the stricter standard applies, so always check both.

Hour limits for 14- and 15-year-olds

The hour restrictions for 14- and 15-year-olds are in 29 CFR 570.35. They are designed to keep work from interfering with school, health and well-being. Work is allowed only outside school hours, and only within the following limits.

"School hours" are the hours the local public school district where the minor lives is in session, even if the minor attends a private school, is home-schooled or the school is out that day for another reason. A "school week" is generally a week in which school is in session. When school is out for the summer or an extended break, the week is treated as a non-school week and the 40-hour limit applies instead of 18. Because holidays and short breaks can blur the line, an employer should check the school district calendar rather than guess.

Worked example: a school week

A 15-year-old works Monday through Friday after school for 2.5 hours a day, which is 12.5 hours, and adds a Saturday shift. Saturday is a non-school day, so the daily cap is 8 hours, but the weekly cap during a school week is 18 hours total. The most Saturday can add is 18 − 12.5 = 5.5 hours. A 6-hour Saturday shift would push the week to 18.5 hours and break the federal limit.

Worked example: time of day

A 14-year-old is scheduled from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on a Tuesday in October. That is four hours, which is over the 3-hour school-day limit, and the last hour runs past 7 p.m. The same shift in July would still be four hours, but because it is a non-school day during the summer window it falls within the 8-hour daily limit and ends before 9 p.m., so it would be allowed.

What jobs 14- and 15-year-olds can do

Hours are only half the picture. Under 29 CFR 570.33 and 570.34, 14- and 15-year-olds may not work in mining, manufacturing or processing, and may not operate most power-driven machinery. They may work in retail, food service and similar establishments, in office and clerical jobs, and in some other settings, subject to restrictions. Examples of permitted tasks include cashiering, bagging groceries, stocking shelves and clean-up work. Cooking is limited to certain equipment, and they may not do baking or work in freezers or meat coolers. The regulations are specific, and a job that looks harmless can still be prohibited, so the DOL's list should be checked for any unusual task.

Children under 14 are generally not allowed to work in non-agricultural jobs covered by the FLSA. Narrow exceptions include delivering newspapers, performing as an actor or performer, and working for a business wholly owned by their parents, except in mining, manufacturing or occupations declared hazardous. Agriculture follows a separate set of rules, with different minimum ages and different hour limits, so farm work should be checked against the DOL's agricultural child labor guidance.

16- and 17-year-olds: no federal hour limits, but limits on the work

Once a worker turns 16, the federal hour restrictions in 29 CFR 570.35 no longer apply. A 16- or 17-year-old may legally work any number of hours at any time of day under federal law. What remains are the Hazardous Occupations Orders, which prohibit minors under 18 from jobs such as operating certain power-driven equipment, driving as part of the job in many circumstances, roofing, excavation and some work involving explosives or radiation. The age of 18 is the federal threshold for hazardous work in non-farm settings.

Many states are stricter. Some cap the daily or weekly hours of 16- and 17-year-olds, require breaks, limit night work on school nights or require a work permit. The DOL maintains a state-by-state summary of child labor laws, and your state labor agency can confirm what applies. Employers must follow whichever rule is more protective.

Pay, overtime and recordkeeping for minors

Minors are employees. In general, the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour applies to them, along with overtime at one and a half times the regular rate for hours over 40 in a workweek for covered, non-exempt employees. The FLSA does allow a youth opportunity wage of $4.25 an hour for workers under 20 during their first 90 consecutive calendar days of employment with an employer, but many states require a higher minimum, and employers cannot use the youth wage to displace existing workers. Always compare with your state's minimum wage.

Pay is simple to estimate once you know the hours. A 15-year-old who works 16.5 hours in a school week at $12.00 an hour earns 16.5 × 12 = $198.00 before any taxes. Use the Weekly Time Card Calculator to total daily shifts and unpaid meal breaks, and the Overtime Pay Calculator if a 16- or 17-year-old works more than 40 hours. If your employer records time in decimals, the minutes to decimal hours chart makes the conversion easy.

What counts toward the limits is time actually worked. The same principles that apply to adults, such as paid short breaks, required meetings and work done off the clock, apply to minors. See what counts as hours worked. An unpaid, off-the-clock task counts against the hour limits just like paid time, so a minor who "just stays to help close" can push an employer over the cap.

Work permits, age certificates and who is responsible

The FLSA itself does not require a work permit, but many states do, and some require proof of age. An employer can protect itself from unintentional violations by keeping a certificate of age on file, which is available from the DOL or from state agencies that issue work permits. The employer, not the minor or parent, is responsible for obeying the limits. If a 15-year-old asks to work more than the law allows, the employer still cannot schedule the extra time, and parental consent does not change the federal limit.

Common mistakes

• Treating Friday as a non-school day. Federal rules count a school day as a school day even when the next day is off.
• Applying the 40-hour non-school-week limit during a week when school is in session.
• Forgetting the 7 p.m. cutoff, which holds on weekends during the school year.
• Assuming a parent's permission lifts the federal cap.
• Ignoring the state rule. If your state sets a lower cap or an earlier cutoff, that rule controls.

Where to verify

The official text is in 29 CFR Part 570, Subpart C, and the DOL's Youth Rules materials summarize the same requirements in plain language. Each state labor department publishes its own youth employment page, which is the best place to confirm permit requirements and stricter limits.

This guide is for general informational purposes only and is not legal, tax, or financial advice. Labor laws vary by state and change over time. Confirm your specific situation with your employer, HR department, or the U.S. Department of Labor.