Child Labor Laws By State [2023]

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Research Summary: As of 2023, federal law allows children under 18 to work 8 hours per day, 40 hours per week on non-school days, and 3 hours per day, 18 hours per week on school days. However, many states have implemented their own laws and guidelines regarding child labor.

Today, the majority of US states have opted to pass child labor laws that are more specific than the federal requirement. Therefore, we’ve investigated all of the essential facts about child labor laws in the US, and according to our extensive research:

State	Under 16 Hours/ Days	16-17 Hours/ Days	Under 16 Nightwork Restrictions	16-17 Nightwork Restrictions
Alabama	No school: 8 hours per day 40 hours per week six days per week School in session: 3 hours per day 18 hours per week		7 p.m. – 7 a.m. (9 p.m. summer vacation)	10 p.m. – 5 p.m. before school day (to age 19)
Alaska	9 hours per day 23 hours per week six days per week	six days per week	9 p.m. – 5 a.m.
Arizona	No school: 8 hours per day 40 hours per week six days per week School in session: 3 hours per day 18 hours per week		9:30 p.m. – 6 a.m. (11 p.m. before non-school day) 7 p.m. – 6 a.m. door-to-door sales or delivery
Arkansas	8 hours per day 48 hours per week six days per week	Cannot work over 10 hours within a 24 hour period	7 p.m. – 6 a.m. (9 p.m. before non-school day)	11 p.m. – 6 a.m. before school day (16 only)
California	No school: 8 hours per day 40 hours per week School in session: 3 hours per day 18 hours per week	No school: 8 hours per day 48 hours per week School in session: 4 hours per day 28 hours per week	7 p.m. – 7 a.m. (9 p.m. June 1 through Labor Day)	10 p.m. – 5 a.m. (12:30 a.m. before non-school day)
Colorado	8 hours per day 40 hours per week six days per week	8 hours per day 40 hours per week	9:30 p.m. – 5 a.m. before school day
Connecticut	School breaks of five days or more: 8 hours per day 40 hours per week six days per week	8-9 hours per day 48 hours per week six days per week	7 p.m. – 7 a.m. (9 p.m. July 1 to the first Monday in September)	10-11 p.m. – 6 a.m. (depending on industry)
Delaware	No school: 8 hours per day 40 hours per week six days per week School in session: 4 hours per day 18 hours per week	12 hours per day	7 p.m. – 7 a.m. (9 p.m. June 1 through Labor Day)	8 consecutive hours of non-work, non-school time required in each 24-hour day
Florida	8 hours per day 40 hours per week six days per week	During schoolyear: 8 hours per day 30 hours per week 6 days per week	7 p.m. – 7 a.m. (9 p.m. during school breaks)	11 p.m. – 6:30 a.m. before school day
Georgia	No school: 8 hours per day 40 hours per week School in session: 4 hours per day		9 p.m. – 6 a.m.
Hawaii	No school: 8 hours per day 40 hours per week six days per week School in session: 3 hours per day 18 hours per week		7 p.m. – 7 a.m. (9 p.m. – 6 a.m. during school breaks)
Idaho	9 hours per day 54 hours per week		9 p.m. – 6 a.m.
Illinois	No school: 8 hours per day 48 hours per week six days per week School in session: 3 hours per day 24 hours per week		7 p.m. – 7 a.m. (9 p.m. June 1 through Labor Day)
Indiana	No school: 8 hours per day 40 hours per week School in session: 3 hours per day 18 hours per week	No school: 9 hours per day 48 hours per week School in session: 9 hours per day 40 hours per week six days per week	7 p.m. – 7 a.m. (9 p.m. June 1 through Labor Day)	10-11 p.m. – 6 a.m. (see detailed description)
Iowa	No school: 8 hours per day 40 hours per week School in session: 4 hours per day 28 hours per week		7 p.m. – 7 a.m. (9 p.m. June 1 through Labor Day)
Kansas	8 hours per day 40 hours per week		10 p.m. – 7 a.m.
Kentucky	No school: 8 hours per day 40 hours per week School in session: 3 hours per day 18 hours per week	No school: 8 hours per day 40 hours per week School in session: 6 hours per day 30 hours per week	7 p.m. – 7 a.m. (9 p.m. June 1 through Labor Day)	10:30 p.m. – 6 a.m. (1 a.m. Friday and Saturday)
Louisiana	No school: 8 hours per day 40 hours per week six days per week School in session: 3 hours per day 18 hours per week		7 p.m. – 7 a.m. (9 p.m. June 1 through Labor Day)	16 year old 11 p.m. – 5 a.m. prior to start of school day 17 year old 12 a.m. – 5 a.m. prior to start of any school day
Maine	No school: 8 hours per day 40 hours per week six days per week School in session: 4 hours per day 18 hours per week six days per week	No school: 10 hours per day 50 hours per week six days per week School in session: 6 hours per day 24 hours per week ten days per week	7 p.m. – 7 a.m. (9 p.m. summer vacation)	10:15 p.m. – 7 a.m (12 a.m. before non-school day)
Maryland	No school: 8 hours per day 40 hours per week School in session: 4 hours per day 23 hours per week	12 hours per day	8 p.m. – 7 a.m. (9 p.m. Memorial Day through Labor Day)	8 consecutive hours of non-work, non-school day time required in each 24-hour day
Massachusetts	No school: 8 hours per day 40 hours per week six days per week School in session: 3 hours per day 18 hours per week six days per week	9 hours per day 48 hours per week 6 days per week	7 p.m. – 7 a.m. (9 p.m. from July 1 through Labor Day)	10-12 p.m. – 6 a.m. (see detailed description)
Michigan	10 hours per day 48 hours per week six days per week	No school: 10 hours per day 48 hours per week six days per week School in session: 24 hours per week	9 p.m. – 7 a.m.	10:30 p.m. – 6 a.m. (11:30 p.m. before non-school day)
Minnesota	8 hours per day 40 hours per week		9 p.m. – 7 a.m.	11 p.m. – 5 a.m. before school day
Mississippi	8 hours per day 44 hours per week		7 p.m. – 6 a.m.
Missouri	No school: 8 hours per day 40 hours per week six days per week School in session: 3 hours per day		7 p.m. – 7 a.m. (9 p.m. June 1 through Labor Day, 10:30 p.m. regional fairs)
Montana	No school: 8 hours per day 40 hours per week School in session: 3 hours per day 18 hours per week		7 p.m. – 7 a.m. (9 p.m. June 1 through Labor Day)
Nebraska	8 hours per day 48 hours per week		8 p.m. – 6 a.m. (under 14)
Nevada	8 hours per day 48 hours per week
New Hampshire	No school: 8 hours per day 48 hours per week School in session: 3 hours per day 23 hours per week	No school: 48 hours per week six days per week School in session: 30 hours per week six days per week	9 p.m. – 7 a.m.
New Jersey	No school: 8 hours per day 40 hours per week six days per week School in session: 3 hours per day 18 hours per week	Summer vacation: 10 hours per day 50 hours per week School in session: 8 hours per day 40 hours per week six days per week	7 p.m. – 7 a.m. (9 p.m. summer vacation)	11 p.m. – 6 a.m. during school term
New Mexico	No school: 8 hours per day 40 hours per week School in session: 3 hours per day 18 hours per week		7 p.m. – 7 a.m. (9 p.m. outside calendar school year)
New York	No school: 8 hours per day 40 hours per week six days per week School in session: 3 hours per day 18 hours per week	No school: 8 hours per day 48 hours per week six days per week School in session: 8 hours per day 28 hours per week	7 p.m. – 7 a.m. (9 p.m. June 21 through Labor Day)	10 p.m. – 6 a.m. (12 p.m. before non-school day or with written permission)
North Carolina	No school: 8 hours per day 40 hours per week School in session: 3 hours per day 18 hours per week		7 p.m. – 7 a.m. (9 p.m. summer vacation)	11 p.m. – 5 a.m. before school day
North Dakota	No school: 8 hours per day 40 hours per week six days per week School in session: 3 hours per day 18 hours per week		7 p.m. – 7 a.m. (9 p.m. June 1 through Labor Day)
Ohio	No school: 8 hours per day 40 hours per week School in session: 3 hours per day 18 hours per week		7 p.m. – 7 a.m. (9 p.m.. June 1 to Sept. 1 and school holidays)	8-11 p.m. – 7 a.m. (6 a.m. if not employed after 8 p.m. previous night)
Oklahoma	No school: 8 hours per day 40 hours per week six days per week School in session: 3 hours per day 18 hours per week		7 p.m. – 7 a.m. (9 p.m. June 1 through Labor Day)
Oregon	No school: 8 hours per day 40 hours per week six days per week School in session: 3 hours per day 18 hours per week	44 hours per week	7 p.m. – 7 a.m. (9 p.m. June 1 through Labor Day)
Pennsylvania	No school: 8 hours per day 44 hours per week six days per week School in session: 4 hours per day 18 hours per week	No school: 8 hours per day 44 hours per week six days per week School in session: 28 hours per week	7 p.m. – 7 a.m. (10 p.m. summer vacation)	12 p.m. – 6 a.m. (1 a.m. before non-school day)
Rhode Island	8 hours per day 40 hours per week	9 hours per day 48 hours per week	7 p.m. – 6 a.m. (9 p.m. during school breaks)	11:30 p.m. – 6 a.m. (1:30 a.m. before non-school day)
South Carolina	No school: 8 hours per day 40 hours per week School in session: 3 hours per day 18 hours per week		7 p.m. – 7 a.m. (9 p.m. summer vacation)
South Dakota	No school: 8 hours per day 40 hours per week School in session: 4 hours per day 20 hours per week		After 10 p.m. before school day
Tennessee	No school: 8 hours per day 40 hours per week six days per week School in session: 3 hours per day 18 hours per week		7 p.m. – 7 a.m. (9 p.m. – 6 a.m. before non-school days)	10 p.m. – 6 a.m. Sunday through Thursday (12 p.m. with parental consent up to three nights a week)
Texas	8 hours per day 48 hours per week		10 p.m. – 5 a.m. (12 p.m. before non-school days)
Utah	No school: 8 hours per day 40 hours per week School in session: 4 hours per day		9:30 p.m. – 5 a.m. before school day
Vermont	No school: 8 hours per day 40 hours per week six days per week School in session: 3 hours per day 18 hours per week		7 p.m. – 7 a.m. (9 p.m. June 1 through Labor Day)
Virginia	No school: 8 hours per day 40 hours per week six days per week School in session: 3 hours per day 18 hours per week		7 p.m. – 7 a.m. (9 p.m. June 1 through Labor Day)
Washington	No school: 8 hours per day 40 hours per week six days per week School in session: 3 hours per day 16 hours per week six days per week	No school: 8 hours per day 48 hours per week six days per week School in session: 4 hours per day 20 hours per week	7 p.m. – 7 a.m. (9 p.m. June 1 through Labor Day)	10 p.m. – 7 a.m. Sunday through Thursday (12 p.m. – 5 a.m. when school is not in session)
West Virginia	No school: 8 hours per day 40 hours per week six days per week School in session: 3 hours per day 18 hours per week		7 p.m. – 7 a.m. (9 p.m. June 1 through Labor Day)
Wisconsin	No school: 8 hours per day 40 hours per week six days per week School in session: 4 hours per day 18 hours per week		7 p.m. – 7 a.m. (9 p.m. June 1 through Labor Day)
Wyoming	No school: 8 hours per day 40 hours per week School in session: 3 hours per day 18 hours per week		10 p.m. – 5 a.m. (12 p.m. before non-school day)

Detailed Child Labor Laws By State

There are currently 22 states with hourly child labor laws that are effectively the same as the federal law. These states include:

Alabama
Arizona
California
Hawaii
Indiana
Kentucky
Louisiana
Massachussetts
Montana
New Jersey
New Mexico

New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
South Carolina
Tennessee
Vermont
Virginia
West Virginia

For the states with more intricate child labor laws that couldn’t be included on the chart, here is some more detailed information about those states:

Alabama

Children ages 16-17 can be granted exemptions on the maximum number of hours worked or have nightwork restrictions lifted when doing so is found to be in the best interests of the individual minor.
Arkansas

The 24-hour period in which minors cannot work more than 10 hours is defined as:

When a 16-year-old has a rest break between shifts or works for 10 hours, compliance is determined by the hours worked between midnight the previous day and midnight of the following day.

Or, if a 16-year-old does not have a rest break between 10-hour shifts, compliance is determined by the hours worked in any 24-hour period.
Connecticut

Students who work in a restaurant, recreational, amusement, theater, manufacturing, mechanical, retail, hairdressing, bowling alley, pool hall, or photography gallery establishment can only work 32 hours per week on school days.

Additionally, students 16-17 years old working in restaurants, recreational, amusement and theater establishments can work until 11 p.m., while the same age group working in manufacturing, mechanical, retail, hairdressing, bowling alley, pool hall, or photography gallery establishments can only work until 10 p.m.
Indiana

Children under 16 may not work during school hours on a school day, with the exception of certain entertainment related activities described in IC 22-2-18.1-14.

Children 16-17 can work to 10:00 p.m. on nights followed by a school day, but not in a “dangerous job” (as outlined by the commissioner of labor). Working until 11 p.m. can be authorized with written parental permission.

Children of this age are also prohibited from working in an establishment open to the public between 10:00 p.m. & 6:00 a.m. unless another 18+ employee is working the same hours.

Minors 16-17 may be employed at the same times and with the same hours as an adult if they are: 1) is a high school graduate, 2) have completed an approved career and technical education program or special education program, or 3) is not enrolled in a regular school term.
Kentucky

Children 16-17 may work up to 40 hours when school is in session if they receive parental permission and have a GPA of 2.0 or above.
Massachusetts

All minors must have direct and immediate adult supervision of someone who is located in the workplace and has easy accessibility to the minor after 8 p.m. (this rule does not apply to minors who work in kiosks, carts or stand in the common area of an enclosed shopping mall with security).

Additionally, if an establishment stops serving customers at 10:00 p.m., minors may be employed until 10:15 p.m.
Ohio

Children under 16 who work door-to-door sales cannot work between 7 p.m. – 7 a.m., and children 16-17 who work door-to-door sales cannot work between 8 p.m. – 7 a.m.

Child Labor Laws By State FAQ

What laws were passed to stop child labor?

The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) was passed in 1938 to prevent unregulated and damaging child labor. The main goal of this law was to ensure children are safe in the workplace and that their work doesn’t jeopardize their health, well-being or educational opportunities.
When can minors start working in the US?

Minors can legally start working in the US at age 14. More specifically, the FLSA sets the minimum age for employment, and children can start working at the age of 14 (except in the agriculture industry).

Additionally, children under 16 typically have more restrictive hours than those who are 16-17 and are protected against being employed in hazardous occupations.
Which state has the most lenient child labor laws?

Idaho and Wyoming have some of the most lenient child labor laws. Idaho allows children to work the longest hours in the US, at 9 hours per day and 54 hours per week.

Wyoming has no specific child labor laws listed, meaning that the state likely differs from federal law, but children in the state are also allowed to work as late as 12 p.m. and early as 5 a.m.
Which state has the strictest child labor laws?

Massachusetts arguably has some of the strictest child labor laws in the US. Children in this state are not allowed to be out of sight of an adult when working after 8 p.m., and most 16-17-year-olds still cannot work past 10 p.m.

Similarly, states like Ohio and Arizona have laws in places that prevent children from working past 7 or 8 p.m. when working in door-to-door sales.

Conclusion

Child labor laws have come a long way since the days of slaving away in factories in the industrial era. Today, states have a variety of different laws that regulate the maximum hours worked, as well as night work.

In total, 22 states mimic the federal law that allows children to work 8 hours per day, 40 hours per week on non-school days, and 3 hours per day, 18 hours per week on school days, while some states like Massachusetts, Ohio or New York go further, and some states like Idaho and Wyoming allow children to work more hours.

Overall though, every state in the US protects a child’s right to a safe workplace, ensuring that no child in this country can be legally subjected to hazardous conditions.

Laws By State

Author

Jack Flynn

Jack Flynn is a writer for Zippia. In his professional career he’s written over 100 research papers, articles and blog posts. Some of his most popular published works include his writing about economic terms and research into job classifications. Jack received his BS from Hampshire College.

Detailed Child Labor Laws By State

Child Labor Laws By State FAQ

Conclusion

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