Teen Work Hours Limit Calculator
Enter 7 shifts for a 14- or 15-year-old. Daily caps: 3 h on school days, 8 h otherwise. Weekly caps: 18, 23 (WECEP) or 40 h. Hours: 7 a.m. to 7 or 9 p.m.
Last reviewed
29 CFR 570.35 schedule check
Against the federal limits
Over a federal limit: the week is 0.50 h over the 18.00 h limit
Hours left in the week
0.00 h
For 2026-10-05 through 2026-10-11, this 18.50 h schedule across 5 worked days breaks the federal limits. It exceeds the 18.00 h weekly cap by 0.50 h (30 min) with 0.00 h left. Shifts are not compared with your school's bell times, so check that no shift falls during school hours.
With 5 days in session, this is a school week under 29 CFR 570.35(b). Caps are 18.00 h (1,080 min) per week, 3.00 h (180 min) on school days, and 8.00 h (480 min) on other days.
Across the 5 worked days, Saturday has the longest shift at 7.00 h (420 min). Tuesday has the shortest shift at 2.50 h (150 min).
This week has no day from June 1 through Labor Day, so work must end by 7:00 p.m. (Labor Day 2026 is 2026-09-07). Under 29 CFR 570.35(a)(6), work cannot start before 7:00 a.m. (0 days in the 9:00 p.m. window; 7 days in the 7:00 p.m. window).
Workweek start date, school days, exception status, and 7-day shifts
- Limits that apply: school week (5 school days, 18.00 h a week)
- Time scheduled over 5 worked days = 1,110 min (18.50 h)
- Days over the daily limit = 0
- Days outside the clock window (0 summer, 7 other) = 0
- Over the weekly limit = 1,110 − 1,080 = 30 min (0.50 h)
- Hours left in the week = max(0, 18.00 − 18.50) = 0.00 h
Scheduled daily hours versus federal daily cap (hours)
Each day against the limits
| Date | Shift | Hours | Day limit | Hours left today | Latest end | Check |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday 2026-10-05 | 16:00-19:00 | 3.00 | 3.00 | 0.00 | 7:00 p.m. | Within the day's limits |
| Tuesday 2026-10-06 | 16:00-18:30 | 2.50 | 3.00 | 0.50 | 7:00 p.m. | Within the day's limits |
| Wednesday 2026-10-07 | 16:00-19:00 | 3.00 | 3.00 | 0.00 | 7:00 p.m. | Within the day's limits |
| Thursday 2026-10-08 | off | 0.00 | 3.00 | 3.00 | 7:00 p.m. | Within the day's limits |
| Friday 2026-10-09 | 16:00-19:00 | 3.00 | 3.00 | 0.00 | 7:00 p.m. | Within the day's limits |
| Saturday 2026-10-10 | 09:00-16:00 | 7.00 | 8.00 | 1.00 | 7:00 p.m. | Within the day's limits |
| Sunday 2026-10-11 | off | 0.00 | 8.00 | 8.00 | 7:00 p.m. | Within the day's limits |
0 days fail a daily check (0 over the daily hours limit; 0 outside the 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. / 9:00 p.m. window). Cumulative weekly hours cross the 18.00 h weekly cap on Saturday 2026-10-10 at 18.50 h, ending 0.50 h (30 min) over the weekly limit.
What if: the same 7 days of shifts under each of the four federal regimes
| Federal regime | Daily cap | Weekly cap (h) | Scheduled (h) | Weekly left (h) | Weekly over (h) | Days failed | Regime verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard school week (5 school days)citation 29 CFR 570.35(a)(3), (5), (6) | 3.00 h school / 8.00 h non-school | 18.00 | 18.50 | 0.00 | 0.50 | 0 | Over limit (0.50 h over weekly cap) |
| Approved WECEP school week (5 school days)citation 29 CFR 570.35(c)(3) & 570.36(d) | 3.00 h school / 8.00 h non-school | 23.00 | 18.50 | 4.50 | 0.00 | 0 | Within federal limits |
| Non-school week / 570.35(c)(1) exception (entered dates)citation 29 CFR 570.35(a)(2), (4), (c)(1) | 8.00 h every day (7:00 p.m. or 9:00 p.m. by date) | 40.00 | 18.50 | 21.50 | 0.00 | 0 | Within federal limits |
| Summer non-school week (June 1–Labor Day window)citation 29 CFR 570.35(a)(2), (4), (6) | 8.00 h every day (7:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. window) | 40.00 | 18.50 | 21.50 | 0.00 | 0 | Within federal limits |
Only the row that matches your choices above applies; the others are what-ifs. These shifts pass 3 of the 4 rows. Passing: Approved WECEP school week (5 school days); Non-school week / 570.35(c)(1) exception (entered dates); Summer non-school week (June 1–Labor Day window). Failing: Standard school week (5 school days) - Over limit (0.50 h over weekly cap).
June 1 through Labor Day 9:00 p.m. window dates by calendar year (5 U.S.C. 6103(a))
| Calendar year | 9:00 p.m. window opens (June 1) | Labor Day (last 9:00 p.m. day) | 7:00 p.m. cutoff resumes (Tuesday) | Days in 9:00 p.m. window | Transition note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2,025 | 2025-06-01 | 2025-09-01 | 2025-09-02 | 93 | 9:00 p.m. through 2025-09-01; 7:00 p.m. from 2025-09-02 |
| 2,026 | 2026-06-01 | 2026-09-07 | 2026-09-08 | 99 | Workweek year (9:00 p.m. through 2026-09-07; 7:00 p.m. from 2026-09-08) |
| 2,027 | 2027-06-01 | 2027-09-06 | 2027-09-07 | 98 | 9:00 p.m. through 2027-09-06; 7:00 p.m. from 2027-09-07 |
| 2,028 | 2028-06-01 | 2028-09-04 | 2028-09-05 | 96 | 9:00 p.m. through 2028-09-04; 7:00 p.m. from 2028-09-05 |
| 2,029 | 2029-06-01 | 2029-09-03 | 2029-09-04 | 95 | 9:00 p.m. through 2029-09-03; 7:00 p.m. from 2029-09-04 |
In 2026 (the selected workweek's start year), the 29 CFR 570.35(a)(6) 9:00 p.m. evening window runs for 99 calendar days from 2026-06-01 through Labor Day on 2026-09-07 (5 U.S.C. 6103(a)), and the 7:00 p.m. cutoff resumes on Tuesday, 2026-09-08.
How work-hour and clock-window limits work for 14- and 15-year-olds
Under 29 U.S.C. 212(c), no covered employer may use "oppressive child labor" in commerce or in producing goods. Section 12(a) (29 U.S.C. 212(a)) also bars shipping goods from a site that used oppressive child labor within the past 30 days. Under 29 U.S.C. 203(l), 14- and 15-year-olds may work in non-factory, non-mining jobs only "if and to the extent that the Secretary of Labor determines that such employment is confined to periods which will not interfere with their schooling and to conditions which will not interfere with their health and well-being." Those limits sit in Child Labor Regulation No. 3 at 29 CFR Part 570 Subpart C. They are also summarized in DOL Wage and Hour Division Fact Sheet #43.
Six rules in 29 CFR 570.35(a)(1) through (a)(6) set the hours and clock windows for 14- and 15-year-olds. Work must be done (1) "Outside of school hours" and (2) "Not more than 40 hours in any 1 week when school is not in session." School weeks are capped at (3) "Not more than 18 hours in any 1 week when school is in session." Non-school days are capped at (4) "Not more than 8 hours in any 1 day when school is not in session." School days are capped at (5) "Not more than 3 hours in any 1 day when school is in session, including Fridays." All work must fall (6) "Between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. in any 1 day, except during the summer (June 1 through Labor Day) when the evening hour will be 9 p.m." Because 29 CFR 570.35(a)(5) names Fridays, a school Friday is capped at 3.00 h (180 min) even when Saturday is off.
Under 29 CFR 570.35(b), school status follows the public school district where the youth lives while working. A "Week when school is in session" is "any week the local public school district where the minor resides while employed is in session and students are required to attend for at least one day or partial day." Even one half-day of school puts the whole 168-hour workweek under the 18.00 h (1,080 min) cap in 29 CFR 570.35(a)(3). Non-school days in that same week still allow up to 8.00 h (480 min) per day under 29 CFR 570.35(a)(4). Optional summer school sessions are covered in the FAQ below.
Two options in the form adjust the school-week limits. First, under 29 CFR 570.35(c)(3) and 29 CFR 570.36(d), an approved Work Experience and Career Exploration Program (WECEP) raises the school-week cap to 23.00 h (1,380 min). A WECEP youth may work up to 3.00 h (180 min) on a school day, including during school hours. Second, 29 CFR 570.35(c)(1) treats school as not in session for a 14- or 15-year-old who has graduated from high school or is under a court order barring school attendance. It also covers three cases that each come with a condition. A youth who has "been excused from compulsory school attendance by the state or other jurisdiction once he or she has completed the eighth grade" counts only if "his or her employment complies with all the requirements of the state school attendance law." A youth with "a child to support" counts only if "appropriate state officers, pursuant to state law, have waived school attendance requirements for this minor." A youth who has "been permanently expelled from the local public school he or she would normally attend" counts unless state or local law or a court order requires attendance at another school (29 CFR 570.35(c)(1)(v)). Under 29 CFR 570.35(c)(1)(v) the word is permanently, so a suspension or a temporary expulsion does not qualify. When the exception holds, the 8.00 h daily cap and 40.00 h weekly cap apply. The 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. (9:00 p.m. summer) clock window in 29 CFR 570.35(a)(6) still applies.
How 29 CFR Part 570 Subpart C, age certificates, and FLSA records fit together
Passing the hours and clock checks in 29 CFR 570.35 is only step one. Under 29 CFR 570.32, "Employment that is not specifically permitted is prohibited." A 14- or 15-year-old may only do jobs listed in 29 CFR 570.34. Permitted tasks include office work (570.34(a)), cashiering, selling, price marking, packing, and shelving (570.34(d)–(f)). They also include clean-up without power mowers or trimmers (570.34(h)) and kitchen work over electric or gas grills with no open flame (570.34(c), (i)). At age 15 (not 14), a youth with Red Cross certification may work as a lifeguard at traditional pools and water parks (570.34(l)). Any task barred by 29 CFR 570.33 or the 17 Hazardous Occupations Orders is illegal at any hour.
Under 29 U.S.C. 203(g), "Employ" includes "to suffer or permit to work," and 29 CFR 570.32 applies that standard to Subpart C. Every minute a teen is suffered or permitted to work counts toward the daily and weekly caps and the clock window. That includes wiping tables before 7:00 a.m., working during a meal break, or closing a register past 7:00 p.m. (9:00 p.m. in summer). When an unpaid meal break of 30 minutes or more splits a shift, enter two parts joined by a plus sign (+) (such as 09:00-12:00+13:00-16:00). You can also test punch rounding and meal breaks in the time card calculator.
Under 29 CFR 516.2(a)(3), employers must record the "Date of birth, if under 19" for every employee under 19. They must also record the day and hour the workweek starts (516.2(a)(5)) and daily and weekly hours worked (516.2(a)(7)). Payroll records must be kept for 3 years (29 CFR 516.5), and daily time cards for 2 years (29 CFR 516.6(a)(1)). Under 29 CFR 570.5 and 570.38, keeping a valid state or federal age certificate on file gives safe-harbor proof of age under 29 U.S.C. 203(l). The employer must return that certificate when the teen leaves (29 CFR 570.6(b)(1)).
Video walkthrough
A 3½-minute walkthrough of the federal hour limits for a 14- or 15-year-old: the daily and weekly limits, the evening cutoff, the exceptions with their conditions, and what the check leaves out.
Read the transcript
Is this week allowed?
0:00 Is this week of shifts allowed for a teen aged 14 or 15?
0:05 Under the federal weekly limit, it is not.
0:08 The shifts add up to 18.5 hours scheduled, half an hour more than the weekly limit of 18 hours.
0:16 Here is what the page shows for those shifts.
0:19 Every day passes on its own, but the week as a whole does not.
The daily limits
0:24 Start with the days.
0:26 On a school day, the federal daily limit is 3 hours, and that includes Fridays.
0:31 On any other day, it is 8.
0:33 The regulation says it in one short line, and that line names Fridays.
0:38 In this week, every day passes.
0:41 Friday is a full 3 hours.
0:43 Saturday has no school, so its 7 hours stay under that day's limit.
The weekly limit
0:49 Now for the week.
0:50 It is a school week when the local public school is in session for even one day, or part of one.
0:56 The weekly limit for a school week is 18 hours, and these shifts total 18.5.
1:03 One fix is to trim the shifts: cut half an hour from Saturday, and the week lands exactly on the limit of 18 hours.
1:12 A different limit applies to a youth enrolled in an approved work experience program, called WECEP.
1:19 Its weekly limit is 23 hours, so this schedule passes with 4.5 hours left.
The evening cutoff
1:26 Now the clock.
1:28 Work must fall between 7:00 a.m.
1:31 and 7:00 p.m., except from June 1 through Labor Day, when the evening cutoff is 9:00 p.m.
1:40 instead.
1:42 Watch the Tuesday after Labor Day.
1:44 A shift that ends at 9:00 p.m.
1:48 is fine on Labor Day itself, but the same shift fails the next day, when the cutoff is back to 7:00 p.m.
1:57 again.
When school does not count
1:58 Some youths are treated as if school is not in session.
2:02 High school graduates and youths barred from school by a court qualify.
2:07 The other cases come with conditions.
2:09 A youth excused from school after finishing eighth grade counts only if the job follows the state attendance law.
2:17 A youth with a child to support counts only if state officers have waived school attendance.
2:24 A permanently expelled youth counts unless another school is required.
2:29 A suspension is not a permanent expulsion, so it does not count.
2:33 When the exception applies, the daily limit is 8 hours and the weekly limit is 40.
2:40 This schedule then passes with 21.5 hours left.
2:45 The ban on work during school hours is lifted, but the evening cutoff still applies.
What the check leaves out
2:51 The page cannot compare shifts with your school's bell times.
2:55 Work during school hours is not checked, so confirm that yourself.
3:00 These are federal limits only, and the page does not check state laws.
3:05 The Labor Department says the stricter law must be obeyed, and its fact sheet puts it this way.
3:11 So check the weekly total as well as each day.
3:14 Mind the Tuesday after Labor Day, and check your state's laws.
3:18 Try your own schedule at fastcalc.us.
Formulas for counting minutes, the daily and weekly limits, and the summer window
Shift part duration (min): d_{i,k} = (60 × H_end + M_end) − (60 × H_start + M_start), with end > start and no overlap
Daily worked minutes & hours: D_i = Σ_k d_{i,k}; H_i = roundHalfUp(D_i × 100, 60) ÷ 100
Weekly worked minutes & hours: W = Σ_{i=1..7} D_i; H_week = roundHalfUp(W × 100, 60) ÷ 100
Daily cap (29 CFR 570.35(a)(4)–(5), (c)(1)): L_day(i) = 180 min (3.00 h) if schoolDay_i and not 570.35(c)(1); else 480 min (8.00 h)
School week flag (29 CFR 570.35(b), (c)(1)): S_week = true if (not 570.35(c)(1)) and (Σ_{i=1..7} [schoolDay_i] ≥ 1); else false
Weekly cap (29 CFR 570.35(a)(2)–(3), 570.36(d)): L_week = 1,080 min (18.00 h) if S_week and standard; 1,380 min (23.00 h) if S_week and WECEP; 2,400 min (40.00 h) if not S_week
Labor Day (5 U.S.C. 6103(a)): Sept_1_dow = weekday(Y-09-01); LaborDay(Y) = Y-09-(1 + ((1 − Sept_1_dow + 7) mod 7))
Allowed clock window (29 CFR 570.35(a)(6)): [420 min (7:00 a.m.), 1,260 min (9:00 p.m.)] if Y-06-01 ≤ date_i ≤ LaborDay(Y); else [420 min (7:00 a.m.), 1,140 min (7:00 p.m.)]
Remaining capacity: R_day(i) = max(0, L_day(i) − D_i); R_week = max(0, L_week − W)Worked examples: fall school week, July summer week, and WECEP 23-hour week
Default fall school week (2026-10-05 to 2026-10-11, school Mon–Fri, no exception): Monday, Wednesday, and Friday are 16:00-19:00 (180 min = 3.00 h each). Tuesday is 16:00-18:30 (150 min = 2.50 h), and Thursday and Sunday are off (0.00 h). Saturday is 09:00-16:00 (420 min = 7.00 h). Five days are school days under 29 CFR 570.35(b). Therefore, 29 CFR 570.35(a)(3) and (a)(5) set a 3.00 h school-day cap, an 8.00 h weekend cap, and an 18.00 h weekly cap. Every day passes its daily cap and ends by 7:00 p.m. However, the weekly sum is 180 + 150 + 180 + 0 + 180 + 420 + 0 = 1,110 min = 18.50 h. That exceeds the 18.00 h cap by 0.50 h (30 min). Under WECEP in 29 CFR 570.36(d), the weekly cap is 23.00 h (1,380 min). With WECEP active, 18.50 h passes with 4.50 h left.
School-week 19-hour check and 18-hour fix (week of 2026-10-05): Suppose a teen works 16:00-19:00 Monday through Friday (5 × 180 = 900 min = 15.00 h). Adding 09:00-13:00 on Saturday (240 min = 4.00 h) brings the week to 1,140 min = 19.00 h. That is 1.00 h (60 min) over the 18.00 h cap in 29 CFR 570.35(a)(3). Zero days fail a daily check. Cutting Saturday to 09:00-12:00 (180 min = 3.00 h) drops the week to 900 + 180 = 1,080 min = 18.00 h. The schedule then passes with 0.00 h left.
Summer week and Labor Day cutoff (2026-07-06 vs 2026-09-07): In the week of 2026-07-06 with schoolDays set to none, five shifts of 13:00-21:00 Monday through Friday total 2,400 min = 40.00 h. All 7 days fall between June 1 and Labor Day (2026-09-07). Under 29 CFR 570.35(a)(6), the 9:00 p.m. cutoff applies and 40.00 h passes with 0.00 h left. A Monday shift of 13:30-21:30 fails because 9:30 p.m. is past 9:00 p.m. In the week starting on Labor Day (2026-09-07), 13:00-21:00 passes on Monday under the 9:00 p.m. cutoff. The same 13:00-21:00 shift fails on Tuesday 2026-09-08 when the 7:00 p.m. cutoff returns.
Work-Study Programs (29 CFR 570.37), sports attendants, parents, and state laws
Beyond WECEP (29 CFR 570.36(d)) and the 29 CFR 570.35(c)(1) attendance rules, Subpart C has two special pathways. Under 29 CFR 570.35(c)(4) and 29 CFR 570.37(c), a teen may join a college-prep Work-Study Program (WSP) approved by the Wage and Hour Administrator. A WSP student still has an 18.00 h school-week cap (570.35(a)(3)) and a 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. clock window (9:00 p.m. in summer) under 570.35(a)(6). In three of the four weeks in a four-week cycle, the WSP student may work up to 8.00 h during school hours on 1 day. In the fourth week, the student may work up to 8.00 h during school hours on up to 2 days. To check a WSP week here when other school days remain, omit the designated 8-hour WSP school day from "Days school is in session this week"; that day then gets the 8.00 h cap and the week keeps its 18.00 h cap. If the WSP day is the only school day, do not omit it, because the week would then count as a 40.00 h non-school week; compare that day with 8.00 h by hand.
Under 29 CFR 570.35(c)(2), teens age 14 or 15 working as sports attendants at pro sporting events are exempt from the caps in 29 CFR 570.35(a)(2)–(a)(6). All work must still stay outside school hours under 29 CFR 570.35(a)(1). Allowed tasks under 29 CFR 570.35(c)(2) include setting up gear, chasing balls, and clearing the field or court. Bringing ice, drinks, and towels is also allowed. Barred tasks include mowing grass, rolling tarps, cleaning locker rooms, loading vans, doing laundry, or working in concession stands. Also, under 29 U.S.C. 203(l)(1), a parent may employ his or her own child under age 16 outside manufacturing, mining, and hazardous jobs. As DOL Fact Sheet #43 notes, the business must be owned solely by the parents.
Finally, 29 CFR 570.39 states that "No provision of this subpart shall under any circumstances justify or be construed to permit noncompliance with the wage and hour provisions of the act or with the provisions of any other Federal law or of any State law or municipal ordinance establishing higher standards than those established under this subpart." If a state or city law sets lower hour caps or earlier curfews, the stricter law governs under 29 CFR 570.39. Always check your state labor department's youth work rules alongside this federal check.
Assumptions, program scope, and boundaries
- Models the federal non-farm hours and clock rules for 14- and 15-year-olds in 29 CFR 570.35 and 29 CFR 570.36. Under 29 CFR 570.32 and Fact Sheet #43, 14 is the minimum age for most non-farm work. Youths age 16 and 17 have no federal hour or clock caps, though hazardous jobs remain barred.
- Evaluates each shift in exact integer minutes from 00:00 to 24:00 on that date. When an unpaid meal break splits a shift, enter both work periods joined by a plus sign (+) (such as 09:00-12:00+13:00-16:00). You can check meal deductions in the time card calculator.
- Under 29 CFR 570.35(a)(6), work is barred before 7:00 a.m. and after 7:00 p.m. (or 9:00 p.m. from June 1 through Labor Day). Therefore, shifts are entered within a single calendar day.
- Checks daily hours (3.00 h vs 8.00 h), weekly hours (18.00 h, 23.00 h in WECEP, or 40.00 h), and the clock window. It does not know your local high school's bell times (such as 8:00 a.m.–3:15 p.m.). Unless 29 CFR 570.35(c)(1), WECEP (570.36), or WSP (570.37) applies, confirm that no shift overlaps school hours under 29 CFR 570.35(a)(1).
- Federal limits are a floor. Under 29 CFR 570.25 and 29 CFR 570.39, higher state or local standards, such as stricter hour caps or curfews, govern.
These figures are estimates for learning and planning, not financial, tax, legal or investment advice. Terms of use.
What to do with this schedule check before posting shifts
Check the local public school calendar before posting shifts for partial weeks. Under 29 CFR 570.35(b), if the local public school meets for even one half-day in the workweek, the whole week is capped at 18.00 h. In an approved WECEP under 29 CFR 570.36(d), that school-week cap is 23.00 h. This public-school rule applies even if the teen attends private school or is homeschooled.
Leave a 15- to 30-minute buffer inside the daily cap and evening cutoff. Under 29 U.S.C. 203(g) and 29 CFR 570.32, clocking in 5 minutes early on a 3.00 h school day (working 185 min) breaks 29 CFR 570.35(a)(5). Clocking out at 7:04 p.m. in fall breaks 29 CFR 570.35(a)(6). Schedule 2.50 h to 2.75 h on school days. End evening shifts by 6:30 p.m. (8:30 p.m. in summer) to prevent punch overruns.
Watch the Tuesday right after Labor Day each September. Under 29 CFR 570.35(a)(6) and 5 U.S.C. 6103(a), the 9:00 p.m. cutoff ends on Labor Day Monday. Tuesday through Sunday of that same week drop back to the 7:00 p.m. cutoff.
Keep age and time records on file. Record the minor's birth date and workweek start under 29 CFR 516.2(a)(3) and (a)(5). Keep an age certificate on file under 29 CFR 570.5 and 570.6(b)(1). Audit punches in the time card calculator. Then run pay in the federal paycheck withholding calculator. For a net paycheck, try the take-home pay calculator. To see a raise in weekly pay, use the pay raise calculator. To estimate tax on wages, use the federal income tax calculator.
Federal teen work-hours and Child Labor Regulation No. 3 questions
Can a 14- or 15-year-old work 4 or 5 hours on a Friday if there is no school on Saturday?
No. Under 29 CFR 570.35(a)(5), school-day work is capped at "Not more than 3 hours in any 1 day when school is in session, including Fridays." Even when Saturday has no classes, any Friday when the local public school meets is capped at 3.00 h (180 min). Outside June 1 through Labor Day, Friday work must also end by 7:00 p.m. under 29 CFR 570.35(a)(6).
What happens during a holiday week like Thanksgiving when school meets only Monday through Wednesday?
Under 29 CFR 570.35(b), a "Week when school is in session" is any week the local public school requires attendance for at least one day or partial day. Because school meets Monday through Wednesday, the 7-day workweek is capped at 18.00 h (1,080 min) under 29 CFR 570.35(a)(3). Under WECEP in 29 CFR 570.36(d), the cap is 23.00 h. Thursday through Sunday are non-school days. Under 29 CFR 570.35(a)(4), the teen may work up to 8.00 h (480 min) on any of those days if the week stays within 18.00 h.
Whose school calendar applies if a 14- or 15-year-old is homeschooled or attends a private school?
Under 29 CFR 570.35(b), both "School hours" and "Week when school is in session" follow "the local public school district where the minor resides while employed." Even if a homeschooled or private-school teen finishes class at noon, 29 CFR 570.35 uses the local public school calendar. Only a 29 CFR 570.35(c)(1) exception changes that rule.
Does attending summer school trigger the 3-hour daily and 18-hour weekly school-week limits?
No, unless the session is part of the required regular school year. Under 29 CFR 570.35(b), "Summer school sessions, held in addition to the regularly scheduled school year, are considered to be outside of school hours." A teen taking optional summer classes stays under the 8.00 h daily and 40.00 h weekly caps in 29 CFR 570.35(a)(2) and (a)(4).
When can a 14- or 15-year-old work until 9:00 p.m., and what happens if school starts in August?
Under 29 CFR 570.35(a)(6), the evening cutoff is 9:00 p.m. "during the summer (June 1 through Labor Day)," where Labor Day is the first Monday in September (5 U.S.C. 6103(a)). The 9:00 p.m. cutoff follows the calendar dates June 1 through Labor Day. By contrast, the 3.00 h daily and 18.00 h weekly caps follow whether school is in session. In late August after school starts, the 3.00 h and 18.00 h caps apply. Shifts through Labor Day may still run until 9:00 p.m. under 29 CFR 570.35(a)(6) unless state law is stricter.
How do the 23-hour WECEP rule (29 CFR 570.36) and the 29 CFR 570.35(c)(1) exceptions differ?
Under 29 CFR 570.36(d), a teen in an approved Work Experience and Career Exploration Program (WECEP) may work during school hours. The WECEP caps are 3.00 h on a school day and 23.00 h in a school week. Under 29 CFR 570.35(c)(1), school is not in session if the youth has graduated or is barred from school by a court order. It also applies to a youth excused after eighth grade whose job complies with the state attendance law. It applies to a youth with a child to support whose school attendance state officers have waived. It applies to a youth permanently expelled from the local public school (29 CFR 570.35(c)(1)(v)). That holds unless state or local law or a court order requires attendance at another school. A suspension or temporary expulsion does not qualify. For 29 CFR 570.35(c)(1) youths, the 8.00 h daily and 40.00 h weekly caps apply all year, inside the 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. (9:00 p.m. summer) window.
Do federal hours and time-of-day limits apply to 16- and 17-year-old workers?
No. As DOL Wage and Hour Division Fact Sheet #43 states, "Sixteen- and 17-year-olds may be employed for unlimited hours in any occupation other than those declared hazardous by the Secretary of Labor." However, if a state law sets curfews or hour caps for 16- and 17-year-olds, the stricter state law governs under 29 CFR 570.25 and 29 CFR 570.39.
Sources
- 29 CFR Part 570 Subpart C, Employment of Minors Between 14 and 16 Years of Age (29 CFR 570.31 through 570.39) (page modified Oct 29, 2026)
- 29 CFR Part 570 Subpart B, Certificates of Age (29 CFR 570.5 through 570.25) (page modified Oct 29, 2026)
- 29 U.S.C. 203, Definitions (Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, Section 3) (current version)
- 29 U.S.C. 212, Child labor provisions (Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, Section 12) (current version)
- 5 U.S.C. 6103, Holidays (Labor Day, the first Monday in September) (current version)
- U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, Fact Sheet #43: Child Labor Provisions of the FLSA (current version)
- 29 CFR Part 516 Subpart A, General Requirements—Records To Be Kept by Employers (29 CFR 516.2 through 516.6) (page modified Oct 29, 2026)
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