Budgeteen
Last reviewed 30 September 2026 · Federal rules from the U.S. Department of Labor · State law may be stricter
Under federal law, 14 is the minimum age for most regular jobs outside farming, and 14- and 15-year-olds may work only limited hours outside school. At 13, work is limited to exempt or informal jobs such as casual babysitting. States can be stricter. Here are the U.S. Department of Labor's rules in plain language.
| Age | Regular jobs? | Key limits | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | No, except exempt or non-covered work | Newspaper delivery, acting, casual babysitting, minor chores around private homes; a parent-owned business (no mining, manufacturing or hazardous work) | DOL Fact Sheet #43 |
| 14 | Yes, in many non-manufacturing, non-hazardous jobs | Outside school hours only, with daily and weekly hour limits | DOL Fact Sheet #43 |
| 15 | Same as 14, plus certified lifeguarding at pools and water parks | Same hour limits | DOL Fact Sheet #43 |
| 16-17 | Yes | Unlimited hours in jobs not declared hazardous | DOL Fact Sheet #43 |
Child Labor Regulation No. 3 (29 CFR 570.35), summarized in DOL Fact Sheet #43, allows work outside school hours only:
| Period | Federal limit |
|---|---|
| School day (including Fridays) | Up to 3 hours |
| Non-school day | Up to 8 hours |
| School week | Up to 18 hours |
| Non-school week | Up to 40 hours |
| Time of day | 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; 9 p.m. from June 1 to Labor Day |
The Department of Labor's YouthRules page for 14- and 15-year-olds lists the same limits. Federal law sets no hour limits at 16 and older, though many states do.
Pending change (noted 9 October 2026): Not yet. The Department of Labor's regulatory agenda lists a planned proposed rule to change the hours 14- and 15-year-olds may work (RIN 1235-AA53), targeted for September 2026. As of 9 October 2026, no proposal has been published in the Federal Register, so the current federal hour limits still apply. Source: Unified Agenda, RIN 1235-AA53.
29 CFR 570.34 lists the work 14- and 15-year-olds may do, and Fact Sheet #43 is blunt about the rest: what is not permitted is prohibited. Allowed work includes:
A sample from 29 CFR 570.33, as listed in Fact Sheet #43:
29 CFR 570.34(l) allows 15-year-olds who are trained and certified by the American Red Cross or a similar certifying organization to work as lifeguards at traditional swimming pools and water amusement parks. They may not work at the top of elevated water slides as attendants or dispatchers. Natural settings such as lakes, rivers, ocean beaches and piers need lifeguards to be at least 16. A 15-year-old also needs an additional certification to be employed as a swim instructor.
Children under 14 may not be employed in non-farm jobs covered by the FLSA. They may do FLSA-exempt work, such as delivering newspapers to the consumer and acting, and work the FLSA does not cover, such as minor chores around private homes and casual babysitting. Youth of any age may work in a business entirely owned by their parents, except that under-16s may not work in mining or manufacturing and under-18s may not do hazardous jobs. Informal ideas by age are on side hustles for teens by age.
When state and federal law both apply, the stricter standard must be obeyed. The FLSA doesn't require work permits or "working papers," but many states do, and many states limit hours for 16- and 17-year-olds too. Before you apply, check your state labor department's youth employment page for its hours, permits and job limits.
| Statistic | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Employed 16- and 17-year-olds, 2025 annual average | 1.982 million (21.0% of the age group) | BLS CPS Table 3 |
| Labor force participation, ages 16-17, 2025 | 24.8% | BLS CPS Table 3 |
| Unemployment rate, ages 16-17, 2025 | 15.3% | BLS CPS Table 3 |
| Employed 16- to 19-year-olds, 2025 | 5.551 million (31.1%) | BLS CPS Table 3 |
| Share of 16- to 24-year-olds employed, July 2026 | 53.8% | BLS Employment and Unemployment Among Youth, Summer 2026 |
| Where employed youth worked, July 2026 | Leisure and hospitality 25%, retail trade 18%, education and health services 14% | BLS, same release |
| Federal minimum wage | $7.25 an hour; 30 states and D.C. had higher minimums in 2024 | BLS Characteristics of minimum wage workers, 2024 |
BLS's household survey covers people 16 and older, so there is no official figure in these tables for 13- to 15-year-olds. BLS also says 2025 annual averages are based on 11 months because October 2025 data weren't collected, so compare them with earlier years carefully. More sourced figures are on teen money statistics.
Budgeteen's Eligibility Clock shows what your next birthday unlocks, such as first W-2 jobs at 14 and lifeguarding at 15. Places to check lists national chains that hire at 14, 15 and 16. They're places to check, not job openings. The application tracker keeps every application in one list, and the Skills Card is a shareable proof-of-work profile, useful when you don't have a résumé yet. Before the first payday, read what comes out of your first paycheck. Skills you can build now are on teen skills that pay.
Not a regular job with most employers. Federal rules say children under 14 may only do work that is exempt or not covered, such as delivering newspapers, acting, casual babysitting and minor chores around private homes. They may also work in a business fully owned by their parents, outside mining, manufacturing and hazardous jobs.
Under federal rules, 14- and 15-year-olds may work only outside school hours: up to 3 hours on a school day, 8 hours on a non-school day, 18 hours in a school week and 40 hours in a non-school week, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. From June 1 to Labor Day, the evening limit is 9 p.m.
Yes, under federal rules, if trained and certified by the American Red Cross or a similar organization. Certified 15-year-olds may lifeguard at traditional swimming pools and water amusement parks, but not at lakes, rivers or ocean beaches, where the minimum age is 16. Teaching swimming requires an additional certification.
Federal law does not require work permits, but the Department of Labor notes that many states do. When state and federal rules both apply, the stricter one must be followed, so your state may set tighter hours or extra paperwork. Check your state labor department's youth employment page before you apply.
Not yet. The Department of Labor's regulatory agenda lists a planned proposed rule to change the hours 14- and 15-year-olds may work (RIN 1235-AA53), targeted for September 2026. As of 9 October 2026, no proposal has been published in the Federal Register, so the current federal hour limits still apply.
Official pages, reviewed 30 September 2026.
More short answers live on the Budgeteen FAQ. What the app is: What is Budgeteen. The envelope loop: how teen budgeting works in Budgeteen. Data rules: Budgeteen Privacy Policy.