In Florida, the general working age is 14. Children 13 and younger cannot hold a job except in a few narrow situations, teens aged 14 and 15 face strict hour and task limits, and 16- and 17-year-olds get much more flexibility while still barred from the most dangerous work. The rules sit in Chapter 450 of the Florida Statutes, and Florida does not require a work permit, so the compliance load falls on employers.
Who Can Work Under 14
No one aged 13 or younger can work in Florida outside a short list of exceptions.1Florida Senate. Florida Statutes 450.021 – Minimum Age; General Children of any age may:
- Do domestic chores or farm work for their own parent or guardian at the family’s home, ranch, or farm, provided school hours aren’t missed.
- Work in the entertainment industry â acting, modeling, or performing â under sections 450.012 and 450.132.
- Serve as pages in the Florida Legislature.
Newspaper delivery has its own floor: 11 years old.1Florida Senate. Florida Statutes 450.021 – Minimum Age; General
The parental exemption is narrower than families often assume. It covers work at the family’s own home or farm, or directly for a parent. It does not let a parent place a young child at someone else’s business, and it does not override the hazardous-occupation rules.
Work Hours for 14- and 15-Year-Olds
When school is in session, workers aged 14 and 15 are limited to:2The Florida Legislature. Florida Statutes 450.081 – Hours of Work in Certain Occupations
- 15 hours per week
- 3 hours on a school day, unless there is no school the following day
- No work before 7 a.m. or after 7 p.m. when school is scheduled the next day
Over the summer and on school holidays, the ceiling rises to 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week, and the evening cutoff moves to 9 p.m. The 7 a.m. start time stays the same year-round.2The Florida Legislature. Florida Statutes 450.081 – Hours of Work in Certain Occupations
Work Hours for 16- and 17-Year-Olds
Older teens can work far more. On nights before a school day, 16- and 17-year-olds cannot work before 6:30 a.m. or after 11 p.m. Before a non-school day, that 11 p.m. curfew doesn’t apply. During the school year they may work up to 30 hours per week, and they can work 8 hours in a single day, which matters for weekend shifts.2The Florida Legislature. Florida Statutes 450.081 – Hours of Work in Certain Occupations
A shift a teen volunteers for is still a violation if it breaks the rules. A 16-year-old on the clock until midnight on a Wednesday with school on Thursday is an illegal shift, regardless of who agreed to it.
Required Meal Breaks
Florida requires every working minor to receive a 30-minute uninterrupted meal break after four continuous hours of work. For 16- and 17-year-olds, the break requirement applies when they are working eight or more hours in a day. A break shorter than 30 minutes does not reset the continuous-work count.2The Florida Legislature. Florida Statutes 450.081 – Hours of Work in Certain Occupations This is a state protection; federal law does not require meal or rest breaks for minors.3U.S. Department of Labor. Fact Sheet #43: Child Labor Provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) for Nonagricultural Occupations
Jobs Minors Cannot Do
Florida bars different jobs at different ages, and the state list runs alongside federal Hazardous Occupations Orders. Where the two disagree, the stricter rule controls.3U.S. Department of Labor. Fact Sheet #43: Child Labor Provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) for Nonagricultural Occupations
Workers 15 and Younger
Minors aged 15 and younger cannot do any of the following:4Florida Senate. Florida Statutes 450.061 – Hazardous Occupations Prohibited; Exemptions
- Operate power-driven machinery (push mowers with blades 40 inches or smaller are allowed)
- Work in any manufacturing process involving industrial machines
- Handle explosives or highly flammable materials
- Work in sawmills or logging
- Do scaffolding or heavy construction
- Drive motor vehicles (limited exceptions for farm tractors under parental supervision)
- Repair elevators
- Prepare meat or work in freezers (wrapping, labeling, and pricing in a separate area are allowed)
- Operate power-driven laundry or dry-cleaning equipment
- Spray paint
- Sell door-to-door for commercial products like magazines or candy (nonprofit organizations such as scouts are exempt)
That last item surprises people. Florida specifically prohibits children 15 and younger from door-to-door commercial solicitation.
Workers Under 18
Even 16- and 17-year-olds cannot work around explosives, radioactive materials, or other high-risk environments.5Florida Senate. Florida Statutes 450.061 – Hazardous Occupations Prohibited; Exemptions Federal Hazardous Occupations Orders add further nationwide restrictions, banning all minors under 18 from operating specific power-driven equipment in woodworking, metalworking, meat processing, and bakery settings.6eCFR. Subpart E – Occupations Particularly Hazardous for the Employment of Minors Between 16 and 18 Years of Age Student learners in approved vocational programs can qualify for exemptions from several state-level prohibitions under F.S. 450.161, but federal hazardous-occupation orders remain in effect unless separate federal exemption criteria are met.
Alcohol Establishments
Anyone 17 or younger is generally prohibited from working at any establishment that sells alcohol at retail.1Florida Senate. Florida Statutes 450.021 – Minimum Age; General The narrow exception: a 17-year-old (or a younger student with written permission from their high school principal, or a high school graduate) may work at a legitimate food-service restaurant that serves alcohol, but only if they do not sell, prepare, or serve the drinks, and their duties provide food-service training and experience.7Florida Senate. Florida Statutes 562.13 – Employment of Minors or Certain Other Persons by Certain Vendors Prohibited; Exceptions A teen can bus tables at a sit-down restaurant with a full bar. They cannot work at a standalone bar or liquor store in any capacity.
What Employers Have to Do
Florida does not require minors to obtain a work permit or employment certificate before starting a job.8THE OFFICIAL SITE OF THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS & PROFESSIONAL REGULATION. Child Labor – FAQs The compliance duties instead sit with the employer.
Before a minor begins work, the employer must obtain proof of the child’s age and keep it on file for the whole time the minor is employed. Acceptable documents include a photocopy of a birth certificate, driver’s license, passport, visa showing date of birth, or an age certificate from the local school district.9The Florida Legislature. Florida Statutes 450.045 – Proof of Identity and Age; Posting of Notices An employer who cannot produce proof of age during an inspection has already committed a violation, whether or not the minor is actually old enough for the job.
Every workplace employing a minor must display a Child Labor Law poster where minors can easily read it. The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation provides the poster on request.9The Florida Legislature. Florida Statutes 450.045 – Proof of Identity and Age; Posting of Notices
Waivers to Work During School Hours
Minors generally cannot work during school hours. Waivers are possible for reasons including financial hardship, medical circumstances, court orders, or enrollment in a school-approved work-experience or vocational program. For students still enrolled in a public Kâ12 program, the local school district issues the waiver. For minors no longer enrolled, the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation handles waiver requests.10THE OFFICIAL SITE OF THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS & PROFESSIONAL REGULATION. Child Labor Waiver – Licensing Portal – Checklist Details Scheduling a minor during school hours without a legitimate waiver on file is a violation, so verifying the waiver before setting the schedule matters.
Minimum Wage for Teen Workers
Florida’s state minimum wage applies to minor employees with no youth exception. The rate is set to rise to $15.00 per hour on September 30, 2026. Federal law allows a youth minimum wage of $4.25 per hour for workers under 20 during their first 90 calendar days on the job, but that federal provision is overridden wherever the state minimum wage is higher.11U.S. Department of Labor. Fact Sheet #32: Youth Minimum Wage – Fair Labor Standards Act In Florida, the state minimum is the floor for every worker, including a teenager on their first day.
Penalties for Violations
Each minor employed in violation is a separate offense, and each day the violation continues counts as another separate offense. One teenager working illegally for five days is five offenses. The state can impose fines up to $2,500 per offense. The Department of Business and Professional Regulation scales penalties based on severity and whether the violation endangered the minor’s health or safety, so a scheduling violation that kept a 15-year-old working past 7 p.m. draws a lighter fine than putting a minor on a prohibited machine.12Florida Senate. Florida Statutes 450.141 – Employing Minor Children in Violation of Law; Penalties
Federal civil money penalties under the FLSA stack on top of state fines. As of 2025, the federal penalty is up to $16,035 per child labor violation. When a violation causes serious injury or death to a minor, the cap rises to $72,876, and that figure doubles to $145,752 for willful or repeated violations.13eCFR. Part 579 – Child Labor Violations – Civil Money Penalties Federal investigators can conduct inspections independently of any state action.