Florida Minor Labor Laws: Age Limits, Hours, and Wages

Florida’s minor labor laws, set out in Chapter 450 of the Florida Statutes, govern when anyone under 18 can work, how many hours they can put in, what breaks they get, and which jobs are off-limits. Both state law and the federal Fair Labor Standards Act apply to the same workers, and whichever rule is stricter controls. Getting the details wrong exposes an employer to civil fines, misdemeanor charges, and in serious cases a second-degree felony.

Who the Law Covers

A “child” or “minor” under Florida law is anyone 17 or younger. Five groups are treated as adults for employment purposes: minors who are married, minors whose legal disabilities of nonage have been removed by a court, minors who have served in the Armed Forces, minors who have graduated from an accredited high school or earned an equivalency diploma, and minors whose employment has been specifically approved by a court.1The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 450.012 – Definitions

Two limits apply even to emancipated minors. No one 17 or younger can work at a location that sells alcohol at retail (with narrow exceptions under Florida’s beverage law), and no one under 18 can work in an adult theater.2The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 450.021 – Minimum Age General

Minimum Age To Work

The general floor is 14. Children 13 and younger cannot hold a paying job, with a few carve-outs:2The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 450.021 – Minimum Age General

  • Children of any age may perform in film, television, theater, or similar productions under separate entertainment-industry rules.
  • Children of any age may do chores or farm tasks tied to their own home or family farm, or work directly for a parent or guardian, outside required school hours.
  • Children of any age may serve as pages in the Florida Legislature.
  • Children 11 and older may sell or distribute newspapers.

Federal law also permits children of any age to work on a farm owned or operated by their parents, which lines up with Florida’s family-farm exception.3U.S. Department of Labor. Agricultural Employment

Hour Limits by Age

Florida ties work-hour restrictions to the school calendar, and the rules are noticeably tighter for younger teens.

Ages 14 and 15

When school is in session, a 14- or 15-year-old can work no more than 3 hours on a school day and 15 hours in a school week, only between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. on nights before a school day. The 3-hour school-day cap does not apply to a minor enrolled in a career education program.4The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 450.081 – Hours of Work in Certain Occupations

During summer breaks and holidays, the allowed window stretches to 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., with a cap of 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week.4The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 450.081 – Hours of Work in Certain Occupations

Ages 16 and 17

Older teens have more room. During school weeks, 16- and 17-year-olds can work up to 30 hours per week and up to 8 hours on any day when school is scheduled the following day, except holidays and Sundays. They cannot clock in before 6:30 a.m. or work past 11 p.m. on nights before a school day, and they cannot work during school hours unless enrolled in a career education program.5Florida Senate. Florida Code 450.081 – Hours of Work in Certain Occupations

When school is out, Florida sets no state-level daily or weekly cap for this age group. Federal FLSA limits still apply in covered jobs.

The 30-hour weekly cap can be waived. A parent or custodian, or the school superintendent, can sign a waiver on a form prescribed by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, and the employer keeps the form on file.5Florida Senate. Florida Code 450.081 – Hours of Work in Certain Occupations

Meal Breaks

Florida requires meal breaks for minors, though not for adult workers, and the trigger changes with age. Workers 15 and younger must get a 30-minute uninterrupted break after every 4 continuous hours of work. Workers 16 and 17 must get the same 30-minute break only when they work 8 or more hours in a single day. A break shorter than 30 minutes does not count as an interruption of continuous work.4The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 450.081 – Hours of Work in Certain Occupations

A 16-year-old working a 5-hour shift needs no state-mandated break; a 15-year-old on the same shift does. Inspectors check time records for break compliance, so the distinction matters.

Jobs Minors Cannot Do

Florida Statute 450.061 bars anyone under 18 from a long list of hazardous jobs, regardless of emancipation. The major categories:6Florida Senate. Florida Code 450.061 – Hazardous Occupations Prohibited Exemptions

  • Work in or around explosives and radioactive materials
  • Power-driven woodworking, metal-forming, metal-shearing, paper-products, and printing machines
  • Roofing, scaffolding, building construction, and any ladder work above six feet
  • Trenching and excavation
  • Operating a motor vehicle as part of the job, except a motor scooter the minor is licensed to drive
  • Tractors over 20 PTO horsepower, forklifts, harvesters, and earthmoving equipment

Florida also incorporates by reference the federal hazardous-occupation orders in 29 CFR Part 570, so the federal prohibited-job list sits on top of the state list.7Legal Information Institute. Florida Code 61L-2.005 – Additional Hazardous Occupations Prohibited

Extra Restrictions for Workers Under 16

The banned list grows for 14- and 15-year-olds. On top of everything prohibited for all minors, this age group cannot:8The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 450.061 – Hazardous Occupations Prohibited Exemptions

  • Work with any power-driven machinery (except push mowers with blades 40 inches or smaller)
  • Do any manufacturing that uses industrial machines
  • Operate power-driven laundry or dry-cleaning equipment
  • Work in freezers or meat coolers, or prepare meats for sale (wrapping, labeling, and pricing in a separate area are allowed)
  • Use meat or vegetable slicing machines
  • Do heavy work in the building trades
  • Spray-paint
  • Sell door-to-door, except for nonprofit organizations like scouts

Cooking and baking are also restricted for this age group. The DBPR lists cooking (with limited exceptions) and all bakery machinery as prohibited for 14- and 15-year-olds.9Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Child Labor – Prohibited Occupations Bussing tables and running a register are fine; working the grill or operating a commercial mixer is not.

Sixteen- and 17-year-olds enrolled in an approved vocational or career education program may perform some otherwise-prohibited hazardous tasks when the work is incidental to training, happens in short supervised stints, and follows an organized schedule of progressive tasks. The school must provide safety instruction, and the employer must coordinate with it.10Florida Department of Education. Child Labor Laws and Information

Wages for Minors

Florida does not set a separate minimum wage for workers under 18. As of 2026, the state minimum wage is $15.00 per hour, and that rate applies to minors on the same terms as adults.

Federal law allows a “youth minimum wage” of $4.25 per hour for any worker under 20 during the first 90 consecutive calendar days of employment.11Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 29 USC 206 – Minimum Wage In Florida the state rate is higher, so the state rate controls.

Documents Employers Must Keep

Before a minor starts, the employer must obtain and hold proof of the child’s age for the entire duration of employment. Acceptable documents are:12Florida Senate. Florida Code 450.045 – Proof of Identity and Age Posting of Notices

  • A copy of the minor’s birth certificate
  • A copy of the minor’s driver’s license
  • An age certificate issued by the local school board
  • A copy of a passport or visa showing the minor’s date of birth

Employers must also post a child labor law notice in a visible spot at the workplace. The DBPR provides the poster on request.12Florida Senate. Florida Code 450.045 – Proof of Identity and Age Posting of Notices On the federal side, the FLSA requires employers to record the birth date of any employee under 19 and retain payroll records for at least three years.13U.S. Department of Labor. Fact Sheet 21 – Recordkeeping Requirements Under the Fair Labor Standards Act

Waivers

Three waiver paths are available:

A waiver does not eliminate every protection. Hazardous-occupation bans and the alcohol-sales restriction still apply.

Penalties

The DBPR enforces the child labor law through workplace inspections and complaint investigations. Agents review time records, payroll data, and age-verification files. Penalties escalate by severity:

Before assessing a civil fine, the department must send written notice describing the alleged violation and give the employer a specified window to correct it. Fines follow only if the problem is not fixed within that window.16The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 450.141 – Penalties That cure period covers civil penalties only. Criminal liability does not.