Indiana child labor laws set forth the rules and limitations regarding the days and time children under the age of 18 years old may work in Indiana. They also clarify and limit the types of work children under the age of 14 and youth who are 14, 15, 16, and 17 year olds may work. It is also important to remember that businesses and youth workers must comply with the federal child labor laws set forth in the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Below is information about Indiana child labor law rules and limitations.
- How old do you have to be to work in Indiana?
- What days can a minor work in Indiana?
- What times during the day can a minor work in Indiana?
- How many hours can a minor work each day in Indiana?
- How many hours can a minor work each week in Indiana?
- What kinds of jobs can a minor work in Indiana?
- Does a teen need to have a work permit or certificate to work in Indiana?
- Are youth workers entitled to rest breaks or meal breaks?
How old do you have to be to work in Indiana?
Under Indiana child labor laws, youth must be 14-years-old or older to get a job and work in Indiana with a few exceptions which include work as an actor or performer and 12 or 13-year-olds working as a referee, umpire, or official for a youth athletic program. IN Statutes 22-2-18.1, IN Department of Labor – Youth Employment
What days can a minor work in Indiana?
Indiana child labor laws do not limit the days of the week youth may work in Indiana. However, Indiana rules limit the times during a day a minor may work. IN Statutes 22-2-18.1, IN Department of Labor – Youth Employment
What times during the day can a minor work in Indiana?
The times during a day a minor may work in Indiana varies based on 1) whether they are under 16 year old or not, and 2) whether the work will be during school weeks or non-school weeks.
Until January 1, 2025, for youth that are 16-years-old and 17-years old, Indiana child labor laws restrict the times they may work before a school day to 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., unless they have the written permission of a parent to work until 11 p.m. or school is not in session, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Indiana child labor laws do not limit how late a 16 and 17-year-olds may work on day before a non-school day.
| Age | Day before a school day | Day before a non-school day |
|---|---|---|
| What times can a 16-year-old work? | 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. or 11 p.m. with parent permission | 6 a.m. until undefined |
| What times can a 17-year-old work? | 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. or 11 p.m. with parent permission | 6 a.m. until undefined |
Beginning January 1, 2024, Indiana child labor laws will not restrict the hours during which 16-year-olds and 17-year-olds may work.
For youth that are 14-years-old and 15-years old, Indiana child labor laws restrict the times during the day in which they work depending whether school is in session, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., or school is not in session, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
| Age | School Weeks (Labor Day to June 1) | Non-School Weeks (June 1 to Labor Day) |
|---|---|---|
| What times can a 14-year-old work? | 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. | 7 a.m. until 9 p.m. |
| What times can a 15-year-old work? | 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. | 7 a.m. until 9 p.m. |
IN Statutes 22-2-18.1, IN Department of Labor – Youth Employment
The FLSA also restricts the times a youth may work each workday. When Indiana child labor laws are more restrictive than the federal laws, the Indiana rules apply.
| Age | School Weeks (Labor Day to June 1) | Non-School Weeks (June 1 to Labor Day) |
|---|---|---|
| What times can a 14-year-old work? | 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. | 7 a.m. until 9 p.m. |
| What times can a 15-year-old work? | 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. | 7 a.m. until 9 p.m. |
| What times can a 16-year-old work? | No restriction | No restriction |
| What times can a 17-year-old work? | No restriction | No restriction |
How many hours can a minor work each day in Indiana?
Until January 1, 2025, under Indiana child labor laws, children that are 16-years-old and 17-years-old may work no more than 9 hours a day regardless of whether they work during school days or non-school days. Beginning January 1, 2025, Indiana child labor laws will not restrict the number of hours 16-year-olds and 17-year-olds may work each day.
Moreover, under Indiana child labor laws, children that are 14-years-old and 15-years-old may work no more than 3 hours on a school day and 8 hours on a non-school day.
| Max Hours Work Each Day | School days | Non-school days |
|---|---|---|
| How many hours can a 14-year-old work each day? | 3 | 8 |
| How many hours can a 15-year-old work each day? | 3 | 8 |
| How many hours can a 16-year-old work each day? | 9 | 9 |
| How many hours can a 17-year-old work each day? | 9 | 9 |
IN Statutes 22-2-18.1, IN Department of Labor – Youth Employment
The FLSA also restricts the how many hours a youth may work each workday. When Indiana child labor laws are more restrictive than the federal laws, the Indiana rules apply.
| Max Hours Work Each Day | School days | Non-school days |
|---|---|---|
| How many hours can a 14-year-old work each day? | 3 | 8 |
| How many hours can a 15-year-old work each day? | 3 | 8 |
| How many hours can a 16-year-old work each day? | No restriction | No restriction |
| How many hours can a 17-year-old work each day? | No restriction | No restriction |
How many hours can a minor work each week in Indiana?
Until January 1, 2025, under Indiana child labor laws, children that are 16-years-old and 17-years-old may work no more than 40 hours on a school day and 48 hours on a non-school day. Also, 16 and 17-year-olds may not work more than 6 days in a workweek. Beginning January 1, 2025, Indiana child labor laws will not restrict the number of hours 16-year-olds and 17-year-olds may work in a workweek.
Moreover, under Indiana child labor laws, children that are 14-years-old and 15-years-old may work no more than 18 hours during a school week and 40 hours during a non-school week.
| Max Hours Worked Each Workweek | School Weeks (Labor Day to June 1) | Non-School Weeks (June 1 to Labor Day) |
|---|---|---|
| How many hours can a 14-year-old work each day? | 18 | 40 |
| How many hours can a 15-year-old work each day? | 18 | 40 |
| How many hours can a 16-year-old work each day? | 40 | 48 |
| How many hours can a 17-year-old work each day? | 40 | 48 |
IN Statutes 22-2-18.1, IN Department of Labor – Youth Employment
The FLSA also restricts the how many hours a youth may work each workweek. When Indiana child labor laws are more restrictive than the federal laws, the Indiana rules apply.
| Max Hours Worked Each Workweek | Federal Law School Weeks (Labor Day to June 1) | Federal Law Non-School Weeks (June 1 to Labor Day) |
|---|---|---|
| How many hours can a 14-year-old work each week? | 18 | 40 |
| How many hours can a 15-year-old work each week? | 18 | 40 |
| How many hours can a 16-year-old work each week? | No restriction | No restriction |
| How many hours can a 17-year-old work each week? | No restriction | No restriction |
What kinds of jobs can a minor work in Indiana?
In Indiana and according to the FLSA, youth 14 years old and older may work in the following jobs.
| Office and clerical work | Cooking with no open flame and/or using automatic deep fryers | Kitchen work |
| Cashiering | Selling | Modeling |
| Working in advertising departments | Window trimming | Comparative shopping |
| Price marking by hand or machine | Assembling orders | Packing and shelving |
| Bagging and carrying out customers’ orders | Errand and delivery work | Clean up work |
| Grounds maintenance | Intellectual or artistic work | Lifeguarding (15 years old only) |
| Work with cars and trucks (service station) |
IN Statutes 22-2-18.1, IN Department of Labor – Youth Employment, FLSA
In Indiana and according to the FLSA, youth under 16 years old may not work in the following jobs, except as part of a regular work-training program.
| Manufacturing and working in workrooms where goods are manufactured | Mining and working in workrooms where goods are mined | Processing and working in workrooms where goods are processed |
| Operating, tending setting up, adjusting, cleaning, oiling or repairing power-driven machinery | Cooking and Baking | Work in freezers or meat coolers |
| Preparation of meats for sale | Working in or about boiler or engine rooms | Maintaining of a building, establishment machines or equipment |
| Operating a motor vehicle | Working as a vehicle helper | Loading a motor vehicle |
| Catching or cooping poultry for transport to sale or to market | Transportation of people or goods | Warehousing and storage |
| Communications | Public messenger | Youth peddling |
| Advertising by holding signs, waving banners or wearing costumes | Construction/Demolition/Repair | Using ladders, scaffolds or other similar equipment |
| Outside window washing | Certain agricultural work |
IN Statutes 22-2-18.1, IN Department of Labor – Youth Employment, FLSA
In Indiana and according to the FLSA, youth under 18 years old may not work in the following hazardous occupations except when serving an apprenticeship or student-learner program.
| Occupations in or about plants or establishments manufacturing or storing explosives or articles containing explosive components | Occupations of motor-vehicle driver and outside helper | Coal-mine occupations |
| Forest fire fighting and forest fire prevention occupations, timber tract occupations, forestry service occupations, logging occupations, and occupations in the operation of any sawmill, lath mill, shingle mill, or cooperage stock mill | Occupations involved in the operation of power-driven woodworking machines | Exposure to radioactive substances and to ionizing radiations |
| Occupations involved in the operation of power-driven hoisting apparatus | Occupations involved in the operations of power-driven metal forming, punching, and shearing machines | Occupations in connection with mining, other than coal |
| Occupations in the operation of power-driven meat-processing machines and occupations involving slaughtering, meat and poultry packing, processing, or rendering | Occupations involved in the operation of bakery machines | Occupations involved in the operation of balers, compactors, and paperproducts machines |
| Occupations involved in the manufacture of brick, tile, and kindred products | Occupations involving the operation of circular saws, band saws, guillotine shears, chain saws, reciprocating saws, wood chippers, and abrasive cutting discs | Occupations involved in wrecking, demolition, and shipbreaking operations |
| Occupations in roofing operations and on or about a roof | Occupations in excavation operations | Occupations involved in the operation of power-driven woodworking machines |
| Occupations involved in the operations of power-driven metal forming, punching, and shearing machines | Occupations in the operation of power-driven meat-processing machines and occupations involving slaughtering, meat and poultry packing, processing, or rendering | Occupations involved in the operation of balers, compactors, and paperproducts machines |
| Occupations involving the operation of circular saws, band saws, guillotine shears, chain saws, reciprocating saws, wood chippers, and abrasive cutting discs | Occupations in roofing operations and on or about a roof | Occupations in excavation operations |
IN Statutes 22-2-18.1, IN Department of Labor – Youth Employment, FLSA
Does a teen need to have a work permit or certificate to work in Indiana?
Indiana child labor laws do not require teens to obtain a work permit to work in Indiana. However, employers who employ 5 or more youth under 18 years olds must register with the Indiana Youth Employment System. IN Statutes 22-2-18.1, IN Department of Labor – Youth Employment
Also, teens may obtain a federal certificate of age to validate their age and employers may rely on the federal age certificate to defend themselves from claims that they employed an underage teen. FLSA Child Labor Law Age Certificates
Are youth workers entitled to rest breaks or meal breaks?
In Iowa, employers are not required to provide teens with either rest breaks or meal breaks. IN Department of Labor – Youth Employment
