North Carolina 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 North Carolina. 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 North Carolina child labor law rules and limitations.
- How old do you have to be to work in North Carolina?
- What days can a minor work in North Carolina?
- What times during the day can a minor work in North Carolina?
- How many hours can a minor work each day in North Carolina?
- How many hours can a minor work each week in North Carolina?
- What kinds of jobs can a minor work in North Carolina?
- Does a teen need to have a work permit or certificate to work in North Carolina?
- Are youth workers entitled to rest breaks or meal breaks?
How old do you have to be to work in North Carolina?
Under North Carolina child labor laws, youth must be 14-years-old or older to get a job and work in North Carolina with a few exceptions.
North Carolina child labor laws allows 12-year-olds and 13-year-olds to work outside school hours in the delivering newspapers for up to 3 hours each workday.
Also, the North Carolina Department of Labor may grant children under the age of 14 and issues them an employment certificate if:
- a social worker, court, probation officer, county department of social services, a letter from the North Carolina Alcohol Beverage Control Commission or school official provides a letter stating the factors that create a hardship situation for the child and how the best interest of the youth is served by allowing a waiver
- the health or safety of the youth would not be adversely affected; and
- a parent, guardian, or other person standing in loco parentis consents in writing to the proposed employment.
NC Statute 95-25.5, NC Department of Labor – Youth Employment Rules
What days can a minor work in North Carolina?
North Carolina child labor laws do not limit the days of the week youth may work in North Carolina. However, North Carolina rules limit the times during a day a minor may work. NC Statute 95-25.5, NC Department of Labor – Youth Employment Rules
What times during the day can a minor work in North Carolina?
The times during a day a minor may work in North Carolina 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.
For youth that are 16-years-old and 17-years-old, North Carolina child labor laws restricts the hours they may work on any day before a school day to 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. unless a parent/guardian or the child’s principal has given the child written permission to work between those hours. North Carolina child labor laws do not restrict the times during a workday in which 16 and 17-year-olds may work on days before non-school days.
For youth that are 14-years-old and 15-years old, North Carolina 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. |
| Age | Day before School Days | Day before Non-School Days |
|---|---|---|
| What times can a 16-year-old work? | 5 a. m until 11 p.m. | No restriction |
| What times can a 17-year-old work? | 5 a. m until 11 p.m. | No restriction |
NC Statute 95-25.5, NC Department of Labor – Youth Employment Rules
The FLSA also restricts the how many hours a youth may work each workweek. When North Carolina child labor laws are more restrictive than the federal laws, the North Carolina 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 North Carolina?
For youth that are 16-years-old and 17-years-old, North Carolina child labor laws do not restrict how many hours they may work in a workday, except an employer may not require a minor to work when the minor is supposed to be in school.
Moreover, under North Carolina 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? | No restriction | No restriction |
| How many hours can a 17-year-old work each day? | No restriction | No restriction |
NC Statute 95-25.5, NC Department of Labor – Youth Employment Rules
How many hours can a minor work each week in North Carolina?
For youth that are 16-years-old and 17-years-old, North Carolina child labor laws do not restrict how many hours they may work in a workweek, except an employer may not require a minor to work when the minor is supposed to be in school.
Moreover, under North Carolina child labor laws, children that are 14-years-old and 15-years-old may work no more than 18 hours in a school workweek and 40 hours on a non-school workweek.
| 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? | No restriction | No restriction |
| How many hours can a 17-year-old work each day? | No restriction | No restriction |
NC Statute 95-25.5, NC Department of Labor – Youth Employment Rules
What kinds of jobs can a minor work in North Carolina?
Under North Carolina child labor laws and the FLSA, youth under 18 years old may not work in the following jobs except when serving a voluntary apprenticeship or student-learner program.
| Manufacturing and storing explosives | Motor-vehicle driving and outside helper* | Coal mining |
| Logging and sawmilling | Power-driven woodworking machines | Exposure to radioactive substances |
| Power-driven hoisting apparatus | Mining, other than coal mining | Slaughtering, meat-packing processing or rendering |
| Power-driven metal-forming, punching and shearing machines | Power-driven bakery machines | Power-driven paper-products machines |
| Manufacturing brick, tile and kindred products | Power-driven circular saws, band saws and guillotine shears | Wrecking, demolition and ship-breaking operations |
| Any processes where quartz or any other form of silicon dioxide or asbestos silicate is present in powdered form | Any work involving exposure to lead or any of its compounds in any form | At any work involving exposure to benzene or any benzene compound that is volatile or can penetrate the skin |
| Occupations in canneries, seafood and poultry processing that involve cutting or slicing machines, or freezing or packaging activities | Any work which involves the risk of falling a distance of 10 feet or more, including ladders and scaffolds | Any work as an electrician or electrician’s helper |
| Any work in confined spaces | Occupations requiring the use of respirators | Work in an establishment with an ABC on-premises permit (alcohol is served onsite), unless they are working on the outside grounds |
The NC Wage and Hour Act allows youth who are 16 or 17 years of age with a valid N.C. drivers license to drive an automobile not more than 6,000 pounds gross vehicle weight. However, the federal FLSA restricts 16 and 17-year-olds driving more that NC child labor laws.
NC Statute 95-25.5, NC Department of Labor – Youth Employment Rules, FLSA
Does a teen need to have a work permit or certificate to work in North Carolina?
North Carolina child labor laws require teens under the age of 19 to obtain an employment certificate (work permit) to work in the state. Youth may submit an employment certificate application the North Carolina’s Employment Certificate application site.
The first step of the application process is to obtain a youth employment identification number (YEID). Once the YEID is obtained, the youth can provide the YEID to a prospective employer who can then complete its part of the employment certificate process. A teens parent or guardian must also provide written consent for the teen to work before they may work for the prospective employer.
Are youth workers entitled to rest breaks or meal breaks?
In Iowa, employers are required to provide minors with a unpaid meal period lasting 30 minutes or more if the minor works 5 consecutive hours in a shift. NC Statute 95-25.5, NC Department of Labor – Youth Employment Rules
