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RI · Employer compliance

Hire a minor in Rhode Island: 6-step compliance checklist

The federal Fair Labor Standards Act sets a floor; Rhode Island adds its own rules. The stricter of the two always wins. This page walks through the six checks every Rhode Island employer must complete before a 14-, 15-, 16-, or 17-year-old starts work — sourced from the US DOL Rhode Island state page and Rhode Island General Laws Chapter 28-3 (Employment of Children).

Last verified:

Minimum work age

14

State work permit

Required (14–15)

Restricted occupations on file

5

Stricter than federal?

Yes

  1. Verify the minor's age

    Before scheduling the first shift, get documentary proof of the employee’s date of birth. In Rhode Island the state work permit (Special Limited Permit) doubles as the age certificate — the issuing authority verifies the birth date when the permit is issued.

  2. Apply the stricter of federal or Rhode Island hour caps

    Use the stricter rule for the employee’s age band and school-in-session status. Below are Rhode Island’s state-specific caps for the two main age bands.

    Ages 14–15

    School in session

    3 hr / day · 18 hr / week

    07:00 – 19:00

    School out (summer)

    8 hr / day · 40 hr / week

    06:00 – 21:00

    Ages 16–17

    School in session

    9 hr / day · 48 hr / week

    06:00 – 23:30

    School out (summer)

    9 hr / day · 48 hr / week

    06:00 – 00:30

  3. Block hazardous and restricted occupations

    The 17 federal Hazardous Orders (HO-1 to HO-17) prohibit minors under 18 from specific non-agricultural occupations — meat processing, power tools, roofing, mining, certain driving roles, and more. See the full federal HO list.

    Rhode Island adds the following restrictions on top of the federal floor:

    • All federal hazardous orders HO-1 through HO-17(29 CFR Part 570)
    • Operating power-driven meat-processing machines(HO-10)
    • Roofing operations and work on or about a roof(HO-16)
    • Door-to-door sales for minors under 16 without adult supervision
    • Sale or service of alcohol for minors under 18

  4. Obtain the Rhode Island work permit

    Minors 14-15 obtain a Special Limited Permit from their school district issuing officer. The minor presents the employer's offer plus a parent or guardian's signature. The permit is job-specific. 16- and 17-year-olds do not need a permit but the employer keeps age verification on file.

    Form
    Special Limited Permit
    Issued by
    Local school district issuing officer (Special Limited Permit)
    Applies to ages
    14–15
    Rhode Island permit info page →Download Rhode Island work permit (PDF)

    How to apply for the Rhode Island work permit →

  5. Post the required notices

    Display the federal FLSA Youth Employment poster and the Rhode Island state child-labor poster where employees can see them. Both are free downloads from the US DOL Wage & Hour Division and the Rhode Island labor agency. Failure to post is one of the most common citations issued during WHD audits.

  6. Keep records for at least 3 years

    Federal FLSA §11(c) sets a 3-year minimum for payroll, hours, age verification, and (where applicable) the Rhode Island work permit. Many states require longer retention specifically for minor-employment documents — typically until 3 years after the minor turns 18. Keep: payroll + hours, age verification, the state permit, parental consent forms (where applicable), and any time-off / training records.

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