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WI · Employer compliance

Hire a minor in Wisconsin: 6-step compliance checklist

The federal Fair Labor Standards Act sets a floor; Wisconsin adds its own rules. The stricter of the two always wins. This page walks through the six checks every Wisconsin employer must complete before a 14-, 15-, 16-, or 17-year-old starts work — sourced from the US DOL Wisconsin state page and Wisconsin Statutes §§ 103.64-103.82 (Employment of Minors).

Last verified:

Minimum work age

14

State work permit

Required (14–17)

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 Wisconsin the state work permit (Wisconsin Child Labor 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 Wisconsin hour caps

    Use the stricter rule for the employee’s age band and school-in-session status. Below are Wisconsin’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

    07:00 – 21:00

    Ages 16–17

    School in session

    8 hr / day · 26 hr / week

    06:00 – 23:00

    School out (summer)

    8 hr / day · 50 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.

    Wisconsin 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
    • Selling alcohol on premises licensed for sale (under 18)

  4. Obtain the Wisconsin work permit

    Permits are issued online by the DWD. The minor pays a $10 fee, provides proof of age, a Social Security number, parental consent, and an employer's letter of intent. A separate permit is required for each new job. The DWD emails the permit to the minor and employer.

    Form
    Wisconsin Child Labor Permit
    Issued by
    Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD)
    Applies to ages
    14–17
    Wisconsin permit info page →

    How to apply for the Wisconsin work permit →

  5. Post the required notices

    Display the federal FLSA Youth Employment poster and the Wisconsin state child-labor poster where employees can see them. Both are free downloads from the US DOL Wage & Hour Division and the Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin 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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