IN · age-by-state job guide
What jobs can a 14 year old do in Indiana?
Quick answer for 14-year-olds in Indiana — what hours are legal, whether a work permit is required, and the most common allowed jobs. Built directly from Indiana state labor code.
Updated:
Quick answer
- Can a 14-year-old work?
- Yes
- Work permit
- Not required
- Minimum work age
- 14+
In Indiana
Legal work hours
Indiana sets different hour caps depending on whether school is in session.
During the school year
- Hours per school day
- 3 hr
- Hours per non-school day
- 8 hr
- Hours per week
- 18 hr
- Time window
- 07:00 – 19:00
No work during school hours.
Summer / school breaks
- Hours per day
- 8 hr
- Hours per week
- 40 hr
- Time window
- 07:00 – 21:00
Summer hours apply June 1 through Labor Day; evening cutoff extends to 9:00 PM.
Common allowed jobs for a 14-year-old
General age-appropriate jobs under federal FLSA. Indiana adds its own restricted-occupations list below — check that before accepting any job.
- Retail cashier or sales clerk (employer registers via Indiana YES portal)
Indiana eliminated the state work-permit requirement in 2020. Employers register the minor in the Indiana Department of Labor's Youth Employment System (YES) portal; the minor does not apply for a permit.
- Counter food-service or drive-thru (no flame cooking)
Indiana caps 14-15-year-olds at 3 hrs per school day, 18 per school week, 7 AM–7 PM during the school year (9 PM June 1–Labor Day).
- Office or clerical work — filing, data entry, reception
- Tutoring younger students
- Park, recreation, or community-center program assistant
- Hand-tool yard work for neighbors
Power-driven mowers, weed-whackers, and chainsaws stay 16+ under federal HO-6 / HO-12; Indiana's state HO list runs parallel.
- Newspaper delivery on a regular route
Federal FLSA carve-out at 29 USC § 213(d).
Restricted in Indiana
- 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(IC 20-33-3-31)
- Sale or service of alcohol for minors under 19 (servers) or 21 (bartenders)(IC 7.1-5-7-10)
Related guides
Read the full Indiana rules
This page summarizes the rules for 14-year-olds. For all ages, age-band breakdown, statute citation, and DOL references, see the full state page.