ME · age-by-state job guide
What jobs can a 16 year old do in Maine?
Quick answer for 16-year-olds in Maine — what hours are legal, whether a work permit is required, and the most common allowed jobs. Built directly from Maine state labor code.
Updated:
Quick answer
- Can a 16-year-old work?
- Yes
- Work permit
- Not required
- Minimum work age
- 14+
Maine Work Permit
In Maine
Legal work hours
Maine sets different hour caps depending on whether school is in session.
During the school year
- Hours per school day
- 6 hr
- Hours per non-school day
- 10 hr
- Hours per week
- 24 hr
- Time window
- 07:00 – 22:15
School-week cap of 24 hours (6 hours on a school day, 10 on a non-school day). Up to 50 hours/week when school is closed for the full week.
Summer / school breaks
- Hours per day
- 10 hr
- Hours per week
- 50 hr
- Time window
- 05:00 – 00:00
Summer cap of 50 hours per week. Up to midnight on nights not preceding a school day.
Common allowed jobs for a 16-year-old
General age-appropriate jobs under federal FLSA. Maine adds its own restricted-occupations list below — check that before accepting any job.
- Cooking and baking with grills and deep fryers (with ME Work Permit)
Distinctive Maine rule: 16-17-year-olds still need a Maine Work Permit issued by the school superintendent under 26 MRSA § 775. Maine caps 16-17-year-olds at 6 hrs per school day, 10 hrs non-school day, 24 hrs per school week, 50 hrs per non-school week — stricter than the federal floor (no hour cap at 16-17). Hours are 7 AM–10:15 PM school nights, 7 AM–midnight non-school nights.
- Lifeguard at any pool, water park, or beach (with certification)
- Cashier, sales associate, or stocker at any retail establishment (non-alcohol)
Distinctive Maine rule: 28-A MRSA § 1077 prohibits minors under 17 from selling or serving any alcoholic beverage. 16-year-olds may cashier and stock non-alcohol retail but cannot ring up or serve alcohol until 17.
- Office assistant, receptionist, or data-entry clerk
- Park, recreation, and camp staff
- Warehouse jobs without power-driven hoists (HO-7) or forklifts
- Hotel and hospitality front-of-house roles (no alcohol service until 17)
Restricted in Maine
- 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(26 MRSA §775)
- Logging and sawmilling for minors under 18(26 MRSA §774)
Related guides
Read the full Maine rules
This page summarizes the rules for 16-year-olds. For all ages, age-band breakdown, statute citation, and DOL references, see the full state page.