AL · age-by-state job guide
What jobs can a 17 year old do in Alabama?
Quick answer for 17-year-olds in Alabama — what hours are legal, whether a work permit is required, and the most common allowed jobs. Built directly from Alabama state labor code.
Updated:
Quick answer
- Can a 17-year-old work?
- Yes
- Minimum work age
- 14+
In Alabama
Legal work hours
Alabama sets different hour caps depending on whether school is in session.
During the school year
- Hours per day
- No state limit
- Hours per week
- No state limit
- Time window
- 05:00 – 00:00
No state weekly hour cap. 16-17-year-olds may not work between midnight and 5:00 AM on nights preceding a school day.
Summer / school breaks
- Hours per day
- No state limit
- Hours per week
- No state limit
- Time window
- No state limit
Time-of-day restrictions lift on non-school nights; federal FLSA has no cap for this age group.
Common allowed jobs for a 17-year-old
General age-appropriate jobs under federal FLSA. Alabama adds its own restricted-occupations list below — check that before accepting any job.
- Full retail, food-service, and clerical work (with Eligibility-to-Work form)
Alabama uses an employer-based system: the employer applies online to the Alabama Department of Labor for an annual Child Labor Certificate covering the worksite. At 17 the minor still presents a Class II Eligibility-to-Work form signed by a parent (and, for in-school 17-year-olds, also signed by the school).
- Cooking, baking, and short-order line work with grills, fryers, and HO-11 bakery equipment
- Lifeguard at any pool, water park, beach, or natural-water venue (with valid certification)
- Warehouse and stockroom work without HO-7 power-driven hoists or HO-2 driving
Alabama imposes no state weekly hour cap at 17, only a midnight-to-5 AM curfew on nights preceding a school day (no curfew on non-school nights or once the minor has graduated).
- Hotel and hospitality front-of-house — host, busser, food runner (no alcohol service)
Distinctive Alabama rule continues at 17: sale or service of alcohol stays off-limits until 19 under Ala. Code § 28-3A-25 — stricter than the typical 18 floor in most other states. 17-year-olds may host, bus, and run food but cannot serve alcohol until 19.
- Poultry-processing front-of-house (non-HO-10 tasks only)
Power-driven meat-processing machines (HO-10) remain off-limits at 17. Front-end check-in, packaging line away from the slicers, and clean-up shifts continue to be allowed.
- Construction-trade pre-apprenticeship under registered apprenticeship programs
Alabama allows 17-year-olds in registered apprenticeship programs through the Alabama Office of Apprenticeship. HO-16 roofing and HO-2 on-road driving remain barred for minors under 18.
- Office, data-entry, internship, and customer-support roles
Restricted in Alabama
- 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(Ala. Code §25-8-43)
- Sale or service of alcohol for minors under 19(Ala. Code §28-3A-25)
Related guides
Read the full Alabama rules
This page summarizes the rules for 17-year-olds. For all ages, age-band breakdown, statute citation, and DOL references, see the full state page.