IL · age-by-state job guide
What jobs can a 17 year old do in Illinois?
Quick answer for 17-year-olds in Illinois — what hours are legal, whether a work permit is required, and the most common allowed jobs. Built directly from Illinois state labor code.
Updated:
Quick answer
- Can a 17-year-old work?
- Yes
- Work permit
- Not required
- Minimum work age
- 14+
Employment Certificate
In Illinois
Legal work hours
Illinois sets different hour caps depending on whether school is in session.
During the school year
- Hours per day
- 8 hr
- Hours per week
- 48 hr
- Time window
- 06:00 – 22:00
No more than 6 consecutive days of work. Up to 11:00 PM with written parental consent on non-school nights.
Summer / school breaks
- Hours per day
- 8 hr
- Hours per week
- 48 hr
- Time window
- 06:00 – 00:00
Up to midnight when school is not in session.
Common allowed jobs for a 17-year-old
General age-appropriate jobs under federal FLSA. Illinois adds its own restricted-occupations list below — check that before accepting any job.
- Full retail, food-service, and clerical work — no state Employment Certificate
Illinois Child Labor Law of 2024 (effective Jan 1, 2025) dropped the state Employment Certificate requirement at 16-17. Employer keeps proof of age on file instead.
- 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
- Hotel and hospitality front-of-house — server, host, bell (no alcohol service)
Illinois Liquor Control Act (235 ILCS 5/6-16) bars on-premises alcohol service under 18. Front-of-house tasks not involving alcohol are open.
- Office, data-entry, internship, and customer-support roles
- Construction-trade pre-apprenticeship under registered apprenticeship programs
Illinois allows 17-year-olds in registered apprenticeship programs. HO-16 roofing and HO-2 on-road driving remain barred for minors under 18.
- Door-to-door sales (state ban lifts at 16)
Illinois bans door-to-door sales for minors under 16 only — 17-year-olds may sell door-to-door without state restriction.
Restricted in Illinois
- All federal hazardous orders HO-1 through HO-17(29 CFR Part 570)
- Operating power-driven meat-processing machines(HO-10)
- Door-to-door sales for minors under 16(820 ILCS 205/2.1)
- Roofing operations and work on or about a roof(HO-16)
- Excavation operations(HO-17)
Related guides
Read the full Illinois 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.