IL· State teen labor law
Illinois teen labor law — work hours, permits, and restricted jobs
Illinois replaced its 1909-era statute with the Child Labor Law of 2024 (effective January 1, 2025), tightening the school-week cap for 14-15-year-olds to 24 hours and clarifying Employment Certificate requirements. 16-17-year-olds face no state weekly cap during the school year but cannot work past 10:00 PM on school nights.
Quick facts
School year vs summer hour caps
Illinois tightens daily and weekly limits while school is in session, then eases them during summer and school breaks. Each age band below shows both calendars side-by-side — a distinction federal summaries and most state-comparison tables skip.
Ages 14–15
School year
When school is in session
- Hrs/day (school day)
- 3 hr
- Hrs/day (Sat / Sun / holiday)
- 8 hr
- Max hours per week
- 24 hr
- Time window
- 07:00 – 19:00
Note: Maximum 24 hours during a school week (combined school + work) under the Child Labor Law of 2024. No work during school hours.
Summer / school breaks
When school is out
- Max hours per day
- 8 hr
- Max hours per week
- 40 hr
- Time window
- 07:00 – 21:00
Note: Summer hours (June 1 through Labor Day) extend evening cutoff to 9:00 PM.
Ages 16–17
School year
When school is in session
- Max hours per day
- 8 hr
- Max hours per week
- 48 hr
- Time window
- 06:00 – 22:00
Note: No more than 6 consecutive days of work. Up to 11:00 PM with written parental consent on non-school nights.
Summer / school breaks
When school is out
- Max hours per day
- 8 hr
- Max hours per week
- 48 hr
- Time window
- 06:00 – 00:00
Note: Up to midnight when school is not in session.
Work permit
Illinois requires a work permit for minors aged 14–15.
Under the Child Labor Law of 2024 (effective January 1, 2025), 14- and 15-year-olds must obtain an Employment Certificate from their school superintendent before starting work. The minor presents a Statement of Intent to Employ from the employer, plus proof of age. 16- and 17-year-olds no longer need a state-issued permit but employers must keep age verification on file.
Form: Employment Certificate
Restricted occupations
All federal hazardous orders HO-1 through HO-17
Federal: 29 CFR Part 570
Operating power-driven meat-processing machines
Federal: HO-10
Door-to-door sales for minors under 16
State: 820 ILCS 205/2.1
Roofing operations and work on or about a roof
Federal: HO-16
Excavation operations
Federal: HO-17
See the full federal hazardous orders (HO-1 to HO-17) for plain-English summaries and cross-state additions.
Where these rules come from
State code: Illinois Child Labor Law of 2024, 820 ILCS 206/1 et seq.
US DOL Wage & Hour Division: https://labor.illinois.gov/laws-rules/childlabor.html
Informational only — verify with the Illinois Department of Labor before hiring or starting work.
Frequently asked questions
- Can a 14-year-old work in Illinois?
- Yes — under Illinois law a 14-year-old can work up to 3 hours per school day, up to 24 hours per week, between 07:00 and 19:00. A Illinois work permit is required.
- How many hours can a 15-year-old work during school in Illinois?
- When school is in session, Illinois allows a 15-year-old to work up to 3 hours per school day, up to 24 hours per week, between 07:00 and 19:00. During summer or school breaks the cap rises to up to 8 hours per school day, up to 40 hours per week, between 07:00 and 21:00.
- Does Illinois require a work permit for minors?
- Yes — Illinois requires a work permit for minors aged 14-15 (form: Employment Certificate). Under the Child Labor Law of 2024 (effective January 1, 2025), 14- and 15-year-olds must obtain an Employment Certificate from their school superintendent before starting work. The minor presents a Statement of Intent to Employ from the employer, plus proof of age. 16- and 17-year-olds no longer need a state-issued permit but employers must keep age verification on file.
- How many hours can a 16-year-old work during summer in Illinois?
- During summer or school breaks, Illinois allows a 16-year-old to work up to 8 hours per school day, up to 48 hours per week, between 06:00 and 00:00. Federal FLSA caps for 16- and 17-year-olds do not limit weekly hours, so the stricter state rule (if any) applies.
- What jobs can a minor not do in Illinois?
- Illinois prohibits minors from a number of hazardous occupations, including: all federal hazardous orders ho-1 through ho-17; operating power-driven meat-processing machines; door-to-door sales for minors under 16. The full list of federal hazardous orders (HO-1 through HO-17) also applies. See the Illinois Child Labor Law of 2024, 820 ILCS 206/1 et seq. citation on this page for the statutory source.