PA· State teen labor law
Pennsylvania teen labor law — work hours, permits, and restricted jobs
Pennsylvania requires a general work permit for every minor under 18 and caps 16-17-year-olds at 28 hours per school week — one of the stricter Mid-Atlantic states. Permits are not job-specific and remain valid until age 18.
Quick facts
School year vs summer hour caps
Pennsylvania 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
- 18 hr
- Time window
- 07:00 – 19:00
Note: 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 apply Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. Evening cutoff extends to 9:00 PM.
Ages 16–17
School year
When school is in session
- Max hours per day
- 8 hr
- Max hours per week
- 28 hr
- Time window
- 06:00 – 23:00
Note: Up to midnight on evenings not preceding a school day with written parental consent. Maximum 6 consecutive days.
Summer / school breaks
When school is out
- Max hours per day
- 10 hr
- Max hours per week
- 48 hr
- Time window
- 06:00 – 01:00
Note: Up to 1:00 AM on nights not preceding a school day during summer and school breaks.
Work permit
Pennsylvania requires a work permit for minors aged 14–17.
The minor applies in person at the school district's Issuing Officer with proof of age and a parent or guardian's signature. The permit is general (not job-specific) and remains valid until age 18 or revocation.
Form: Pennsylvania Work Permit (Form LLC-1)
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
Roofing operations and work on or about a roof
Federal: HO-16
Door-to-door sales for minors under 16 without adult supervision
State: 43 P.S. §40.7
Construction work and demolition for minors under 18
State: 43 P.S. §40.7(b)
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: Pennsylvania Child Labor Act of 2012, 43 P.S. §§ 40.1-40.16
US DOL Wage & Hour Division: https://www.dli.pa.gov/Individuals/Labor-Management-Relations/llc/child-labor/Pages/default.aspx
Informational only — verify with the Pennsylvania Department of Labor before hiring or starting work.
Frequently asked questions
- Can a 14-year-old work in Pennsylvania?
- Yes — under Pennsylvania law a 14-year-old can work up to 3 hours per school day, up to 18 hours per week, between 07:00 and 19:00. A Pennsylvania work permit is required.
- How many hours can a 15-year-old work during school in Pennsylvania?
- When school is in session, Pennsylvania allows a 15-year-old to work up to 3 hours per school day, up to 18 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 Pennsylvania require a work permit for minors?
- Yes — Pennsylvania requires a work permit for minors aged 14-17 (form: Pennsylvania Work Permit (Form LLC-1)). The minor applies in person at the school district's Issuing Officer with proof of age and a parent or guardian's signature. The permit is general (not job-specific) and remains valid until age 18 or revocation.
- How many hours can a 16-year-old work during summer in Pennsylvania?
- During summer or school breaks, Pennsylvania allows a 16-year-old to work up to 10 hours per school day, up to 48 hours per week, between 06:00 and 01:00. 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 Pennsylvania?
- Pennsylvania prohibits minors from a number of hazardous occupations, including: all federal hazardous orders ho-1 through ho-17; operating power-driven meat-processing machines; roofing operations and work on or about a roof. The full list of federal hazardous orders (HO-1 through HO-17) also applies. See the Pennsylvania Child Labor Act of 2012, 43 P.S. §§ 40.1-40.16 citation on this page for the statutory source.