TN· State teen labor law
Tennessee teen labor law — work hours, permits, and restricted jobs
Tennessee follows the federal FLSA caps for 14-15-year-olds and imposes no weekly hour limit on 16-17-year-olds. The only state-specific restriction for older teens is a 10:00 PM curfew on school nights. No state work permit is required.
Quick facts
School year vs summer hour caps
Tennessee applies similar caps year-round, with small calendar adjustments shown below. 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 from the day after school closes through Labor Day.
Ages 16–17
School year
When school is in session
- Max hours per day
- No state limit
- Max hours per week
- No state limit
- Time window
- 06:00 – 22:00
Note: No state hour cap, but 16-17-year-olds may not work between 10:00 PM and 6:00 AM on nights preceding a school day. Up to midnight with written parental consent.
Summer / school breaks
When school is out
- Max hours per day
- No state limit
- Max hours per week
- No state limit
- Time window
- No state limit
Note: Time-of-day restrictions lift on non-school nights; federal FLSA has no cap for this age group.
Work permit
Tennessee does not require a state-issued work permit for minors.
Tennessee does not require a state-issued work permit. Employers must keep age verification on file (driver's license, certified birth certificate, or state ID) and a copy of the school's certification of compliance for minors under 18 who are still enrolled.
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: T.C.A. §50-5-107
Sale or service of alcohol for minors under 18
State: T.C.A. §57-3-406
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: Tennessee Code Annotated §§ 50-5-101 to 50-5-121 (Child Labor Act)
US DOL Wage & Hour Division: https://www.tn.gov/workforce/employees/labor-laws/labor-laws-redirect/child-labor.html
Informational only — verify with the Tennessee Department of Labor before hiring or starting work.
Frequently asked questions
- Can a 14-year-old work in Tennessee?
- Yes — under Tennessee 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.
- How many hours can a 15-year-old work during school in Tennessee?
- When school is in session, Tennessee 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 Tennessee require a work permit for minors?
- Tennessee does not require a state-issued work permit for minors. Employers still must follow federal FLSA rules on hour caps and restricted occupations.
- What jobs can a minor not do in Tennessee?
- Tennessee 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 Tennessee Code Annotated §§ 50-5-101 to 50-5-121 (Child Labor Act) citation on this page for the statutory source.