Working Under Eighteen
Lab. & Empl. § 3-211 — 4 hours a school day under 16, and 8:00 p.m. outside the summer
In Maryland, a minor under the age of 16 years may not be employed outside the hours the section allows, unless the Commissioner grants an exception.
| Under 16 | The limit |
|---|---|
| Under 16Morning | The limitNot before 7:00 a.m. |
| Under 16The day after Labor Day through the day before Memorial Day | The limitNot after 8:00 p.m. |
| Under 16Memorial Day through Labor Day | The limitNot after 9:00 p.m. |
| Under 16A school day | The limitNot more than 4 hours |
| Under 16A day school is not in session | The limitNot more than 8 hours |
| Under 16A week school is in session for 5 days | The limitNot more than 23 hours |
| Under 16A week school is not in session | The limitNot more than 40 hours |
Work-study. The hour limits do not count hours in a bona fide work-study or student-learner program while school is normally in session.
An exception from the Commissioner. The Commissioner may grant a minor an exception with the written consent of a parent, after finding there will be no hazard to the minor's health or welfare and that it will not impede the minor's graduation requirements.
Work permits, the rules for older minors and prohibited occupations are not on this page. How these rules apply to a particular job, and the federal rules that may also apply, are questions for the state's labor department or a licensed Maryland attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- Md. Code, Lab. & Empl. § 3-211 — Hours of work for minors under 16
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Maryland attorney.