Working Under Eighteen
G.L. c. 149, § 66 — not after 10:00 p.m., later at 16 only before a non-school day, and an adult after 8:00 p.m.
In Massachusetts, chapter 149 sets one set of limits for minors under sixteen, a nighttime rule for every child, and a weekly cap for those under eighteen.
| Under sixteen | The limit |
|---|---|
| Under sixteenDays | The limitNot more than six days in a week |
| Under sixteenA week | The limitNot more than forty-eight hours |
| Under sixteenA day | The limitNot more than eight hours, and split shifts fall within nine consecutive hours |
| Under sixteenThe window | The limitNot before half past six in the morning or after seven in the evening, extended to nine in the evening from July first through Labor Day |
Nights, for every child. No child may work before 6:00 a.m. or after 10:00 p.m. A child 16 or older may work until 11:30 p.m., or until 12 o'clock in a restaurant or race track, on any night other than one before a regularly scheduled school day. A place that stops serving customers at 10:00 p.m. may keep a child until 10:15 p.m.
An adult after 8:00 p.m. After 8:00 p.m. a child may work only under the direct and immediate supervision of an adult in a supervisory capacity who is in the workplace and reasonably accessible, except at a kiosk, cart or stand in an enclosed mall with security.
Under eighteen, in the listed establishments. Not more than six days or forty-eight hours in a week, or nine hours in a day, with any split shifts within twelve consecutive hours.
Work permits, the occupations the chapter lists, and the meal break are not all 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 Massachusetts attorney.
Sources for this section (3)
- G.L. c. 149, § 66 — Time of work for children; exceptions
- G.L. c. 149, § 65 — Hours and days of work of minors under sixteen
- G.L. c. 149, § 67 — Days and hours of work for those under eighteen
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Massachusetts attorney.