Working Under Eighteen
N.J.S.A. 34:2-21.3 — eight hours a day under 18, and 11 p.m. between 16 and 18
In New Jersey, no minor under 18 years of age may work more than six consecutive days in a week, more than 40 hours in a week, or more than eight hours in a day, outside the exceptions the section lists.
| Under 16 | The limit |
|---|---|
| Under 16The window | The limitNot before 7 a.m. or after 7 p.m. |
| Under 16A school day, 14 and 15 | The limitNot more than three hours, during non-school hours |
| Under 16A school week, 14 and 15 | The limitNot more than 18 hours, and up to eight hours on a non-school day |
| Under 16From the last day of school to Labor Day, 14 and 15 | The limitIn a restaurant, supermarket, other retail establishment or other permitted occupation, up to 40 hours a week and until 9 p.m. |
| Between 16 and 18 | The limit |
|---|---|
| Between 16 and 18The window | The limitNot before 6 a.m. or after 11 p.m. |
| Between 16 and 18After 11 p.m. | The limitAllowed during a regular vacation season and on days that do not precede a scheduled school day |
| Between 16 and 18From the last day of school to Labor Day | The limitUp to 50 hours a week and up to 10 hours a day |
Six hours, then lunch. No minor under eighteen may work more than six hours continuously without an interval of at least thirty minutes for a lunch period.
Working papers, seasonal amusement and theatrical exceptions, and prohibited occupations 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 New Jersey attorney.
Sources for this section (2)
- N.J.S.A. 34:2-21.3 — Limitations on minors' working hours
- N.J.S.A. 34:2-21.4 — Lunch period for minors under 18
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed New Jersey attorney.