Working Under Eighteen
G.S. 95-25.5 — a youth employment certificate, and not past 11 P.M. before a school day
In North Carolina, no youth under 18 years of age may be employed in any occupation without a youth employment certificate, unless specifically exempted.
School nights, under 18. During the regular school term, no youth under 18 enrolled in grade 12 or lower may be employed between 11 P.M. and 5 A.M. when there is school the next day. For youths 16 and 17 that does not apply where the employer receives written approval from a parent or guardian and from the principal or the principal's designee.
| 14 and 15 | The limit |
|---|---|
| 14 and 15A school day | The limitNo more than three hours |
| 14 and 15A day without school | The limitNo more than eight hours |
| 14 and 15A school week | The limitNo more than 18 hours |
| 14 and 15A week without school | The limitNo more than 40 hours |
| 14 and 15The window | The limitBetween 7 A.M. and 7 P.M., or to 9 P.M. in the summer when school is not in session |
| 14 and 15School hours | The limitOutside school hours only |
Five hours, then a rest. No youth under 16 may be employed for more than five consecutive hours without an interval of at least 30 minutes for rest.
Under 14. No youth 13 or younger may be employed, except that youths 12 and 13 may deliver newspapers outside school hours for not more than three hours a day.
Hazardous occupations, the Commissioner's waivers, alcohol permit premises and the exemptions for performers and family employers 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 North Carolina attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- G.S. 95-25.5 — Youth employment
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed North Carolina attorney.