Working Under Eighteen
Labor Code 51.013 — 14 and 15: eight hours a day, and not past 10 p.m. before a school day
In Texas, a person commits an offense by employing a child under 14 years of age, except as the chapter provides.
| 14 and 15 | The limit |
|---|---|
| 14 and 15A day | The limitNot more than eight hours |
| 14 and 15A week | The limitNot more than 48 hours |
| 14 and 15Enrolled in school, a day followed by a school day | The limitNot between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. |
| 14 and 15Enrolled in school, a day not followed by a school day | The limitNot between midnight and 5 a.m. |
| 14 and 15Summer recess, not in summer school | The limitNot between midnight and 5 a.m. |
A hardship exemption. On a child's application, the workforce commission may find that a hardship exists, and then the hours limits do not apply to that child.
Hazardous occupations, the exceptions to the minimum age, and federal hour limits 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 Texas attorney.
Sources for this section (2)
- Labor Code 51.013 — Hours of employment; hardship exemption
- Labor Code 51.011 — Minimum age
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Texas attorney.