Working Under Eighteen
Va. Code 40.1-80.1 — hours under 16 by regulation, and a lunch period after five hours
In Virginia, the statute does not list the hours itself. No child under 16 years of age may work more hours per week or per day, or at the hours of the day, that the Commissioner of Labor and Industry determines by regulation to be detrimental, and those regulations incorporate the federal standards on hours for children under 16.
A lunch period after five hours. No child may be employed for more than five hours continuously without an interval of at least 30 minutes for a lunch period, and a shorter interval does not break up the continuous period.
| The question | The statute's answer |
|---|---|
| The questionUnder 16: hours per day, per week and time of day | The statute's answerSet by the Commissioner's regulations, which incorporate the federal standards |
| The questionAny child: a break | The statute's answerAt least 30 minutes for lunch after five hours continuously |
The regulations' own hour figures, work permits and hazardous 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 Virginia attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- Va. Code 40.1-80.1 — Employment of children
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Virginia attorney.