--- title: "How Late Can a 15-Year-Old Work at a Restaurant?" description: "Under federal law, until 7 p.m., or 9 p.m. from June 1 through Labor Day. Also no more than 3 hours on a school day and 18 hours in a school week." url: https://www.tipmaxapp.com/us/answers/how-late-can-a-15-year-old-work-at-a-restaurant language: en publisher: TipMax (Entermaurs Incorporated) date_published: 2026-09-23 last_verified: 2026-09-23 --- # How late can a 15-year-old work at a restaurant? **Short answer:** Under federal law, a 14- or 15-year-old can work only between **7 a.m. and 7 p.m.**, extended to **9 p.m. from June 1 through Labor Day**. On top of that: outside school hours only, no more than **3 hours on a school day** (Fridays included), **18 hours in a school week**, **8 hours on a non-school day**, and **40 hours in a non-school week**. At 16 and 17 there are no federal hour limits. Your state may be stricter. ## Example: a school week Say you’re 15, it’s October, and school is in session Monday through Friday. Here’s a schedule that stays inside the federal limits (illustrative). | Day | Shift | Hours | Federal check | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Tuesday | 4–7 p.m. | 3 | School day: 3-hour max, done by 7 p.m. | | Thursday | 4–7 p.m. | 3 | Same | | Friday | 4–7 p.m. | 3 | Friday counts as a school day | | Saturday | 10 a.m.–6 p.m. | 8 | Non-school day: 8-hour max | | **Week total** | | **17** | Under the 18-hour school-week max | A Friday shift from 5 to 9 p.m. in October would break two rules: it runs past 7 p.m., and it’s 4 hours on a school day. The same shift in July would be fine on time of day, because the evening limit moves to 9 p.m. from June 1 through Labor Day. **Not tax or legal advice.** ## Plain English ### The federal hours limits at 14 and 15 | Rule | Federal limit (29 CFR 570.35) | | --- | --- | | When | Outside school hours only | | Time of day | 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; 9 p.m. from June 1 through Labor Day | | School day | Up to 3 hours, including Fridays | | Non-school day | Up to 8 hours | | Week when school is in session | Up to 18 hours | | Week when school is not in session | Up to 40 hours | A “week when school is in session” means any week your local school district is in session for at least one day or part of a day. Summer school doesn’t count as school hours. A week here is your employer’s fixed 7-day workweek. ### What a 14- or 15-year-old can and can’t do in a restaurant kitchen - **Can:** serve food, run a register, bus, wash dishes, and use machines like dishwashers, toasters, milkshake blenders, coffee machines, food warmers and heat lamps. - **Can cook** on electric or gas grills that don’t involve an open flame, and use deep fryers only if they automatically lower and raise the baskets. - **Can’t:** bake, or use broilers, rotisseries, pressure cookers, fryolators, high-speed ovens or rapid toasters. - **Can’t:** work in freezers or meat coolers, except stepping in briefly to grab something. - **Can’t:** clean kitchen equipment or handle hot oil or grease unless it’s no hotter than 100°F. ### At 16 and 17 DOL says 16- and 17-year-olds may work unlimited hours in any job not declared hazardous. It does bar them from hazardous jobs. In a restaurant, DOL says that includes running, setting up or cleaning power-driven meat slicers, meat saws, patty-forming machines, meat grinders and choppers, commercial mixers and certain bakery machines, and loading or running balers and compactors (with a narrow paper-baler exception). DOL also says no one under 18 may drive on the job, with a narrow exception for some 17-year-olds. ### Your state’s rules DOL says that where a state child labor law is stricter than federal law, the state law applies. Check with your state labor office on DOL’s [list of state labor offices](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/state/contacts), or call DOL’s Wage and Hour Division at 1-866-487-9243. ## Common mistakes - Forgetting Friday is a school day, so the 3-hour limit applies. - Assuming the 9 p.m. summer limit starts when school lets out. Federally it’s June 1. - Scheduling a close. The whole shift, closing duties included, has to fit between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. (9 p.m. in summer). - Letting a 15-year-old help at the fryer or oven because it’s busy. ## Official sources - [eCFR: 29 CFR 570.35, Hours of work for minors 14 and 15 years of age](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/subtitle-B/chapter-V/subchapter-A/part-570/subpart-C/section-570.35) - [eCFR: 29 CFR 570.34, Occupations permitted for minors 14 and 15 years of age (cooking and kitchen work)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/subtitle-B/chapter-V/subchapter-A/part-570/subpart-C/section-570.34) - [U.S. Department of Labor, Fact Sheet #2A: Child Labor Rules for Employing Youth in Restaurants and Quick-Service Establishments](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/2a-child-labor-restaurants) - [U.S. Department of Labor: YouthRules!](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/youthrules) - [U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division: State Labor Offices](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/state/contacts) ## Last verified September 23, 2026. Checked 29 CFR 570.35 and 570.34 as of September 1, 2026 (hours, time of day, school-week definitions, permitted cooking and kitchen work), DOL Fact Sheet #2A (revised July 2010: no baking, prohibited cooking equipment, freezers, hazardous jobs at 16 and 17, driving), and YouthRules! (stricter state law applies). ## Related - [How do I get a serving job with no experience?](https://www.tipmaxapp.com/us/answers/how-to-get-a-serving-job-with-no-experience) - [Can my manager make me work without a break?](https://www.tipmaxapp.com/us/answers/can-my-manager-make-me-work-without-a-break) - [Slips, burns and cuts: staying safe as a server](https://www.tipmaxapp.com/us/answers/slips-burns-and-cuts-for-servers) - [Is my manager allowed to do that?](https://www.tipmaxapp.com/us/answers/is-my-manager-allowed-to-do-that) ## How TipMax helps with this Logging each shift with its hours makes it easy to see your weekly total before a schedule goes over the limit. TipMax is an iPhone app for servers and bartenders that tracks tips and tip-outs and turns a restaurant menu into study flashcards. - Log cash and card tips per shift in seconds. - Weekly, monthly, and pay-period totals. - Track multiple jobs, each with its own fields. Download TipMax free: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/tipmax-study-track-earn/id6744850146 --- TipMax Answers explains public IRS and U.S. Department of Labor guidance in plain English for tipped workers. It is **not tax, legal, or accounting advice**. Federal rules are a floor; your state may add its own tip rules. Confirm with IRS.gov, DOL.gov, your state labor agency, or a qualified professional. TipMax the app helps you track tips and tip-outs; it does not file your taxes or decide tip-pool disputes.