Yes, you can get a part-time job at 14 in the United States. Federal law sets 14 as the minimum age for most non-farm work, and once you hit that birthday, retail stores, restaurants, offices, and a range of other employers can legally hire you. What changes as you get older is how many hours you can work and what kind of work you can do; at 14, both are tightly limited so that a job doesn’t interfere with school.
How Many Hours You Can Work
The hour rules are the single biggest thing to understand before applying. They shift depending on whether school is in session.
During any week that school is in session, a 14-year-old can work up to 18 hours total, and no more than 3 hours on a school day (Fridays included). When school is out for summer or a holiday break, the cap climbs to 40 hours a week and 8 hours a day.1U.S. Department of Labor. eLaws – Fair Labor Standards Act Advisor – Hours Restrictions
Time of day is restricted year-round. You can only work between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. From June 1 through Labor Day, the evening cutoff moves to 9 p.m. An employer cannot schedule you outside those hours even if you offer to take the shift. Some states set stricter limits than the federal ones, and when they do, the employer has to follow the stricter rule.2U.S. Department of Labor. Fact Sheet #43 – Child Labor Provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) for Nonagricultural Occupations
Jobs You Can Do at 14
Federal regulations spell out the categories of work open to 14- and 15-year-olds.3eCFR. 29 CFR 570.34 – Occupations That May Be Performed by Minors 14 and 15 Years of Age The list is wider than most teens expect:
- Retail and grocery work: cashiering, bagging, shelving, price tagging, window trimming, and carrying orders out to customers.
- Food service: kitchen prep, serving, running dishwashers, and operating toasters, microwave ovens (used only to warm prepared food), milkshake blenders, and coffee machines. Cooking on electric or gas grills is allowed as long as there is no open flame.
- Office and clerical tasks: filing, data entry, and general administrative work.
- Creative and intellectual work: computer programming, tutoring, teaching assistance, writing software, singing, playing instruments, and drawing.
- Errands and delivery on foot, by bicycle, or by public transportation.
- Cleanup and grounds work, including vacuuming and floor waxing, but not with power-driven mowers, trimmers, or edgers.
One common summer job is off-limits: lifeguarding. Federal rules let 15-year-olds lifeguard at traditional swimming pools with Red Cross certification, but 14-year-olds are excluded.4U.S. Department of Labor. Fact Sheet #60 – Application of the Federal Child Labor Provisions of the FLSA to the Employment of Lifeguards
Jobs and Equipment That Are Off-Limits
Two categories of work are barred. First, 14- and 15-year-olds cannot work in manufacturing, mining, or processing operations at all. Second, 17 Hazardous Occupation Orders keep anyone under 18 out of the most dangerous work, including roofing, excavation, operating power-driven saws and wood chippers, and any job involving explosives.5eCFR. 29 CFR Part 570 – Child Labor Regulations, Orders and Statements of Interpretation – Section 570.120
Food service equipment has its own rules. A deep fryer is allowed only if it has an automatic basket that lowers food into the oil and raises it back out on its own. Cooking over an open flame is prohibited. Rotisseries, pressure cookers, high-speed ovens, and commercial broilers are also off-limits.6U.S. Department of Labor. Fact Sheet #58 – Cooking and Baking Under the Federal Child Labor Provisions of FLSA If a manager asks you to do something that isn’t on the allowed list, that’s a sign to push back or walk away. The rules apply whether or not you agree to the task.
What You’ll Get Paid
Federal law lets employers pay workers under 20 as little as $4.25 an hour during the first 90 calendar days of employment. That’s below the standard federal minimum wage of $7.25, and the youth rate doesn’t rise when the regular minimum goes up.7U.S. Department of Labor. Fact Sheet #32 – Youth Minimum Wage – Fair Labor Standards Act
The 90 days run on consecutive calendar days from your first day of work, not days actually worked. Start on June 1 and the youth wage period closes around August 29 no matter how many shifts you took. After that, you’re entitled to at least the full federal minimum wage. Many states set higher minimums, and some don’t allow the youth subminimum at all, so check your state’s rule before assuming $4.25 is your number.
If Your Parent Owns the Business or a Farm
Children of any age can generally work for a business owned entirely by their parents. Kids under 16 still can’t do manufacturing or mining work even for a parent, and no one under 18 can perform the hazardous work covered by the federal orders.2U.S. Department of Labor. Fact Sheet #43 – Child Labor Provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) for Nonagricultural Occupations The exception doesn’t apply if the business is a corporation or partnership that the parent doesn’t solely own.
Farm work runs on a separate track. On a farm owned or operated by your parents, children can work at any age without federal restriction. On other farms, 14- and 15-year-olds can do non-hazardous agricultural work but are barred from tasks the Department of Labor classifies as dangerous, such as running large tractors or certain harvesting machinery.8U.S. Department of Labor. Age Requirements
Paperwork You’ll Need Before Starting
Expect to bring several documents to a first day of work.
An Employment Certificate
Many states require an employment certificate, often called “working papers,” before a minor can start. Whether it’s mandatory, optional, or not issued at all depends on the state.9U.S. Department of Labor. Employment/Age Certificate Where required, you usually get the form from a school guidance office or your state labor department, add your information, get a parent or guardian signature, and sometimes have the school verify attendance. The cost is typically nothing or a small fee.
Proof of Age
The employer needs to confirm you meet the minimum age. A birth certificate, passport, state-issued ID, or a parent’s sworn statement of your age will satisfy this in most states.9U.S. Department of Labor. Employment/Age Certificate
Form I-9 and Form W-4
Every new hire completes a Form I-9 to prove identity and work eligibility. Most adults use a driver’s license, but 14-year-olds rarely have one. Federal rules let minors under 18 substitute a school record, report card, or clinic or hospital record for the identity portion.10U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-9 Acceptable Documents
You’ll also fill out IRS Form W-4, which tells your employer how much federal income tax to withhold. If you had no tax liability last year and expect none this year, you can check the “exempt” box and skip withholding.11Internal Revenue Service. Form W-4 – Employee’s Withholding Certificate (2026) Most part-time teen workers qualify, but a parent can help you decide. Have your Social Security number ready for payroll setup.
Finding an Employer That Hires at 14
The legal answer is yes, but the practical hurdle is that many employers prefer to start hiring at 16, when hour rules loosen. Businesses that regularly hire 14-year-olds tend to be grocery stores, fast-food restaurants, ice cream shops, movie theaters, and amusement parks. Watch for “Now Hiring” signs at those places and ask a manager directly whether they hire at your age.
Online job boards work too, as long as you filter for entry-level roles and check the listed minimum age. Show up to the interview with your documents in order: work permit if your state requires one, proof of age, and your Social Security number. Be straightforward about your school schedule and the federal hour limits. A manager who bristles at those limits is one to skip, because the rules aren’t negotiable and a good employer already knows them.