Texas · Minors · Updated April 2026

Workers 14-15 face strict hour caps. Workers 16-17 are largely unrestricted.

Texas child labor law mostly mirrors the federal FLSA but adds state-specific nightwork rules. 14-15 year olds: 3 hours per school day, 18 hours per school week, 8 hours per non-school day, 40 hours per non-school week. Nightwork prohibited 10pm-5am during the school year (midnight-5am in summer if not enrolled). 16-17 year olds: no hour caps, but federal hazardous occupation rules still apply.

Ages 14-15
18 hrs school week
Ages 14-15
40 hrs summer
Ages 16-17
No hour limits
Active

Minor Hour Limits & Nightwork Ban

Enforces age-tiered weekly hour caps for workers 14-15. Blocks shift acceptance that would exceed the cap or violate the 10pm/midnight nightwork prohibition. 16-17 workers are unrestricted on hours but still face hazardous-occupation rules.

Block accept on shifts exceeding weekly cap
Block accept on shifts past 10pm/midnight cutoff
Warn manager when scheduling near the cap
Always running

What the rule does when a 14-15 year old approaches the weekly cap.

The hero card configuration: two Blocks for cap and nightwork, Avoid warning the manager.

Block · on shift accept past cap

When a 15-year-old has 16 hours scheduled this school week and tries to accept a 4-hour shift (would push to 20, over the 18-hour cap), the worker app blocks acceptance. The shift remains available for other workers.

Block · on shifts past 10pm cutoff

During the school year, shifts ending after 10pm cannot be accepted by 14-15 year old workers. In summer (when not enrolled in summer school), the cutoff extends to midnight. The worker app blocks the action and explains the rule.

Avoid · scheduling warning

When a manager tries to schedule a minor for hours that would approach or exceed the cap, a yellow indicator surfaces. The schedule can save with non-violating hours; offered hours surface to other eligible workers.

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The rule, plainly stated

Two age tiers, two week types, plus a nightwork rule.

Texas adds state-level nightwork restrictions on top of FLSA hour caps. The hour caps for 14-15 mirror the federal rule, but the 10pm/midnight nightwork ban is Texas-specific (federal cap is 7pm/9pm).

Texas Labor Code § 51.013, 51.014; FLSA § 212: An employer shall not employ a child 14 or 15 years of age more than 8 hours in one day, more than 48 hours in one week, more than 18 hours in one school week, or more than 3 hours on a school day. A child 14 or 15 years of age may not be employed between 10 p.m. on a day that is followed by a school day and 5 a.m. on a school day, or between midnight and 5 a.m. on a day that is not followed by a school day or during the summer recess.

Ages 14-15 — federal-aligned hour caps

School week: maximum 18 hours total / 3 hours per school day / 8 hours per non-school day. Non-school week (typically summer): maximum 40 hours / 8 hours per day. These match the federal FLSA caps.

Texas-distinctive nightwork ban

During the school year, 14-15 year olds cannot work between 10pm and 5am on a day followed by a school day. During summer (when not enrolled in summer school), the cutoff extends to midnight. This is more permissive than the federal 7pm/9pm rule — Texas allows later evening hours than FLSA.

On autopilot

Teambridge tracks age tier, school calendar, and shift acceptance against the cap.

Three independent dimensions: how old the worker is, what kind of week it is, and how many hours have already been scheduled or accepted.

01 · Age tier classification

Worker tagged at hire and on each birthday.

On hire, the worker's age is captured. On each birthday, the system updates the age tier (under 14, 14-15, 16-17, 18+). Each tier has its own rules.

02 · School-week detection

Auto-detected from school calendar.

Teambridge knows the worker's school district calendar. Each week is automatically tagged as 'school' or 'non-school' based on whether classes are in session. Holidays and breaks shift the cap.

03 · Per-shift acceptance check

Worker app prevents over-cap acceptance.

When a minor tries to accept a shift, the worker app calculates: existing hours this week + this shift = ? If over the cap for the age tier and week type, acceptance is blocked. Manager doesn't have to police it.

04 · Nightwork verification

Shift end time gated against tier rule.

For 14-15 year olds, shifts ending past 10pm during the school year (or midnight in summer) cannot be accepted. The worker app blocks the action.

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FAQ

People also ask.

How many hours can a 15-year-old work in Texas?
School week: max 18 hours / 3 hours per school day / 8 hours per non-school day. Non-school week (typically summer): max 40 hours / 8 hours per day. Cannot work after 10pm on days followed by a school day, or after midnight in summer when not in summer school.
What about 14-year-olds?
Same hour caps as 15-year-olds in Texas: 18 hours school week, 40 hours non-school week, 10pm/midnight nightwork rule. Federal law also bars 14-year-olds from many specific occupations regardless of hours (manufacturing, mining, construction, warehousing, etc.).
Are there hour limits for 16-17 year olds?
Not in Texas. 16-17 year olds can work unlimited hours on any schedule, including overnight. But federal hazardous-occupation rules apply — see the hazardous-occupations policy.
Why does Texas allow 10pm/midnight when federal is 7pm/9pm?
The Texas Child Labor Law (TX Lab. Code § 51.013) sets a more permissive nightwork rule than the federal FLSA. The federal rule is 7pm during the school year (extended to 9pm in summer). When the state and federal rules differ, both apply — and the more restrictive controls. So for Texas FLSA-covered employers, the federal 7pm rule wins. For non-FLSA employers, the Texas 10pm rule applies. Most employers should follow the federal 7pm rule to be safe.
What's the penalty for violations?
Class B misdemeanor for general hour-cap violations; Class A misdemeanor for hazardous-occupation violations involving minors. Administrative penalties up to $10,000 per violation under TWC enforcement.
Do I need a work permit?
Texas does not require work permits for minors, unlike some other states. But the employer must be able to verify the worker's age — TWC may issue an age certificate on request.
How does Teambridge prevent violations?
On every shift acceptance attempt by a minor, the worker app calculates existing hours this week plus the new shift. If over the cap or past the nightwork cutoff, acceptance is blocked. Hazardous-occupation roles are tagged at the role level and prevent acceptance regardless of hours.