Hiring ages › Fast food & restaurants

How old do you have to be to work at KFC?

You can work at KFC from age 15 at some locations, but most restaurants hire at 16. Most KFC locations are independently owned franchises, and each owner sets their own minimum age. State law can raise the age — pick your state below.

From job postings · checked October 2026

KFC's hiring age policy

Almost all US KFCs are franchised, and each owner sets its own minimum age. Most team-member postings on jobs.kfc.com say 16. One Ohio franchise group takes 15-year-olds, and some owners require 18 even for cooks and cashiers. Shift supervisors must be 18.

Minimum age by job

14
15
16
17
18+
16Team member / customer service · Cook
18+Shift supervisor
JobAgeNote
Team member / customer service16+15 at some Ohio locations; 18 at some franchisees
Cook16+some franchisees require 18
Shift supervisor18+usually with a driver's license

How much does KFC pay teens?

$8.5–$19.25 an hour — Team member, Oct 2026 postings on jobs.kfc.com ($8.50-$10 in IN/KY up to $18-$19.25 in MD); varies by state minimum wage

How to apply at KFC

Search jobs.kfc.com for your town and apply online. Each posting is from the local owner and lists its own age rule. Under-18s may need a work permit.

See KFC jobs →

KFC hiring age by state

The youngest age KFC could hire you at in each state: the company's minimum or the state's, whichever is higher. “✓ seen” means we found a real KFC posting there accepting that age.

From 15From 16✓ Seen in a posting
Show the table for all states
StateYoungest ageWork permitHours at 14–15 (school week)
Alabama15+Needed18 h
Alaska15+Needed18 h
Arizona15+No18 h
Arkansas15+No18 h
California15+Needed18 h
Colorado15+No18 h
Connecticut16+ state lawNeeded—
Delaware15+Needed18 h
District of Columbia15+Needed18 h
Florida15+No15 h
Georgia15+Needed18 h
Hawaii15+Needed18 h
Idaho15+No18 h
Illinois15+Needed18 h
Indiana15+No18 h
Iowa15+No18 h
Kansas15+No18 h
Kentucky15+No18 h
Louisiana15+Needed18 h
Maine15+Needed18 h
Maryland15+Needed18 h
Massachusetts15+Needed18 h
Michigan15+Needed18 h
Minnesota15+No18 h
Mississippi15+No18 h
Missouri15+Needed18 h
Montana15+No18 h
Nebraska15+Needed18 h
Nevada15+No18 h
New Hampshire15+Needed18 h
New Jersey15+Needed18 h
New Mexico15+Needed18 h
New York15+Needed18 h
North Carolina15+Needed18 h
North Dakota15+Needed18 h
Ohio15+ ✓ seenNeeded18 h
Oklahoma15+Needed18 h
Oregon15+No18 h
Pennsylvania15+Needed18 h
Rhode Island15+Needed18 h
South Carolina15+No18 h
South Dakota15+No18 h
Tennessee15+No18 h
Texas15+No18 h
Utah15+No18 h
Vermont15+No18 h
Virginia15+Needed18 h
Washington15+Needed16 h
West Virginia15+Needed18 h
Wisconsin15+Needed18 h
Wyoming15+No18 h

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Questions

How old do you have to be to work at KFC?

You can work at KFC from age 15 at some locations, but most restaurants hire at 16. Most KFC locations are independently owned franchises, and each owner sets their own minimum age. State law can raise the age.

Does KFC hire 14-year-olds?

We couldn't find a KFC posting that accepts 14-year-olds. Most KFC postings say 16, and a few Ohio locations say 15.

Does KFC hire at 15?

Sometimes. In October 2026, KFC postings in Canton, Hartville and Uhrichsville, Ohio said 'Must be at least 15 years of age.' Most other KFCs ask for 16. Each restaurant is run by a franchise owner who sets the age, and your state's child labor law can raise it.

Why do some KFC jobs say 18?

Some franchise owners require 18 for cooks or cashiers, often because of fryers, equipment or late hours. Shift supervisor jobs require 18. Read the age line in each posting before you apply.

How much does KFC pay?

Team member postings from October 2026 range from about $8.50 an hour in Indiana and Kentucky to about $19 in Maryland. Pay depends on the state and the owner.

Other places that hire at 15

Sources

  1. Customer Service, KFC Uhrichsville, OH - jobs.kfc.com (2026-10) — minAge 15: 'Must be at least 15 years of age' (Ohio)
  2. Customer Service, KFC Canton, OH - jobs.kfc.com (2026-10) — 'Must be at least 15 years of age' (Ohio)
  3. KFC Team Member, Greenfield, IN - jobs.kfc.com (2026-10) — typical 16: 'Must be 16 years old or older'
  4. KFC Team Member, Farmington, NM - jobs.kfc.com (2026-10) — 'at least 16 years old'
  5. Cook, KFC Dallas, TX - jobs.kfc.com (2026-10) — Some franchisees require 18 for crew: 'Must be at least 18 years of age'; pay $11.83-$15
  6. KFC Shift Supervisor, Oceanside, CA - jobs.kfc.com (2026-10) — Shift supervisor 18 with driver's license
  7. Team Member, KFC Salem, IN - jobs.kfc.com (2026-10) — pay $8.50-$10
  8. Team Member, KFC Silver Spring, MD - jobs.kfc.com (2026-10) — pay $18-$19.25

Last checked October 10, 2026. See a different age at your KFC? Tell us.