# How old do you have to be to work at McDonald's?

You can work at McDonald's from age 14 at some locations, but most restaurants hire at 16. Most McDonald's locations are independently owned franchises, and each owner sets their own minimum age. State law can raise the age.

Most US McDonald's job listings are from independent franchisees, and McDonald's job site says each franchisee alone is responsible for hiring at its restaurants. Many franchisees post jobs just for 14- and 15-year-olds on McDonald's own job board, but others start at 16. State law can raise the age or limit hours.

- Minimum age: 14
- Most locations: 16
- Franchised: mostly
- Pay: $10–$18/hour (From McDonald's job-board titles we saw, Oct 2026: $10/hr for a 14-15 job in Conway, SC up to $16-$18/hr crew in Webster, NY; varies by state minimum wage)
- Confidence: From job postings
- Checked: 2026-10-10

## By job

- Crew member (14-15 track): 14+ (Dedicated 14-15 postings in MN, MO, WY, PA, IL and SC on jobs.mchire.com)
- Crew member: 15+ (Some franchisees start at 15 (e.g. a Seneca, SC posting for 15-year-olds))
- Shift or restaurant manager: null+ (Not stated in the postings we checked)

## By state (youngest possible age)

| State | Age | Work permit |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 14 | needed |
| Alaska | 14 | needed |
| Arizona | 14 | no |
| Arkansas | 14 | no |
| California | 14 | needed |
| Colorado | 14 | no |
| Connecticut | 16 | needed |
| Delaware | 14 | needed |
| District of Columbia | 14 | needed |
| Florida | 14 | no |
| Georgia | 14 | needed |
| Hawaii | 14 | needed |
| Idaho | 14 | no |
| Illinois | 14 | needed |
| Indiana | 14 | no |
| Iowa | 14 | no |
| Kansas | 14 | no |
| Kentucky | 14 | no |
| Louisiana | 14 | needed |
| Maine | 14 | needed |
| Maryland | 14 | needed |
| Massachusetts | 14 | needed |
| Michigan | 14 | needed |
| Minnesota | 14 | no |
| Mississippi | 14 | no |
| Missouri | 14 | needed |
| Montana | 14 | no |
| Nebraska | 14 | needed |
| Nevada | 14 | no |
| New Hampshire | 14 | needed |
| New Jersey | 14 | needed |
| New Mexico | 14 | needed |
| New York | 14 | needed |
| North Carolina | 14 | needed |
| North Dakota | 14 | needed |
| Ohio | 14 | needed |
| Oklahoma | 14 | needed |
| Oregon | 14 | no |
| Pennsylvania | 14 | needed |
| Rhode Island | 14 | needed |
| South Carolina | 14 | no |
| South Dakota | 14 | no |
| Tennessee | 14 | no |
| Texas | 14 | no |
| Utah | 14 | no |
| Vermont | 14 | no |
| Virginia | 14 | needed |
| Washington | 14 | needed |
| West Virginia | 14 | needed |
| Wisconsin | 14 | needed |
| Wyoming | 14 | no |

## Questions

**How old do you have to be to work at McDonald's?**
You can work at McDonald's from age 14 at some locations, but most restaurants hire at 16. Most McDonald's locations are independently owned franchises, and each owner sets their own minimum age. State law can raise the age.

**Does McDonald's hire at 14?**
Some McDonald's do. On McDonald's own job site we found franchise-owned restaurants in Minnesota, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Wyoming and South Carolina posting jobs just for 14- and 15-year-olds. Many other locations start at 16, because each franchise owner sets its own rule.

**Can a 14- or 15-year-old work any shift at McDonald's?**
No. Federal law limits under-16s to 3 hours on a school day, 18 hours in a school week, and no work after 7 p.m. during the school year (9 p.m. in summer). Many states add their own limits, which is why some postings say 'limited availability'.

**Do I need a work permit to work at McDonald's?**
Many states require a work permit or working papers for teens under 16, and some for anyone under 18. Your school counselor or state labor department can tell you what you need before your first shift.

**Is McDonald's or the franchise owner my employer?**
At most US restaurants the franchise owner is your employer, not McDonald's itself. McDonald's job site says franchisees are alone responsible for hiring, pay and scheduling at their restaurants.

## Sources

- McDonald's Careers job search (jobs.mchire.com), listings sorted by title: https://jobs.mchire.com/jobs
- 14 - 15 Year Old Crew - McDonald's franchise (Minnesota: Windom, Excelsior, Chaska, Chanhassen, Marshall listings): https://www.mchire.com/co/McDonald's183/Job?job_id=PDX_MC_F031A756-E191-48EF-A9B0-094CB669412D_18797
- 14 /15 Minor Crew Team Member - McDonald's franchise (Blue Springs/Independence/Kansas City, MO): https://www.mchire.com/co/McDonalds5055/Job?job_id=PDX_MC_D72816F8-5240-4AEE-89D3-41C98156F8C8_106375
- 14 and 15 year olds - Part-Time Limited Availability - McDonald's franchise (Cheyenne, WY): https://www.mchire.com/co/McDonalds2777/Job?job_id=PDX_MC_8F109F30-87B5-418C-98F8-C9BD3D45CCF1_67557
- 14-15 Year Old - Crew Team Member - McDonald's franchise (Pittsburgh area, PA): https://www.mchire.com/co/McDonalds732/Job?job_id=PDX_MC_70D40876-CEF5-4C16-9555-65F719BC2F4C_10708
- 14/15 yr old Hospitality Ambassador - McDonald's franchise (Decatur, IL): https://www.mchire.com/co/McDonald's57/Job?job_id=PDX_MC_3E76ADCF-7784-415C-A07A-3312949D389B_80198
- $10 an Hour FIRST JOB 14-15 year old - McDonald's franchise (Conway, SC): https://www.mchire.com/co/McDonalds5070/Job?job_id=PDX_MC_82E2D1EE-B8BE-4ECF-BA91-B0C6F03B4FA9_120358
- 15-year-old's - Part-time (After School & Weekends) - McDonald's #4242 (Seneca, SC): https://www.mchire.com/co/McDonalds2893/Job?job_id=PDX_MC_45D33B35-C33E-4603-B42C-BE4F6A66B54C_79899

Page: https://hiringage.com/mcdonalds/ — please cite with a link.