# Teen work rules in Michigan

In Michigan, you can start most non-farm jobs at 14. You need a work permit until you turn 18 (from state labor department (online) – LEO Youth Employment Permit Portal (YEPP) from 2026-10-02; schools issued permits before that). At 14 and 15 you can work up to 3 h on a school day, 18 h in a school week, 40 h in a summer week. 16- and 17-year-olds also have hour limits.

- Minimum age: 14
- Work permit: required under 18
- Hours at 14–15: 3 h on a school day, 18 h in a school week, 40 h in a summer week
- Hours at 16–17: limited

## Recent changes

- 2026-10-02: Under 2024 PA 196, permit issuing moves from schools to LEO's online Youth Employment Permit Portal (18 months after the act's effective date). Employers must be registered and authorized by LEO, and LEO keeps a public database of authorized employers. HB 5727 (2026), which would abolish the permit requirement, passed the House but is pending in the Senate and is not law.
- 2025-04-02: 2024 PA 196 (HB 5594, signed 2025-01-16) amends YESA and sets new school-year limits for 14–15-year-olds (3 hours a day, 18 a week, 7 a.m.–7 p.m.). Secondary sources give March 31, 2026 for the hour-limit change, and the date could not be checked in statute text. A 2023 penalty package (HB 4932/4962, SB 963–965) was found but not enacted.

## Employers hiring at 14 here

- AMC Theatres
- McDonald's
- Chick-fil-A
- Publix
- Culver's
- Dairy Queen
- Burger King
- Hy-Vee
- Fareway
- Rita's Italian Ice
- Arby's
- Jimmy John's
- Runza
- Braum's

## Sources

- US DOL WHD – State child labor laws: hours and nightwork: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/state/child-labor
- US DOL WHD – Employment/age certification under state child labor laws: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/state/age-certificates
- SBAM – What's New: Michigan Youth Employment Law: https://www.sbam.org/whats-new-michigan-youth-employment-law/
- SBAM – New Youth Employment Permit Portal Opens Soon: https://www.sbam.org/new-youth-employment-permit-portal-opens-soon-the-ongoing-legislative-conversation/
- ASE – What's New: Michigan Youth Employment Law: https://www.aseonline.org/News-Events/Articles/whats-new-michigan-youth-employment-law
- grkids.com – Teen Job Rules for Michigan are Changing in October 2026: https://grkids.com/teen-job-rules-michigan-2026/
- 2024 PA 196 (HB 5594) – enrolled act (blocked when fetched; cited via search results): https://legislature.mi.gov/documents/2023-2024/publicact/htm/2024-PA-0196.htm

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