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Can you work at 14 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.

State law · checked October 2026

No work permitPermit until 16Permit until 18Most jobs from 16

Work permit in Michigan

From October 2, 2026, every new work permit must come from the state's online Youth Employment Permit Portal (YEPP), run by the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) Wage and Hour Division. Minors or parents register online, and employers must register and be authorized by LEO before hiring minors. School-issued permits obtained before October 2, 2026 stay valid. Per the DOL table, no permit is needed for a 16-year-old who has finished high school graduation requirements or a 17-year-old who has passed the GED. Official permit page →

Hour limits for teens in Michigan

Ages 14–15Ages 16–17
School day3 h10 h
School week18 h24 h
Non-school day8 h—
Non-school week40 h—
Time of day7 a.m.–7 p.m. (Labor Day–May 31); 9 p.m. June 1–Labor DaySchool year: 6 a.m.–10:30 p.m. Sunday–Thursday; until 11:30 p.m. Friday, Saturday and school vacations. Not attending school: 6 a.m.–11:30 p.m.

Set by 2024 PA 196, matching federal limits. The DOL table (as of 2025-07-15) already shows 3 hours/18 weeks in school weeks and 40 in non-school weeks. SBAM and ASE (April 2026) say these 14–15 limits changed on March 31, 2026. The effective date conflicts between sources and could not be checked in statute text because legislature.mi.gov was blocked. The 8-hour non-school-day cap is from a secondary source (grkids.com, 2026-09-15) and is also the federal FLSA limit. MCL 409.111 as summarized from search results; the full page was blocked. Limits: 10 hours a day, 6 days a week, an average of 8 hours a day, 48 hours a week, and 24 hours a week while school is in session. These match the DOL table (as of 2025-07-15).

Breaks: A 30-minute meal or rest period after more than 5 continuous hours of work (MCL 409.112). An adult must be on site when a minor works. Source is a secondary summary (grkids.com, 2026-09-15), because the statute page was blocked.

Recent law changes

  1. 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. Source

  2. 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. Source

Places that hire at 14 in Michigan

Places that hire at 15 in Michigan

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Questions

What is the youngest age you can work in Michigan?

14 for most jobs. Minimum age is 14 under the Youth Employment Standards Act (YESA), with narrow exceptions such as certain farm work and youth sports officiating. Exceptions not checked in statute text: legislature.mi.gov and michigan.gov returned 403.

Do you need a work permit in Michigan?

From October 2, 2026, every new work permit must come from the state's online Youth Employment Permit Portal (YEPP), run by the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) Wage and Hour Division. Minors or parents register online, and employers must register and be authorized by LEO before hiring minors. School-issued permits obtained before October 2, 2026 stay valid. Per the DOL table, no permit is needed for a 16-year-old who has finished high school graduation requirements or a 17-year-old who has passed the GED.

How many hours can a 15-year-old work in Michigan?

Up to 3 h on a school day, 18 h in a school week, 40 h in a summer week, between 7 a.m.–7 p.m. (Labor Day–May 31); 9 p.m. June 1–Labor Day.

How many hours can a 16-year-old work in Michigan?

Michigan limits 16- and 17-year-olds: 10 h on a school day, 24 h in a school week, School year: 6 a.m.–10:30 p.m. Sunday–Thursday; until 11:30 p.m. Friday, Saturday and school vacations. Not attending school: 6 a.m.–11:30 p.m..

Which jobs hire at 14 in Michigan?

AMC Theatres, McDonald's, Chick-fil-A, Publix, Culver's, Dairy Queen, Burger King, Hy-Vee and others hire at 14 at some locations.

Sources

State agency: Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO), Wage and Hour Division

  1. US DOL WHD – State child labor laws: hours and nightwork (2025-07-15)
  2. US DOL WHD – Employment/age certification under state child labor laws (2024-01-01)
  3. SBAM – What's New: Michigan Youth Employment Law (2026-04-30)
  4. SBAM – New Youth Employment Permit Portal Opens Soon (2026-09-29)
  5. ASE – What's New: Michigan Youth Employment Law (2026-04-28)
  6. grkids.com – Teen Job Rules for Michigan are Changing in October 2026 (2026-09-15)
  7. 2024 PA 196 (HB 5594) – enrolled act (blocked when fetched; cited via search results) (2025)

Federal rules (the Fair Labor Standards Act) apply too; where they differ, the stricter rule wins. General information, not legal advice.