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Can you work at 14 in Wisconsin?

In Wisconsin, you can start most non-farm jobs at 14. You need a work permit until you turn 16 (from Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, Equal Rights Division (online)). 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. There are no state hour limits at 16 and 17.

State law · checked October 2026

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

Work permit in Wisconsin

After the job offer, a parent or guardian applies online through a MyWisconsin ID account. They enter the child's, employer's, job and school details and pay a $10 fee. The employer must refund the fee by the first paycheck. DWD sends the permit to the employer, and parents can download a copy. Proof of age, the employer's written intent to hire (duties and hours), parental consent and a Social Security card are needed. The child can't work until the fee is paid and the permit is issued. A new permit is needed for each employer. No permit is needed for farm work, domestic work in a home, nonprofit volunteering, or work under a parent's direct supervision in the parent's business. 16–17-year-olds don't need a permit. Official permit page →

Hour limits for teens in Wisconsin

Ages 14–15Ages 16–17
School day3 hNo limit
School week18 hNo limit
Non-school day8 hNo limit
Non-school week40 hNo limit
Time of day7 a.m.–7 p.m.; until 9 p.m. June 1–Labor DayNo limit

6 days a week at most (7 for newspaper delivery and farm work). No work during required school hours unless the minor is in a school work-experience program. The limits apply to total hours across all employers. High school graduates may work adult hours. No limit on daily or weekly hours, but no work during required school hours. A 16- or 17-year-old who works after 11 p.m. must get 8 hours off before the next shift. Work between 12:30 a.m. and 5 a.m. needs direct adult supervision. Overtime pay after 10 hours a day or 40 hours a week, whichever is greater.

Breaks: All minors under 18: a 30-minute duty-free meal period before working more than 6 hours in a row (DWD Employment of Minors Guide).

Places that hire at 14 in Wisconsin

Places that hire at 15 in Wisconsin

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Questions

What is the youngest age you can work in Wisconsin?

14 for most jobs. From age 12: farm work, street trades (newspaper delivery, door-to-door sales), golf caddying, domestic work in a private home, school lunch programs, some sports officiating, and work under a parent's direct supervision in the parent's business (if the job would be allowed at 14). Any age: public exhibitions (acting, modeling, music), court-ordered restitution, nonprofit or school fundraising, and work on the family home or farm.

Do you need a work permit in Wisconsin?

After the job offer, a parent or guardian applies online through a MyWisconsin ID account. They enter the child's, employer's, job and school details and pay a $10 fee. The employer must refund the fee by the first paycheck. DWD sends the permit to the employer, and parents can download a copy. Proof of age, the employer's written intent to hire (duties and hours), parental consent and a Social Security card are needed. The child can't work until the fee is paid and the permit is issued. A new permit is needed for each employer. No permit is needed for farm work, domestic work in a home, nonprofit volunteering, or work under a parent's direct supervision in the parent's business. 16–17-year-olds don't need a permit.

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

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.; until 9 p.m. June 1–Labor Day.

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

Wisconsin has no hour limits for 16- and 17-year-olds; federal law doesn't either. Hazardous jobs are still off-limits until 18.

Which jobs hire at 14 in Wisconsin?

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: Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, Equal Rights Division – Labor Standards

  1. DWD – Work Permits (2026-10)
  2. DWD – Wisconsin Employment of Minors Guide (formerly ERD-4758-P), incl. Hours and Times of Day Minors May Work (2026-10)
  3. DWD – Guide to Wisconsin's Employment of Minors Laws (formerly ERD-17231-P) (2026-10)
  4. DWD – Work permit guide for parents and guardians (2026-10)
  5. WPR – Evers vetoes SB 436, which would have ended permits for 14–15-year-olds (April 8, 2024) (2024-04-08)
  6. DWD – Draft rule revising ch. DWD 270 (Dec 23, 2025; draft, not in effect when reviewed) (2025-12-23)
  7. US DOL WHD – Selected State Child Labor Standards (non-farm), as of 2025-07-15 (2025-07-15)
  8. US DOL WHD – Employment/Age Certification table, as of 2024-01-01 (lists WI permits as under 18, mandatory, permit officers; outdated – 2017 Wis. Act 11 limited permits to under 16) (2024-01-01)

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