Minor Work Permit: Information you need to know

• Work permits are required for all minors under the age of 18 to work in the State of Maryland.

  • Apply for a Work Permit online.

  • La aplicación en línea para solicitar un permiso de trabajo tiene un botón en la parte inferior de la página para cambiar el idioma a español

• Work permits are not issued to minors under the age of 14. (Unless the child is a model, performer or entertainer with a special permit (Word); en español (Solicitud para permiso especial de trabajo (Word). Special permits are issued only by the Commissioner's Office.)

• Work permits are issued by the Division of Labor and Industry.

• Work permits are not issued until the minor has been offered a job.

• If the minor changes jobs, a new work permit must be obtained.

• Employers are strongly encouraged to keep work permits on file for three years.

Minors 14 and 15 years of age may not be employed or permitted to:

• *Non-school hours;

• *work more than 3 hours on any day or more than 18 hours in any week when school is in session;

• work more than 8 hours a day on any day or more than 40 hours in any week when school is not in session

• *work before 7:00 a.m. or after 7:00 p.m. (minors may work until 9:00 p.m. from June 1 to Labor Day);

• work more than 5 consecutive hours without a non-working period of at least 30 minutes.
  *This is based upon a more restrictive Federal law.

Minors 16 and 17 years of age:

• May not spend more than 12 hours in a combination of school hours and work hours each day.

• Must be allowed at least 8 consecutive hours of non-work, non-school time in each 24 hour period.

• May not be permitted to work more than 5 consecutive hours without a non-working period of at least 30 minutes.