Know Your Rights

Teen Jobs and Work Permits in Missouri: Rules for Ages 14 to 17

Now Hiring St. Louis Editorial TeamUpdated 2026-09-298 min read

Last verified: September 29, 2026. This is general information, not legal advice. Employers must follow whichever rule is stricter, state or federal. Check with the Missouri Division of Labor Standards for your situation.

A first job teaches things school does not: showing up on time, handling money, dealing with a difficult customer. Missouri lets teens start working earlier than many parents expect, but there are rules about how old you have to be, when you can work, and what you can do. This guide covers what teens, parents, and hiring managers should know.

Age rules at a glance

According to the Missouri Department of Labor, children under 14 generally cannot work except in agriculture, entertainment, or casual jobs, while 14 and 15 year olds can work with limits on hours and types of work.

Age	What the state says
Under 14	Generally cannot hold a regular job. Exceptions include entertainment, casual work, and work for a parent in a non-hazardous job.
12 and up	Babysitting, newspaper delivery, yard work with parental consent, and coaching or refereeing do not need a work certificate.
14 to 15	May work in approved jobs with a work certificate, within hour limits.
16 to 17	No work certificate or hour limits appear on the state pages we read, but federal hazardous-work bans apply (see below). Confirm details with the state if you have a specific question.

The state's list of typical jobs for 14 and 15 year olds includes office and clerical work, retail tasks like cashiering, bagging, and shelving, food service, and vehicle cleaning. Missouri also lists janitorial work in a private residence.

Work certificates: what they are and how to get one

A work certificate is a form that proves a school official has approved a 14 or 15 year old to work. Per the state:

Youth aged 14 and 15 need one before they start most jobs.
The Department of Labor describes three sections: the parent or guardian and the student complete Section A, the employer completes Section B, and a school representative (the issuing authority) completes Section C.
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education says the superintendent or designee of the public school district where the child lives issues certificates, no matter whether the child attends public, private, or home school.
There are two versions of the form: one for employment during the school term and one for the non-school term (summer). DESE describes the summer form as covering June 1 to Labor Day.
The issuing officer "may require" documents such as grades and a physician's statement that the child is in good health, according to the Department of Labor.
Entertainment work by anyone under 16 requires a separate work permit from the Division of Labor Standards, which says it can generally be issued within 48 hours.

Neither page listed a fee. Ask your district office. If you are not sure who to contact, DESE gave the Division of Labor Standards number as 573-751-3403.

Employers: the state says employers need signed statements about the type of job and exact hours before hiring anyone under 16, must keep a copy of the certificate, the child's name, address, and age, and daily hours for at least two years, and must post an Employer's List. When employment ends, certificates go back to the school and permits go back to the Division.

Practical tip: Start early. The certificate needs signatures from a parent, an employer, and the school. If you wait until the week before a summer job starts, you may miss the first shift. Ask the employer for their part before you go to the school office.

Hour limits for 14 and 15 year olds

The Department of Labor publishes these limits:

During the school year (Labor Day to June 1):

Work only between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.
No more than 3 hours on a school day.
No more than 8 hours on a non-school day.
No more than 6 days a week.

Summer (June 1 to Labor Day):

Work between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m.
No more than 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week.
No more than 6 days a week.
An exception allows work until 10:30 p.m. at regional fairs.

Missouri's child labor statute, RSMo 294.030, sets the same 3-hour school-day and 8-hour non-school-day limits, and RSMo 294.021 bars employment under age 14 except as the chapter allows. Federal rules add one more limit: the U.S. Department of Labor says 14 and 15 year olds may work no more than 18 hours in a week when school is in session and 40 hours when it is not. Because the stricter rule controls, treat 18 hours as the school-week cap. The employer page adds that they cannot work during school hours, and the 3-hour limit applies to Fridays too. Missouri does not require an employer to provide a break for most workers, except for the entertainment industry rule, which has meal and rest breaks.

Jobs that are off limits

For 14 and 15 year olds in Missouri

The state lists door-to-door sales (with exceptions for school, church, and scout fundraising), hazardous equipment, power-driven machinery, mining, explosives, driving motor vehicles, metal-producing industries, sawmills, radiation, hotels and motels, and alcohol establishments. The employer page also says under-16 workers cannot cook or bake (with narrow exceptions for deep fryers), handle hot oil or grease, or work in freezers and meat coolers.

That means a 15 year old can probably bag groceries or work a register but should not be running a slicer or working the grill. If an employer asks you to, say no politely and tell your parent.

For everyone under 18 (federal)

The U.S. Department of Labor says minors under 18 cannot:

Operate power-driven meat processing machines
Use woodworking machinery or power-driven saws
Operate compactors, balers, forklifts, skid-steers, backhoes, cranes, or cherry pickers
Work in logging, forestry, or sawmilling
Use power-driven bakery machines such as dough mixers
Use metal forming, punching, or shearing machines
Work in most roofing jobs
Generally drive motor vehicles as part of the job
Work with explosives, in demolition, mining, or trenching

Teens aged 16 and 17 can work unlimited hours in any occupation other than those the federal government has declared hazardous, according to the Department of Labor. Limited exemptions exist for apprentices and student-learners. Missouri may have its own additional rules, so confirm with the state.

Warehouse warning: forklifts are on the federal list. A 17 year old cannot be put on a forklift no matter what a supervisor says. That can matter for teens looking at distribution or stockroom jobs.

Pay

Missouri's minimum wage is $15.00 an hour as of January 1, 2026, and it will no longer be adjusted annually for inflation. The state labor department's release did not mention a separate rate for minors. However, the U.S. Department of Labor says the federal rules allow $4.25 an hour for workers under 20 during their first 90 consecutive calendar days with an employer. Whether that applies in Missouri, where the state minimum is higher, is unclear, so ask the Division of Labor Standards. Retail and service businesses under a certain size may not have to pay the state minimum. Ask the employer what the pay will be before you accept, and see our post on wage rights if it looks off.

When state and federal rules differ, the general practice described by the U.S. Department of Labor is that the stricter standard applies.

Summer job ideas in St. Louis

City summer youth employment (SLATE). The City of St. Louis runs a Summer Youth Employment Program for ages 16 to 24. Applicants must live in the city and either have a household income below $69,090 or live in a Qualified Census Tract. Under-17 applicants need a parent or guardian signature. Participants get paid on-the-job training and a job coach. When we checked, applications were closed because the program had reached capacity, and SLATE said to follow @slatemjc on Facebook or text JOBS to 314-438-5432 for updates. Sign up now so you hear when next summer's application opens.

City lifeguard jobs. The city's 2026 announcement listed lifeguards at $17.00 an hour for anyone at least 15, for a season running from May 23 through Labor Day weekend. Those dates were for 2026, so watch for next year's posting, and ask about certification requirements when it opens.

Other city youth programs. The same page lists an Out-of-School Youth Program (ages 17 to 24) and a Youth Empowerment Program (ages 19 to 24) through SLATE.

Everyday teen jobs. Grocery baggers, cashiers, stockers, restaurant hosts, and dishwashers (where allowed), retail associates, and office helpers all fit the state's list of acceptable tasks for 14 and 15 year olds. Ask any employer whether they hire at your age, and be ready to explain the work certificate.

Self-employment. Lawn care, pet sitting, and babysitting for families do not require a work certificate for 12 and older, per the state's list. Be safe about who you work for and let a parent know where you are.

Tips for teens

Make a simple one-page resume: school, volunteer work, sports, skills.
Ask a teacher, coach, or neighbor to be a reference.
Practice a two-minute introduction. Our interview guide has sample answers you can adapt.
Say up front when you are unavailable because of school, and know your legal hours.
Plan how you will get there. If you rely on the bus or MetroLink, see our transit guide.
Keep your own record of hours worked and pay.

What parents should watch for

Hours that break the limits above, especially school-night shifts.
Any request to run machinery, cook, or drive.
No pay or pay that is less than promised.
An employer who says a work certificate does not matter. It does.

You can file a youth employment complaint with the state. Contact the Division of Labor Standards at labor.mo.gov/contact-labor or weblord@labor.mo.gov, as listed on the state's youth employment page.

FAQ

Can a 13 year old work in Missouri? Generally not in a regular job. The state allows entertainment, casual work, and some family and home-based tasks, plus babysitting and yard work.

Does a 16 year old need a work certificate? The Missouri pages we read describe certificates for 14 and 15 year olds and do not mention 16 and 17. Ask the Division of Labor Standards if an employer asks for one.

Do I need a certificate for a summer job at age 15? Yes. The state has a separate form for the non-school term.

Can my employer make me work longer than the limit if I agree? No. The hour limits are legal limits, not preferences.

Sources

Keep looking

Parents and teens are welcome in the free Now Hiring In St. Louis Facebook group. You can also get free job alerts. We cannot promise a job, but we can point you to where to look.