Hiring teenagers is common for many Utah businesses, especially in retail, restaurants, seasonal work, and family-run companies. Part-time work can help young people build responsibility, gain real-world experience, and learn financial skills early in life. For employers, hiring minors can also help fill entry-level and seasonal staffing needs.
But hiring minors also comes with legal responsibilities. Employers who violate Utah child labor laws may now face criminal penalties under the state’s updated enforcement rules.
In most cases, Utah child labor laws allow minors to begin working at age 14 in non-hazardous jobs. Workers under 16 face strict limits on hours and scheduling, while 16- and 17-year-olds may work unlimited hours in most permitted occupations. Utah does not require work permits, but employers must still comply with both state and federal labor laws for minors.
At CMP, we help business owners manage the payroll, tax, and compliance side of employing minors. This guide explains Utah child labor laws for 2026, including legal working age requirements, hour restrictions, prohibited occupations, and employer responsibilities.
The Utah Employment of Minors Act was passed in 1990 and has been updated several times since, with notable changes in 1992, 1996, 1997, 2008, 2024, and 2025.
The law covers any employer who hires minors, defined as anyone under 18. It sets rules around which jobs minors can hold, how many hours they can work, minimum wage requirements, and what happens when employers break the rules.
Certain Utah child labor violations can now carry criminal penalties under the state’s updated enforcement rules, especially when an employer knowingly allows repeated violations, obstructs an investigation, refuses required records, makes false statements, retaliates, or willfully violates an order.
Many small businesses employ their own minor children, which can offer real tax advantages when handled correctly. The last thing you want is to face penalties and negative publicity for violating child labor laws, and under Utah's 2025 updates, the stakes are higher than they've ever been.
The law addresses three main areas: permitted and prohibited occupations, minimum wage rules, and penalties for violations.
Utah law limits both the type of work minors may perform and the hours they may work. Minors may only work in occupations considered safe and appropriate for their age, and federal hazardous occupation rules apply to all workers under 18, regardless of which state they work in.
Minors must generally be paid at least the Utah minimum wage. One exception applies: employers may pay eligible workers under age 20 a training wage of $4.25 per hour during their first 90 days on the job. More detail on wages is covered below.
Under Utah House Bill 19 (2025), certain conduct related to the Employment of Minors Act may now result in criminal penalties in addition to civil fines. This includes knowingly allowing a minor to work in a repeated violation, refusing required records or access, making false statements, obstructing an investigation, retaliating against a minor or employee, or willfully violating an order.
For qualifying violations, the penalty structure is:
The Utah Labor Commission may also refer qualifying cases to law enforcement for investigation.
Beyond filling staffing gaps, hiring minors can be a smart financial decision for the right business.
If you run a family business, there may also be meaningful tax advantages to putting your children on payroll, including potential FICA savings for sole proprietors and partnerships. Talk to your CPA before making that decision.
In Utah, minors generally must be at least 14 years old to work in most non-agricultural jobs. However, there are limited exceptions that allow younger children to perform certain types of work depending on their age:
Employers are responsible for verifying each minor's age before they start work and maintaining documentation that demonstrates compliance with Utah labor laws for minors.
Hour limits depend on the minor's age and whether school is in session.
Under Utah Code 34-23-202 and the federal FLSA, minors under 16 may not:
During summer and school breaks, 14- and 15-year-olds can work up to 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week.
Utah law does not limit the number of hours 16- and 17-year-olds may work. Employers simply cannot schedule a minor to work when they are required to be in school. That said, federal hazardous occupation restrictions still apply at 16 and 17; the absence of hour limits does not mean there are no restrictions at all.
| Age Group | School Day | School Week | Non-School Day | Non-School Week | Time Restrictions |
| Under 14 | Limited permitted work only — see Occupations section | N/A | Limited permitted work only | N/A | Varies by job type |
| 14-15 | Up to 3 hours | Up to 18 hours | Up to 8 hours | Up to 40 hours | 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.; until 9:00 p.m. June 1 to Labor Day |
| 16-17 | No state limit | No state limit | No state limit | No state limit | No state restriction except during required school hours |
Utah law defines which jobs are appropriate by age. These rules work alongside federal FLSA occupational restrictions; employers must follow whichever set of rules is more protective.
Important federal overlay: If the employer is covered by the FLSA, federal law limits 14- and 15-year-olds to specific permitted non-agricultural jobs. They generally may not work in manufacturing, mining, processing, construction, repair, transportation, warehousing, communications, public utilities, or operate or assist with most power-driven machinery. Employers should confirm both Utah and federal rules before assigning job duties.
Any employer may complete the Application for Authorization to Employ a Minor to request written approval from the state to employ a minor in a role not explicitly permitted under state law.
Exceptions for 16- and 17-year-olds: Minors who are 16 or 17 may work the same jobs and hours as adults if any of the following apply:
Prohibited occupations: Minors under 18 may not work in occupations classified as hazardous under Utah or federal law, including:
Here are a few additional considerations to keep in mind when hiring minors in Utah.
Under H.B. 19 (2025), certain repeated or intentional compliance failures can now result in criminal prosecution, which makes documentation even more important. Keep records for each minor employee that include:
These records can help demonstrate compliance if state or federal labor authorities ever review your employment practices.
Utah's current minimum wage is $7.25 per hour, matching the federal minimum wage. This rate has not changed since 2009.
Employers may pay eligible workers under age 20 a youth minimum wage of $4.25 per hour during the first 90 consecutive calendar days after that employer initially employs the employee.
Tipped employees may be paid a base rate of $2.13 per hour, provided that base pay plus tips equals at least $7.25 per hour. This rate applies to both minor and adult tipped employees.
If you're not sure how to structure compensation for a minor employee or handle related payroll and employment taxes, our payroll team can help.
Utah requires employers to provide minors with:
Minors cannot work more than 3 consecutive hours without a 10-minute break. This is different from adult employees. Utah law does not require employers to provide meal or rest breaks to workers 18 and older, but those requirements are mandatory for minors.
For each minor you hire, you must complete standard new hire paperwork, verify and document their age, track hours accurately, and handle all applicable employment tax obligations. This includes properly completing the W-4. You can find a guide to filling out the W-4 form here.
You are responsible for training any minor you hire. That means setting clear job expectations, explaining how to perform work safely, and keeping a record of the training that occurred. This is especially important in environments where young workers may be around equipment, food service operations, or physical job hazards.
| 14-15-Year-Olds |
16-17-Year-Olds |
Adults (18+) | |
| Hours/week, school in session | Up to 18 hours | No state limit | No state limit |
| Hours/week, school out | Up to 40 hours | No state limit | No state limit |
| Hours/day, school day | 3 Hours | No state limit | No state limit |
| Night work restriction | 7:00 p.m. generally, 9:00 p.m. June 1 to Labor Day | No state restriction | None |
| Work permit required | No | No | No |
| Meal break | 30 min within 5 hours of start | 30 min within 5 hours of start | Not required |
CPA Insight:
Sole proprietors may avoid Social Security and Medicare taxes on wages paid to their children under 18. Partnerships may qualify only if each partner is a parent of the child. S-corporations and C-corporations do not get that exemption.
Here are some frequently asked questions about hiring minors in Utah.
No. Utah does not require minors under 18 to obtain a work permit. However, employers are responsible for verifying each minor's age before they begin work. A common approach is to request age documentation from the minor's school or another reliable record.
The minimum working age in Utah is generally 14 for most jobs. Children as young as 10 may deliver newspapers to consumers, caddy, or perform other work not determined harmful by the Utah Antidiscrimination and Labor Division. Children 12 and older may also babysit and work in non-hazardous agricultural occupations.
For most jobs, you need to be at least 14. There are narrow exceptions for younger children in specific roles like newspaper delivery and babysitting. Once a minor turns 16, most hour restrictions are lifted, though hazardous occupation rules still apply until age 18.
A 14-year-old may work up to 3 hours on a school day and no more than 18 hours during a school week. When school is not in session, they may work up to 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week. They may not work before 7:00 a.m. or after 7:00 p.m. on school nights, with the evening limit extending to 9:00 p.m. between June 1 and Labor Day.
The same limits that apply to 14-year-olds apply to 15-year-olds: up to 3 hours on a school day, no more than 18 hours during a school week, up to 8 hours on non-school days, and up to 40 hours during non-school weeks.
Utah law does not place a general limit on hours for 16-year-olds, and federal law does not restrict hours for workers who are 16 or 17. Employers cannot require a 16-year-old to work during scheduled school hours, and hazardous occupation restrictions still apply.
Like 16-year-olds, 17-year-olds are not subject to general hour limits under Utah or federal law. Employers may not schedule them during required school hours, and all hazardous occupation restrictions remain in effect until they turn 18.
Minors under 16 may not work past 7:00 p.m. on any day before a school day, except between June 1 and Labor Day, when the cutoff extends to 9:00 p.m. Utah law does not place a nighttime work restriction on 16- and 17-year-olds.
Yes. Fourteen-year-olds may work in certain permitted non-hazardous jobs, including some retail, food service, office, clerical, janitorial, messenger, and automobile service station work. However, FLSA-covered employers must follow federal limits for 14- and 15-year-olds, which restrict manufacturing, mining, construction, repair work, and many power-driven equipment tasks. They may not work in hazardous occupations or operate prohibited equipment.
Minors must be paid Utah's minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. Employers may pay an eligible training wage of $4.25 per hour during the first 90 days of employment for workers under age 20. Tipped minors may be paid $2.13 per hour as long as tips bring total hourly earnings to at least $7.25.
Family employment can be treated differently, but it is not a free pass. Federal law generally allows children of any age to work for a business entirely owned by their parents, but children under 16 generally may not work in mining or manufacturing, and minors under 18 may not work in federally hazardous occupations. Utah law also includes parental-consent exceptions for certain work, including household chores, work for a parent or guardian, casual work not determined harmful by the Division, certain agricultural work, and certain performance work. From a tax standpoint, sole proprietors and qualifying parent-only partnerships may receive payroll tax treatment that corporations do not. Business owners should confirm the labor-law and payroll-tax treatment before putting a child on payroll.
Under H.B. 19 (2025), certain child-labor-related conduct may now carry criminal penalties in addition to civil penalties. This includes knowingly allowing a minor to work in a repeated violation, refusing records or access, making false statements, obstructing an investigation, retaliating, or willfully violating an order. A first qualifying offense is generally a Class B misdemeanor, a second qualifying offense after a prior conviction is a Class A misdemeanor, and a third or subsequent qualifying offense after two or more prior convictions is a third-degree felony. Federal child labor violations under the FLSA can also result in civil penalties, particularly for willful, repeated, serious-injury, or fatal violations.
Yes, but entertainment and compensated performance work involving minors is subject to separate Utah rules. Utah now has a dedicated Employment of Minors in Entertainment section that can apply to performers and, in some cases, monetized social media content involving minors. Depending on the facts, the rules may include parental consent, recordkeeping, trust account, and earnings-related requirements. Employers, producers, and content creators should review Utah Code Title 34, Chapter 23, Part 5 before engaging a minor for compensated entertainment or social media work.
Utah law gives businesses real opportunities to benefit from hiring young workers. The rules are manageable once you understand them, but documentation and job-duty review matter more now because Utah expanded enforcement consequences in 2025.
If you need help with the payroll, tax, or recordkeeping side of employing minors, including whether to put your own child on payroll, CMP is here to help. You can also explore small business tax credits that may apply to your business.