Introduction
Child Labor Laws were first introduced in the United States in 1938, which essentially determine the minimum working age of a citizen of that state. The age requirement, then, is intended to protect children from being wrongfully taken advantage of. Although there is a Federal minimum working age set through the Fair Labor and Standards Act, the minimum age required to work varies by state and is laden with exceptions which usually relate to parental consent. However, exceptions are also made for the minimum working age regarding whether or not the child or adolescent is working during or after school hours. For instance, to work during school hours people have to be 16 years of age in most states. However, in Illinois, you only have to be 12 years of age, and in Nevada and North Dakota, you only have to be 14. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Washington and Wisconsin have some of the highest age requirements for working during school hours, at 18 years of age.
| State | Minimun Working Age | Minimum Driving Age | Minimum Marriage Age ( parental consent) | Legal Age a Child Can be Left Alone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 18 Years Old | 15 Years Old, 6 Months | No Minimum Age | |
| Hawaii | 18 Years Old | 15 Years Old, 6 Months | 15 Years Old | No Minimum Age |
| New Hampshire | 18 Years Old | 15 Years Old, 6 Months | 14 Years Old | No Minimum Age |
| Washington | 18 Years Old | 15 Years Old | 17 Years Old | 10 Years Old |
| Wisconsin | 18 Years Old | 15 Years Old | 16 Years Old | No Minimum Age |
| Alaska | 16 Years Old | 14 Years Old | 16 Years Old | No Minimum Age |
| Arizona | 16 Years Old | 15 Years Old, 6 Months | 16 Years Old | No Minimum Age |
| Arkansas | 16 Years Old | 14 Years Old | 17 Years Old | No Minimum Age |
| Colorado | 16 Years Old | 15 Years Old | 16 Years Old | 12 Years Old |
| Connecticut | 16 Years Old | 16 Years Old | 18 Years Old | No Minimum Age |
| Idaho | 16 Years Old | 14 Years Old, 6 Months | 16 Years Old | No Minimum Age |
| Maine | 16 Years Old | 15 Years Old | 16 Years Old | No Minimum Age |
| Minnesota | 16 Years Old | 15 Years Old | 18 Years Old | No Minimum Age |
| Missouri | 16 Years Old | 15 Years Old | 15 Years Old | No Minimum Age |
| New Jersey | 16 Years Old | 16 Years Old | 16 Years Old | No Minimum Age |
| New Mexico | 16 Years Old | 15 Years Old | 16 Years Old | 10 Years Old |
| New York | 16 Years Old | 16 Years Old | 18 Years Old | No Minimum Age |
| Ohio | 16 Years Old | 15 Years Old, 6 Months | 17 Years Old | No Minimum Age |
| Oregon | 16 Years Old | 15 Years Old | 17 Years Old | 10 Years Old |
| South Carolina | 16 Years Old | 15 Years Old | 16 Years Old | No Minimum Age |
| Utah | 16 Years Old | 15 Years Old | 16 Years Old | No Minimum Age |
| Vermont | 16 Years Old | 15 Years Old | 16 Years Old | No Minimum Age |
| Virginia | 16 Years Old | 15 Years Old, 6 Months | 16 Years Old | No Minimum Age |
| Nevada | 14 Years Old | 15 Years Old, 6 Months | 17 Years Old | No Minimum Age |
| North Dakota | 14 Years Old | 14 Years Old | 16 Years Old | 9 Years Old |
| Illinois | 12 Years Old | 15 Years Old | 16 Years Old | 14 Years Old |
Minimun Working Age by State
Alaska
Minimun Working Age
16 Years Old
14 Years Old
Minimum Marriage Age ( parental consent)
16 Years Old
Legal Age a Child Can be Left Alone
No Minimum Age
Arizona
Minimun Working Age
16 Years Old
15 Years Old, 6 Months
Minimum Marriage Age ( parental consent)
16 Years Old
Legal Age a Child Can be Left Alone
No Minimum Age
Arkansas
Minimun Working Age
16 Years Old
14 Years Old
Minimum Marriage Age ( parental consent)
17 Years Old
Legal Age a Child Can be Left Alone
No Minimum Age
California
Minimun Working Age
18 Years Old
15 Years Old, 6 Months
Legal Age a Child Can be Left Alone
No Minimum Age
Colorado
Minimun Working Age
16 Years Old
15 Years Old
Minimum Marriage Age ( parental consent)
16 Years Old
Legal Age a Child Can be Left Alone
12 Years Old
Connecticut
Minimun Working Age
16 Years Old
16 Years Old
Minimum Marriage Age ( parental consent)
18 Years Old
Legal Age a Child Can be Left Alone
No Minimum Age
Hawaii
Minimun Working Age
18 Years Old
15 Years Old, 6 Months
Minimum Marriage Age ( parental consent)
15 Years Old
Legal Age a Child Can be Left Alone
No Minimum Age
Idaho
Minimun Working Age
16 Years Old
14 Years Old, 6 Months
Minimum Marriage Age ( parental consent)
16 Years Old
Legal Age a Child Can be Left Alone
No Minimum Age
Illinois
Minimun Working Age
12 Years Old
15 Years Old
Minimum Marriage Age ( parental consent)
16 Years Old
Legal Age a Child Can be Left Alone
14 Years Old
Maine
Minimun Working Age
16 Years Old
15 Years Old
Minimum Marriage Age ( parental consent)
16 Years Old
Legal Age a Child Can be Left Alone
No Minimum Age
Minnesota
Minimun Working Age
16 Years Old
15 Years Old
Minimum Marriage Age ( parental consent)
18 Years Old
Legal Age a Child Can be Left Alone
No Minimum Age
Missouri
Minimun Working Age
16 Years Old
15 Years Old
Minimum Marriage Age ( parental consent)
15 Years Old
Legal Age a Child Can be Left Alone
No Minimum Age
Nevada
Minimun Working Age
14 Years Old
15 Years Old, 6 Months
Minimum Marriage Age ( parental consent)
17 Years Old
Legal Age a Child Can be Left Alone
No Minimum Age
New Hampshire
Minimun Working Age
18 Years Old
15 Years Old, 6 Months
Minimum Marriage Age ( parental consent)
14 Years Old
Legal Age a Child Can be Left Alone
No Minimum Age
New Jersey
Minimun Working Age
16 Years Old
16 Years Old
Minimum Marriage Age ( parental consent)
16 Years Old
Legal Age a Child Can be Left Alone
No Minimum Age
New Mexico
Minimun Working Age
16 Years Old
15 Years Old
Minimum Marriage Age ( parental consent)
16 Years Old
Legal Age a Child Can be Left Alone
10 Years Old
New York
Minimun Working Age
16 Years Old
16 Years Old
Minimum Marriage Age ( parental consent)
18 Years Old
Legal Age a Child Can be Left Alone
No Minimum Age
North Dakota
Minimun Working Age
14 Years Old
14 Years Old
Minimum Marriage Age ( parental consent)
16 Years Old
Legal Age a Child Can be Left Alone
9 Years Old
Ohio
Minimun Working Age
16 Years Old
15 Years Old, 6 Months
Minimum Marriage Age ( parental consent)
17 Years Old
Legal Age a Child Can be Left Alone
No Minimum Age
Oregon
Minimun Working Age
16 Years Old
15 Years Old
Minimum Marriage Age ( parental consent)
17 Years Old
Legal Age a Child Can be Left Alone
10 Years Old
South Carolina
Minimun Working Age
16 Years Old
15 Years Old
Minimum Marriage Age ( parental consent)
16 Years Old
Legal Age a Child Can be Left Alone
No Minimum Age
Utah
Minimun Working Age
16 Years Old
15 Years Old
Minimum Marriage Age ( parental consent)
16 Years Old
Legal Age a Child Can be Left Alone
No Minimum Age
Vermont
Minimun Working Age
16 Years Old
15 Years Old
Minimum Marriage Age ( parental consent)
16 Years Old
Legal Age a Child Can be Left Alone
No Minimum Age
Virginia
Minimun Working Age
16 Years Old
15 Years Old, 6 Months
Minimum Marriage Age ( parental consent)
16 Years Old
Legal Age a Child Can be Left Alone
No Minimum Age
Washington
Minimun Working Age
18 Years Old
15 Years Old
Minimum Marriage Age ( parental consent)
17 Years Old
Legal Age a Child Can be Left Alone
10 Years Old
Wisconsin
Minimun Working Age
18 Years Old
15 Years Old
Minimum Marriage Age ( parental consent)
16 Years Old
Legal Age a Child Can be Left Alone
No Minimum Age
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