Florida labor laws set a state minimum wage that reached its $15.00 step on September 30, 2026, with a maximum tip credit of $3.02 for tipped staff. Florida limits hours for workers under 18 but has no state rules on adult meal breaks or payday frequency, so federal law fills those gaps.
Florida's minimum wage lives in its constitution and the Florida Minimum Wage Act, while teen hours sit in Chapter 450 of the statutes. This guide uses Florida Statutes sections 448.110 and 450.081, the state's child labor program page and the U.S. Department of Labor's state tables, all read in October 2026.
Florida employment rules in one table
| Rule | Florida (as of October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Minimum wage | $15.00 an hour from September 30, 2026, the last step in the schedule the U.S. Department of Labor lists |
| Maximum tip credit | $3.02 an hour |
| Tips needed to count as tipped | More than $30 a month |
| Adult meal and rest breaks | No state rule |
| Payday frequency | No state rule |
| Work permits for minors | None required, but employers must keep proof of a minor's age |
The U.S. Department of Labor's state table still showed $14.00 in October 2026, but its own footnote explains the rate was scheduled to rise by $1.00 every September 30 until reaching $15.00 on September 30, 2026. My Florida minimum wage page goes deeper on the rate and the tipped wage.
Who the Florida minimum wage covers
This is the part people miss. Section 448.110 says only people entitled to the federal minimum wage under the Fair Labor Standards Act are eligible for the Florida minimum wage. So the federal coverage tests decide who gets the state rate. The section also bans retaliation against anyone who files a complaint or tells others about their rights under the minimum wage provision.
The Department of Commerce and the Department of Revenue must publish the adjusted rate and its start date on their home pages by October 15 each year, so that's the date to check for the next change.
Hours for 15-year-olds and younger
Section 450.081 sets these limits for minors 15 or younger:
- Not before 7 a.m. or after 7 p.m. when school is the next day.
- No more than 15 hours a week when school is in session, and no more than 3 hours on a school day unless there's no school the next day.
- During holidays and summer: not before 7 a.m. or after 9 p.m., no more than 8 hours a day and no more than 40 hours a week.
- No more than 6 days in a row in any week.
- A meal break of at least 30 minutes after 4 hours of continuous work.
Hours for 16 and 17-year-olds
- Not before 6:30 a.m. or after 11 p.m. when school is the next day.
- No more than 8 hours a day when school is the next day, except on a holiday or Sunday.
- No more than 30 hours a week while school is in session, though a parent, custodian or the school superintendent can waive this on the state's form.
- No work during school hours on a school day, unless enrolled in a career education program.
The state's child labor program page explains that HB 49, signed on March 22, 2024, removed some hour limits for 16 and 17-year-olds and added an exemption for minors in approved virtual instruction programs. HB 917, signed on April 26, 2024, allows 16 and 17-year-olds to do limited residential construction work if they hold OSHA 10 certification, are directly supervised by someone 21 or older with two years' related experience and their own OSHA 10, and stay off scaffolding, roofs and ladders above six feet.
How to check a teenager's rota, step by step
- Note each minor's age on the rota, because the limits change at 16.
- Mark the days when school is scheduled the next day, as the early and late limits only apply then.
- For under-16s, cap school days at 3 hours and school weeks at 15 hours, and keep them to 6 days in a row at most.
- For 16 and 17-year-olds, cap days before school at 8 hours and school weeks at 30 hours unless you hold a signed waiver.
- Build in the 30-minute meal break for anyone 15 or younger who works more than 4 hours in a row.
- Keep time records, so you can show the rota matched what was worked.
What Florida doesn't regulate
- Adult breaks: Florida isn't on the federal list of states with meal period rules for adults. Under federal law, short breaks of about 5 to 20 minutes that you offer are paid work time.
- Paydays: the federal payday table groups Florida with Alabama as having no regulations on pay frequency.
- Work permits: Florida doesn't require employment or age certificates. The federal certificate table notes that employers must still get and keep proof of a minor's age, and an age certificate from the district school board is one way to meet that.
Federal overtime rules still apply, which my guide to overtime laws covers.
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
Common Florida mistakes
- Running the October payroll on the old rate after the September 30 rise.
- Letting a 15-year-old work past 7 p.m. on a school night.
- Assuming the 2024 changes removed every limit for 16 and 17-year-olds. The 6:30 a.m. and 11 p.m. limits before school days still apply.
- Putting a 16-year-old on a roof because residential construction is now allowed.
My verdict
Florida's adult rules are thin, so most of the risk sits in two places: the yearly September 30 wage change and the hour limits for teenagers. Diary October 15 to check the published rate, keep a printed copy of section 450.081 by the rota, and treat the 2024 construction exemption as narrow. That covers the parts of Florida law that differ from the federal basics.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum wage in Florida?
Florida's minimum wage reached $15.00 an hour on September 30, 2026, the final step of the scheduled increases listed by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Does Florida require lunch breaks for adults?
No. Florida has no state meal break rule for adult workers. Federal law treats short breaks you offer as paid time.
How late can a 15-year-old work in Florida?
Not after 7 p.m. when there's school the next day, and not after 9 p.m. during holidays and summer vacation.
Do minors need a work permit in Florida?
No. Florida has no work permit requirement, but employers must keep proof of a minor's age on record.
How many hours can a 16-year-old work in Florida during school?
Up to 30 hours a week while school is in session, which a parent or the school superintendent can waive on the state form, and no more than 8 hours on a day before school.
