Work if you’re under 15

There are laws about employing young people under the age of 15. Employers can be fined if they don’t comply with these conditions.

When you can get a job

Generally you can’t work if you are under 13. However, you can work:

if you are 11 or older to deliver newspapers or advertising material
at any age if you work in a family business or the entertainment industry.

If you work in a family business, your parents must supervise you and make sure you only do light work that will not stop your schoolwork.

Read more about light work under Types of work.

Child employment licences and other requirements

If you are under 15, you can only work if your employer gets a child employment licence from Workforce Inspectorate Victoria.

Anyone supervising you must also have a Working with Children Check.

It is illegal to employ a child without a child employment Licence, and employers can be fined between $1000 and $10,000.

Licences are free.

Exceptions to obtaining a licence

Your employer might not need a child employment licence if you are:

helping out in a family business
taking part in fundraising activities for schools and churches
tutoring and babysitting (if you are not working for an agency)
taking part in low-risk sporting activities.

Other important information

You should also note that:

The employer must include details about what you will be doing and your hours of work
Your parent or guardian must give their written consent.
Your school must also approve if the employment will occur during school hours.

Type of work

If you are under 15, you are only allowed to do light work, even if you are working for a family business.

Light work is work that will not hurt you in any way or stop you from going to school.

Examples of light work include:

going on errands
casual work in or around a house
golf-caddying
office work, such as photocopying
gardening
street trading
delivering newspapers, pamphlets or other advertising material and making deliveries for a registered pharmacist
entertainment
farm work
working as a sales assistant in a shop.

Work that involves heights, uncontrolled animals, dangerous equipment, heavy lifting, or high temperatures will normally not be considered 'light work' unless it can be made safe for you.

If you are under 15 you can’t work in any of these occupations:

door-to-door sales
building and construction
deep-sea fishing on a fishing boat (unless the boat only travels on lakes and rivers).

This is the case even if the work is taking place in a family business.

You also can’t sell alcohol in a bottle shop, hotel or restaurant until you are18. Exceptions apply if you are on an approved training program.

Limits to work times and hours

Hours of work

If you are under 15, you can only work for a maximum of three hours a day and 12 hours a week during school term.

During the holidays you can work for a maximum of six hours a day and 30 hours a week. These hours must include rest breaks.

Times of day

If you are under 15 you can only work between 6 am and 9 pm.

If you work in street trading, like at a fruit stall or mobile food van, you can only work during daylight hours, between 6 am and 9 pm.

This means that if it is still dark at 6 am, you have to wait until sunrise.

You must be allowed to rest for 30 minutes after every three hours worked. You must also have at least 12 hours’ break between finishing one shift and starting the next.

If you are working in a family business

If you are working in a family business, these conditions about hours of work, rest times, and times of day at which you can work do not apply.

However, the work must still be 'light work' and it cannot take place during school hours, prevent you from doing homework, or make you tired so that you cannot concentrate at school.

Tax and tax file numbers

It’s a good idea to get a tax file number if you are working. If you do not, your employer has to take almost 50 per cent of your wages in tax.

A tax file number is issued by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). This number is yours for life, even if you move states, change your name, live overseas for a while or get a new job.

You can apply for a tax file number on the ATO website.

If you are under 16 you need two forms of ID, such as:

your birth certificate
citizenship papers with proof of residence
a recent school report.

The ATO website will tell you how much you can earn before you have to start paying tax. This is called the tax-free threshold.

Work experience restrictions

If you are over 14, you can do work experience for up to 15 days a term and no more than 40 days a year.

If you are under 15, your employer will need to get a child employment licence before you can do work experience. You may not be able to work with animals.

There are guidelines for selecting work experience placements. Speak to your work experience coordinator at school for more information.

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Updated 6 March 2026