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Lunch break law checker

Pick a state and shift length to see the meal and rest breaks required by state law, how long they must be and whether they are paid. Federal fallback for states without rules.

30-minute unpaid meal before the end of the 5th hour, a second after 10 hours; paid 10-minute rest per 4 hours worked.

Summary for planning only. Industry, union and local rules can differ. Check the state labor department before relying on it. US DOL Wage and Hour Division, state meal and rest break tables; state labor codes.

How to use

  1. Choose your state and enter the length of the shift in hours.
  2. Read the required meal breaks (usually unpaid) and rest breaks (usually paid).
  3. Check the summary and the verification date, then confirm details with the state labor department for your industry.

Worked example: A 10.5-hour shift in California

California requires a 30-minute unpaid meal break before the end of the fifth hour and a second one for shifts over 10 hours, plus a paid 10-minute rest break for every 4 hours worked or major fraction.

For 10.5 hours the checker shows two 30-minute meal breaks (60 unpaid minutes) and two 10-minute rest breaks (20 paid minutes). The same shift in Texas shows no state requirement; federal law only says breaks under 20 minutes, if offered, must be paid.

Frequently asked questions

Does federal law require lunch breaks?

No. The FLSA does not require meal or rest breaks for adults. It only says that short breaks of 5 to 20 minutes count as paid time and that a bona fide meal period of 30 or more minutes may be unpaid if the employee is fully relieved.

Which states have meal break laws?

About 20 states including California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, Washington and West Virginia.

Which states require paid rest breaks?

California, Colorado, Kentucky, Minnesota, Nevada, Oregon and Washington require paid rest breaks of roughly 10 minutes per 4 hours worked.

Can an employee waive a meal break?

In some states yes, with conditions. California allows waiving the first meal break on shifts of 6 hours or less by mutual consent. Check your state.

Do these rules cover minors?

No. Most states have stricter rules for workers under 18, which are not shown here.

How current is this data?

Each rule carries a verified-on date shown on the page. Rules change; confirm with the state labor department before relying on them.

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