New Hampshire labor laws for hourly staff: minimum wage, breaks and minors
New Hampshire's basic minimum wage is $7.25 per hour, as listed by the US Department of Labor (updated November 5, 2026). The DOL meal-period table (revised January 1, 2023) lists a meal-period requirement for adult private-sector employees for New Hampshire, and its rest-period table does not list a paid rest-period requirement (the DOL notes: states not listed do not require paid rest periods).
New Hampshire labor rules at a glance
| Topic | What the US DOL table says for New Hampshire | Source date |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage | Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $7.25 | November 5, 2026 |
| Overtime / premium pay | Premium Pay After Designated Hours 1 : Weekly - 40 | November 5, 2026 |
| Meal break (adults) | See table below | January 1, 2023 |
| Paid rest break (adults) | Not listed; DOL: states not listed do not require paid rest periods | January 1, 2023 |
| Minors under 16: max hours | 8-48 non-school days/week 3-23 school days/week | July 15, 2025 |
| Minors 16–17: max hours | A 48-hour work week, with work up to 6-days per week, is permitted during vacation, if enrolled in school. A 30-hour work week, with work up to 6-days per week, is permitted if enrolled in school. | July 15, 2025 |
| Night work, under 16 | 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. | July 15, 2025 |
| Night work, 16–17 | Blank on the DOL table | July 15, 2025 |
Minimum wage in New Hampshire
Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $7.25
Premium Pay After Designated Hours 1 : Weekly - 40
The New Hampshire minimum wage equals the federal minimum wage when set below the federal rate.
DOL footnote 1: The overtime premium rate is one and one-half times the employee's regular rate, unless otherwise specified.
The DOL notes that some local governments set minimum wages higher than the state rate, and that subminimum or training rates are not shown in its table.
Meal breaks in New Hampshire
| Rule | Prescribed by | Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| ½ hour, after 5 consecutive hours, unless feasible for employee to eat while working and is permitted to do so by employer. | Statute | Applicable to any employer. |
The DOL lists New Hampshire among the jurisdictions with separate meal-period provisions for minors.
DOL footnote 3/: Not displayed in table are exemptions for executive, administrative and professional employees, and for outside salespersons.
Rest breaks in New Hampshire
New Hampshire is not listed in the DOL table of paid rest-period requirements (revised January 1, 2023). The DOL table states: "States not listed do not require paid rest periods."
Scheduling minors in New Hampshire
Hours notation is the DOL's: daily-weekly-days per week (for example 8-40-6). Where state law is less restrictive than federal law, federal law applies; where it is more restrictive, state law applies (29 U.S.C. 218(a), as quoted by the DOL).
| Age | Maximum hours | Night work prohibited |
|---|---|---|
| Under 16 | 8-48 non-school days/week 3-23 school days/week | 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. |
| 16 and 17 | A 48-hour work week, with work up to 6-days per week, is permitted during vacation, if enrolled in school. A 30-hour work week, with work up to 6-days per week, is permitted if enrolled in school. | Blank on the DOL table |
DOL table footnotes: (a) State hours limitations on a school day and in a school week usually apply only to those enrolled in school. (b) Students of 14 and 15 enrolled in approved Work Experience and Career Exploration programs may work during school hours up to 3 hours on a school day and 23 hours in a school week. (c) Combined hours of work and school.
A blank cell is blank on the DOL table. The federal (FLSA) row of the same DOL table, for minors under 16: 3 hours on a school day and 18 in a school week, 8 hours on a non-school day and 40 in a non-school week, and no work from 7 p.m. (9 p.m. June 1 through Labor Day) to 7 a.m.
Tools: overtime calculator · labor cost calculator · all states
This is general information, not legal advice. Check your state labor department for current rules.
Questions
What is the minimum wage in New Hampshire?
The US DOL lists New Hampshire's basic minimum rate as $7.25 per hour (updated November 5, 2026). Some cities and counties set higher local rates.
Does New Hampshire require meal breaks for adults?
Yes, the DOL meal-period table (revised January 1, 2023) lists a requirement for New Hampshire; see the table on this page.
Does New Hampshire require paid rest breaks?
No. New Hampshire is not in the DOL paid rest-period table, which states that states not listed do not require paid rest periods.
Sources
- US DOL, Overtime Pay (checked 2026-11-12)
- State Minimum Wage Laws (US DOL) (checked 2026-11-12)
- Minimum Length of Meal Period Required under State Law for Adult Employees in Private Sector 1 (US DOL) (checked 2026-11-12)
- Minimum Paid Rest Period Requirements Under State Law for Adult Employees in Private Sector (US DOL) (checked 2026-11-12)
- Selected State Child Labor Standards Affecting Minors Under 18 in Non-farm Employment as of July 15, 2025 (US DOL) (checked 2026-11-12)
- US DOL, Breaks and Meal Periods (checked 2026-11-12)