Iowa Break Laws (2026)
Last updated: 2026-10-07 · Checked against the statute text and state agency guidance · Minors only
| Adult meal break | Not required |
|---|---|
| Adult rest break | Not required (short breaks you give must be paid) |
| Minors | 14–15: 30 min if 5+ h · 16–17: same as adults |
| Lactation | Federal PUMP Act only |
| Enforcing agency | Iowa Division of Labor (Iowa Workforce Development), Wage and Hour / Child Labor |
Iowa break scheduler
Pick a state and enter the shift. You'll get every break the law requires, the latest time each can start, a suggested schedule, and — if you enter the breaks actually taken — a compliance check with California premium pay.
Iowa · Adult (18+) · 8:00 AM–6:00 PM
On site 10 h · hours worked 10 h
No meal or rest break is required by Iowa law for this shift.
Federal law still applies: breaks of about 5–20 minutes you choose to give must be paid, and an unpaid meal must be a real duty-free break (ordinarily 30+ minutes). Different rules apply to minors — switch the employee type.
Scheduling aid, not legal advice. Industry wage orders, union contracts and employer-specific exemptions can change the rules — see the Iowa break law page for citations.
Iowa meal break law
No state law requires meal periods for adult private-sector employees; federal FLSA applies (no meal break required; bona fide meal periods of 30+ minutes with the employee completely relieved of duty may be unpaid, 29 CFR 785.19).
Source: official guidance
Iowa rest break law
No state rest-break requirement for adult private-sector employees. Federal rule: short breaks (about 5-20 minutes), if given, must be paid (29 CFR 785.18).
Breaks for minors in Iowa
If a person under 16 'is employed for a period of five hours or more each day, an intermission of not less than thirty minutes shall be given.' Daily hour limits (8 hours) are exclusive of the intermission. No timing rule is stated.
Source: Iowa Code §92.7 (as amended by 2023 Acts, ch. 92, §6)
Lactation breaks in Iowa
No state workplace lactation-break law for private employers; federal PUMP Act applies.
Federal floor (PUMP Act): reasonable break time and a private space that isn't a bathroom for one year after birth, for nearly all employees; unpaid unless the employee isn't fully relieved of duty. Employers with fewer than 50 employees may be exempt only if compliance would cause undue hardship.
Source: None (29 U.S.C. 218d applies)
Recent changes
- Jul 1, 20232023 Iowa Acts ch. 92 (SF 542) amended child labor law, including §92.7 (current text allows under-16s to work until 11 p.m. June 1-Labor Day); the 30-minute intermission for 5+ hour days remains. Effective date per Iowa's default July 1 rule, not separately confirmed.
Frequently asked questions
Are breaks required by law in Iowa?
No adult break law. Minors under 16: a 30-minute break on days they work 5+ hours. Federal law requires no breaks, but short breaks that are given must be paid and unpaid meal periods must be duty-free.
How many breaks do you get for an 8-hour shift in Iowa?
None for adults — Iowa has no general meal or rest break law. Under federal law, any short break you give (5–20 minutes) must be paid.
Do minors get breaks in Iowa?
If a person under 16 'is employed for a period of five hours or more each day, an intermission of not less than thirty minutes shall be given.' Daily hour limits (8 hours) are exclusive of the intermission. No timing rule is stated.
Are lactation breaks required in Iowa?
Iowa has no state lactation-break law, so the federal PUMP Act applies: reasonable break time (unpaid unless the employee isn't fully relieved of duty) and a private space that isn't a bathroom, for one year after birth.
Official Iowa sources
Figures checked against these sources on 2026-10-07Compare
Also “Minors only”: Alabama, Alaska, Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin
Related Resources on This Site
Helpful guides
General information, not legal advice. Industry rules, union contracts and agency exemptions can change these requirements. Confirm with Iowa Division of Labor (Iowa Workforce Development), Wage and Hour / Child Labor.