Missouri Break Laws (2026)
Last updated: 2026-10-07 · Checked against the statute text and state agency guidance · No break law
| Adult meal break | Not required |
|---|---|
| Adult rest break | Not required (short breaks you give must be paid) |
| Minors | No separate rule — adult rules (if any) apply |
| Lactation | Federal PUMP Act only |
| Enforcing agency | Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Division of Labor Standards |
Missouri 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.
Missouri · Adult (18+) · 8:00 AM–6:00 PM
On site 10 h · hours worked 10 h
No meal or rest break is required by Missouri 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).
Scheduling aid, not legal advice. Industry wage orders, union contracts and employer-specific exemptions can change the rules — see the Missouri break law page for citations.
Missouri meal break law
No state meal-period requirement. Missouri DOLIR: 'Missouri law does not require employers to provide employees a break of any kind, including a lunch hour.' Federal 29 CFR 785.19 applies.
Source: official guidance
Missouri 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 Missouri
No general break rule for minors: Missouri DOLIR says Missouri law does not require breaks for employees 'including youth workers.' Exception for youth in the entertainment industry: a youth cannot work more than 5 1/2 hours without a meal break, and a 15-minute rest period (counted as work time) is required after each 2 hours of continuous work.
Source: Missouri child labor law, RSMo ch. 294 (entertainment-industry rules)
Lactation breaks in Missouri
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)
Frequently asked questions
Are breaks required by law in Missouri?
No meal or rest break law (youth in the entertainment industry excepted). 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 Missouri?
None for adults — Missouri 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 Missouri?
No general break rule for minors: Missouri DOLIR says Missouri law does not require breaks for employees 'including youth workers.' Exception for youth in the entertainment industry: a youth cannot work more than 5 1/2 hours without a meal break, and a 15-minute rest period (counted as work time) is required after each 2 hours of continuous work.
Are lactation breaks required in Missouri?
Missouri 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 Missouri sources
Figures checked against these sources on 2026-10-07Compare
Also “No break law”: Arizona, Arkansas, District of Columbia, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Wyoming
← Mississippi · All states table · Montana → · Missouri overtime
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Helpful guides
General information, not legal advice. Industry rules, union contracts and agency exemptions can change these requirements. Confirm with Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Division of Labor Standards.