Texas meal and rest break law
The short answer
No state meal break requirement for adult employees in private employment. (U.S. DOL WHD table of state meal period requirements (Texas not listed)) No state paid rest break requirement for adult employees in private employment. (U.S. DOL WHD table of state paid rest period requirements (footnote 1; Texas not listed)) The federal default below applies.
Last verified Sep 24, 2026 · How we verify every rule
General information, not legal advice. This page is for general information only and isn’t legal, financial or tax advice. Laws vary by state and change; check the official source or talk to a qualified professional about your situation. Every rule on this page links to its official source.
Meal breaks
Do adult employees get a meal break?No state ruleVerified Sep 24, 2026 · 2 official sources
No state meal break requirement for adult employees in private employment. (U.S. DOL WHD table of state meal period requirements (Texas not listed))
“Table of Meal Period Requirements Under State Law For Adult Employees in Private Sector”
“neither the FLSA nor Texas law requires employers to give breaks during the workday”
Rest breaks
Do adult employees get paid rest breaks?No state ruleVerified Sep 24, 2026 · 2 official sources
No state paid rest break requirement for adult employees in private employment. (U.S. DOL WHD table of state paid rest period requirements (footnote 1; Texas not listed))
“1 States not listed do not require paid rest periods.”
“neither the FLSA nor Texas law requires employers to give breaks during the workday”
What it means for an employer
- Write down the break schedule for each shift length and give it to your staff.
- Short breaks you offer (about 5 to 20 minutes) count as paid work time under federal rules (U.S. DOL).
- A meal period can be unpaid only when the employee is completely relieved from duty (29 CFR 785.19).
- Record meal periods in your time system so you can show when each one started and ended.
The federal default
“Federal law does not require lunch or coffee breaks. However, when employers do offer short breaks (usually lasting about 5 to 20 minutes), federal law considers the breaks as compensable work hours that would be included in the sum of hours worked during the workweek and considered in determining if overtime was worked.”
“Bona fide meal periods are not worktime. Bona fide meal periods do not include coffee breaks or time for snacks. These are rest periods. The employee must be completely relieved from duty for the purposes of eating regular meals.”
State rules can add to the federal default. The Texas rules above are the ones we verified; for anything not covered, ask the state labor office.
Breaks: Texas and its neighbors
| State | Meal break | Rest break |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | No state rule | No state rule |
| New Mexico | Not verified | Not verified |
| Oklahoma | No state rule | No state rule |
| Arkansas | Not verified | Not verified |
| Louisiana | Not verified | Not verified |
Only verified rules are shown. "Not verified" means we have not checked that state's rule yet; open its rulebook for the official source.
Related
Questions about Texas break laws
Do adult employees get a meal break in Texas?
No state meal break requirement for adult employees in private employment. (U.S. DOL WHD table of state meal period requirements (Texas not listed))
Do adult employees get paid rest breaks in Texas?
No state paid rest break requirement for adult employees in private employment. (U.S. DOL WHD table of state paid rest period requirements (footnote 1; Texas not listed))
Sources (5)
Checked Sep 24, 2026 · How we verify every rule · Report an error