Meal and Rest Break Laws in Washington

Washington requires a 30-minute meal period so that no employee works more than 5 consecutive hours without one, and a paid 10-minute rest period for each 4 hours of work.

Last checked October 2026. General information, not legal advice.

Meal break required: Yes
Meal break rule: 30 minutes, starting between hours 2 and 5; No more than 5 consecutive hours without a meal period. Paid if the employee must stay on duty. Another 30 minutes for 3 or more hours past a normal workday.
Rest break required: Yes
Rest break rule: Paid 10 minutes per 4 hours worked; Scheduled near the middle of the work period, no more than 3 hours without one. Intermittent equivalent rest can replace scheduled breaks.

Sources

Last checked October 2026

The rules in Washington

Does Washington law require meal breaks for adult employees?

Yes. Meal break required in Washington: yes.

How long is the required meal break in Washington, and when is it due?

Meal break rule in Washington: 30 minutes, starting between hours 2 and 5. No more than 5 consecutive hours without a meal period. Paid if the employee must stay on duty. Another 30 minutes for 3 or more hours past a normal workday.

Does Washington law require rest breaks for adult employees?

Yes. Rest break required in Washington: yes.

How long are required rest breaks in Washington, and when are they due?

Rest break rule in Washington: Paid 10 minutes per 4 hours worked. Scheduled near the middle of the work period, no more than 3 hours without one. Intermittent equivalent rest can replace scheduled breaks.

Where do the Washington meal and rest break laws come from?

The rules above come from Wash. Admin. Code 296-126-092. Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

Good to know

Agricultural workers are covered by a separate rule.

What this means in practice

Put the break schedule in writing, for example in an employee handbook, and apply it consistently. State rules often depend on shift length, so the policy should say when a break is due and how long it lasts.

Under federal rules, short rest breaks are generally counted as paid work time, while a bona fide meal period during which the employee is fully relieved of duty usually does not have to be paid. If an employee is asked to stay at the workstation or answer calls, the meal period may count as work time.

Check whether a state rule covers your industry and workforce. Break laws can treat minors, health care workers, nursing mothers or employees under a collective bargaining agreement differently, and city ordinances may add requirements.

General information, not legal advice. Laws change, and cities can add their own rules, so check the current statute before you rely on it.

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