All the jobs the young worker rules used to block: night shifts in warehouses and hotels, working alone in shops, bars and nightclubs, temp agencies, security and door work (with a guard card), forklift warehouse jobs (with a certificate), delivery driving (with a licence) and unskilled work in care. Many of these are part-time or temporary and fit alongside studies.
Young & students
Jobs for over-18s in Denmark: what changes when you turn 18
When you turn 18, the Danish young worker rules no longer apply. What that means for hours, night shifts, bar jobs, pay, the labour market contribution and SU — and which jobs require you to be 18.
Step-by-step guide
- 1
Know the rules that apply from your birthday
The Danish order on young people’s work only applies until you are 18. From your birthday you follow the same rules as other adults: at least 11 consecutive hours of rest a day, one day off in every 7-day period, and at most 48 hours a week on average including overtime (Working Time Act). There are no longer special limits for school days, and hours from several jobs are no longer added up under the young worker rules. If you are still in upper secondary school, your own planning — and possibly SU — sets the limit.
- 2
Night shifts, working alone and bar jobs
At 18 you may work nights, e.g. in warehouses, 24-hour shops, hotels and care. As a night worker you are entitled to a free health check, and working time may be at most 8 hours a day on average. You may also be alone in a shop late in the day where there is a risk of robbery. In bars, nightclubs and other places serving alcohol, the Danish Restaurant Act only lets you work in the serving area, cloakroom or toilets once you are 18. The exception is 15–17-year-olds in places that mainly serve food, who may serve under adult supervision.
- 3
Get the certificates that require you to be 18
Several jobs require a certificate you can only get at 18: a security guard card (vagtkort) for guard, door and event jobs, a forklift certificate (truckcertifikat) for warehouse jobs, and a car licence without a companion for delivery driving and home care. Many temp agencies and warehouses also only hire over-18s, because they need people who can cover nights and work alone. If you hold one of these, put it at the top of your CV — it often decides whether you get an interview.
- 4
Check that your pay rises to the adult rate
There is no statutory minimum wage in Denmark, but many collective agreements — e.g. in retail, warehousing and hotels and restaurants — have a lower young worker rate for under-18s. From your 18th birthday you are usually entitled to the adult rate, and the difference can be large. Check your first payslip after your birthday, and ask your manager or union if the rate has not changed. Use the salary calculator to see what you take home after tax.
- 5
Tax, labour market contribution, SU and unemployment fund
From 2026 you pay the 8% labour market contribution (AM-bidrag) from the year you turn 18. The personal allowance is DKK 54,100 in 2026, the same as for under-18s, so update your preliminary income assessment on skat.dk if you earn more than before. In youth education you can receive SU from the month after you turn 18; under 20, the amount depends on your parents’ income, and you may earn DKK 15,297 a month in 2026 alongside it. You can join an unemployment fund (a-kasse) from 18, but free student membership requires a programme of at least 18 months — upper secondary school does not count.
- 6
Find jobs that suit you at 18
Typical jobs for over-18s are warehousing and logistics (including nights), temp agencies, shops with closing shifts, bars and nightclubs, cafés and restaurants, hotels, customer service, delivery driving and care homes or home care as an unskilled cover. Search part-time, student and temporary jobs in your city on Arbejd.com, and set up a free job alert to get new jobs as soon as they are posted. Say in your application that you are 18 and which shifts you can take — that is what employers look for.
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Frequently asked questions
There is no special limit for over-18s. You must have at least 11 hours of rest a day and one day off a week, and you may work at most 48 hours a week on average, including overtime. If you receive SU, you must also stay below the earnings limit.
Yes. The ban on night work only applies to under-18s. If you regularly work nights, you are entitled to a free health check as a night worker, and working time may be at most 8 hours a day on average.
As a rule, no. Where alcohol is served, under-18s may not work in the serving area, cloakroom or toilets during opening hours (Restaurant Act § 27). If you are 15–17 and have finished 9th grade, you may clear tables, set tables, clean, take orders and serve alcohol with food in places that mainly serve food, under adult supervision — between 6 am and 10 pm.
Often, yes. Many collective agreements have a young worker rate for under-18s and a higher adult rate from 18. Without an agreement there is no rule, so you negotiate yourself. Check your payslip after your birthday, and contact your manager or union if the rate has not changed.
Yes. From 2026 you pay the 8% labour market contribution (AM-bidrag) on all your pay from the year you turn 18 — before that year you pay none. You only pay income tax on earnings above the personal allowance of DKK 54,100 a year.
Yes, you can join an a-kasse from your 18th birthday. To receive unemployment benefits you usually need one year of membership and enough earnings to meet the income requirement. Free student membership requires that you are enrolled in a programme of at least 18 months; upper secondary programmes do not qualify.
Search part-time, student and temporary jobs in your city on Arbejd.com, and ask directly at warehouses, temp agencies, supermarkets, hotels and care homes nearby. With a free job alert you get new jobs as soon as they are posted.