Cashier job description template: store type, age-restricted sales, minors' hours and drawer policy
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Cashier postings are usually the shortest in the building: "Friendly cashier wanted, must be reliable." That works until the convenience store discovers the new hire is 16 and cannot ring beer in that state, or the grocery store's evening applicant is 15 and federal rules stop work at 7 p.m. during the school year. A cashier job description is short, but a few lines decide who can legally do the job: what the register sells, the youngest age you can hire for the shifts you need, how cash differences are handled, and the schedule. Below are the store types, the age and cash lines with sources, a copy-ready template, screening and scorecard rows, and common mistakes. For the phone screen, use cashier screening questions.
Match the posting to the store
| Store type | What the register handles | Line the posting needs |
|---|---|---|
| Grocery | High volume, produce codes, coupons, EBT and WIC tenders, bagging, sometimes alcohol | Whether cashiers ring alcohol and the state's minimum age for that |
| Convenience store or fuel station | Tobacco, alcohol, lottery, fuel prepay, often alone on shift, overnight hours | Minimum age for every age-restricted product, solo shifts and overnight schedule |
| Big-box or general merchandise | Returns, store credit card offers, self-checkout support | Whether cashiers process returns and are asked to offer store cards |
| Pharmacy front end | Over-the-counter items, photo processing, some tobacco or alcohol depending on the store | ID checks for any age-restricted products the store sells |
| Restaurant counter or quick service | Order entry, cash and card, sometimes food prep and drive-thru | Which other tasks rotate in, and any food handler card your state or county requires |
Settle three things with the store manager: the shifts you actually need covered (especially evenings, overnights and school-day hours), whether the cashier ever works alone, and the products at the register that carry an age rule. Those three lines filter more applicants than any adjective.
Age, hours and cash: the legal lines
Not legal advice. The child labor, tobacco and wage deduction points below were checked against the U.S. Department of Labor, the FDA and BLS as of October 2026. State law on minors, alcohol sales and wage deductions often goes further; check your state before posting.
Minors. Federal rules let 14- and 15-year-olds work as cashiers in retail, but limit their hours: no more than 3 hours on a school day, 8 hours on a non-school day and 18 hours in a school week, and only between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. (9 p.m. from June 1 through Labor Day) (DOL Fact Sheet #43). If the open shifts are school-day closes, say "must be 16 or older" or state the shifts plainly so younger applicants can see they do not fit. If you do hire minors, see I-9 rules for minors.
Age-restricted sales. The federal minimum age to buy tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, is 21, and retailers must check photo ID for customers who look under 30 (FDA, Tobacco 21). The minimum age for the cashier who sells alcohol or tobacco is set by your state, and lottery sales follow state lottery rules. BLS notes that cashiers must verify a customer's age when selling these products (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, last modified August 27, 2026). If the register sells them, put "must be [N] or older to sell [products] under [state] law" in the must-haves.
Drawer shortages. The Department of Labor gives as an example of a violation a minimum wage cashier required to reimburse a drawer shortage; under the FLSA, such deductions cannot reduce pay below the minimum wage or cut into overtime (DOL Fact Sheet #16). Many states restrict deductions further. In the posting, describe how drawers are counted and how differences are handled (coaching, retraining) rather than threatening pay deductions.
The cashier job description template
Cashier — [Grocery / Convenience / Retail / Counter],
[Part-Time / Full-Time], [Mornings / Evenings / Overnights /
Weekends]
[Store name], [street area or neighborhood, city, state]
Pay: $[min]–$[max] per hour, plus [shift differential, other
premiums with conditions]. [Benefits summary, if required.]
SUMMARY
You will ring up customers at [N] registers [and self-checkout] in
a store that serves about [N] customers a day (an estimate). Shifts
are [days and times]; [you may be the only cashier on overnight
shifts]. You will report to the [front-end manager / shift lead].
WHAT YOU WILL DO
- Scan and bag items, take cash, card, [EBT/WIC] and [mobile]
payments, and give correct change.
- Check ID for [alcohol / tobacco / lottery] sales and refuse sales
when required.
- [Process returns and exchanges under store policy.]
- Count your drawer at the start and end of each shift with a lead.
- Keep the checkout area clean and stocked [and help with
[stocking / food prep / fuel prepay]].
- Help customers find items and call a lead for problems you
cannot solve.
YOU MUST HAVE
- [Age line: "16 or older" / "18 or older to sell alcohol under
[state] law" / "21 or older for [product]" — keep only what
applies.]
- Availability for [N] shifts a week including [evenings /
weekends / holidays].
- Ability to count change and use a register after training.
- Ability to stand at a register for a [N]-hour shift, with or
without reasonable accommodation.
NICE TO HAVE
- Register or customer service experience.
- [Language] for customers who speak it.
No experience? We train on the job. Please apply.
CASH HANDLING
Drawers are counted with a lead at the start and end of each shift.
Differences are reviewed with you and handled through coaching and
retraining [state your policy accurately].
FIXED CONDITIONS
- Offers subject to [checks] as permitted by law.
- [Minors: work permit if your state requires one.]
[EEO STATEMENT]
To request an adjustment to apply or interview, ask any manager or
contact [contact].Pay and EEO
Post the hourly range and any differentials, and check your state's pay transparency law before posting. The BLS cashier profile linked above publishes pay data; this page does not quote figures. Close with an EEO statement that covers the characteristics the EEOC lists. If you run credit checks for cash-handling roles, the FCRA disclosure and consent steps apply, and some states limit employer credit checks; see credit check laws for employers.
From must-haves to screening questions and scorecard rows
| Must-have | Screening question | Scorecard competency | Evidence of a strong answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age for restricted sales | "The register sells beer and tobacco. Are you 18 or older?" (Use your state's age.) | Not scored | Knockout confirmed |
| Availability | "We need Friday and Saturday closes until 11 p.m. and one weekday morning. Which of those can you work every week?" | Not scored | Commits to the shifts named |
| Accuracy with cash | "A customer pays a $13.62 total with a $20 bill. What change do you give, and how do you count it back?" (example numbers) | Cash accuracy | $6.38, counted up from the total; no hesitation |
| Refusing a sale | "A regular customer forgot their ID and wants cigarettes. They say you served them last week. What do you do?" | Policy judgment | Politely refuses, explains the rule, calls a lead if the customer argues |
| Customer handling | "Your line is eight people deep and a customer is upset about a price. What do you do?" | Customer service under pressure | Stays calm, calls for a price check or backup, keeps the line moving |
Fuller question sets are in cashier screening questions. If the role mixes register work with floor sales, compare it with retail sales associate screening questions. For seasonal or opening hiring with dozens of cashiers, the steps in the high-volume hiring process and the interview guide for retail roles keep screens consistent.
Common mistakes in cashier job descriptions
No shift detail
"Flexible availability" hides the one thing most applicants need to know. Name the shifts.
An age line that does not match the register
A blanket "18 or older" can turn away 16-year-olds you could legally hire for a store without age-restricted products. A missing age line in a store that sells alcohol does the opposite. Write the age rule that applies.
Threatening deductions for shortages
"Cashiers are responsible for all shortages" can describe an illegal practice. State the real policy.
Requiring experience you will train anyway
Asking for a year of cashier experience shrinks the pool for a job BLS describes as trained on the job.
Before you publish
- Store type, register tasks and age-restricted products are named.
- The age line matches federal and state rules for what the register sells and the shifts you need.
- Shifts, solo work and overnights are stated.
- The cash-handling policy is accurate.
- Pay, the EEO statement and an accommodation contact close the posting.
Questions people ask
Can a 14- or 15-year-old work as a cashier?
Under federal child labor rules, yes: cashiering is one of the jobs 14- and 15-year-olds may do in retail. Federal limits on their hours still apply, including no more than 3 hours on a school day, 18 hours in a school week, and work only between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. (9 p.m. from June 1 through Labor Day). States can set stricter rules.
Can an employer make a cashier pay for a drawer shortage?
Under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, deducting a cash shortage is illegal if it brings the cashier's pay below the minimum wage or cuts into overtime pay. Many states restrict such deductions further. Describe your cash-handling policy accurately in the posting and check your state's rules before deducting anything.
How old does a cashier have to be to sell alcohol or tobacco?
The federal minimum age to buy tobacco is 21, and retailers must check photo ID for anyone who looks under 30. The minimum age for an employee to sell alcohol or tobacco is set by state law. Check your state's rules and put the minimum age in the posting if the register sells these products.
Should a cashier job description require experience?
Usually not. BLS says cashiers are trained on the job, often for up to a few weeks. Ask for reliability, availability and comfort with customers, and list register experience as nice to have, unless the role is a head cashier or supervisor position.