How to Get a Youth Work Permit
A minor may need a work permit prior to beginning employment, depending on the state in which he resides. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, individual states may require work permits for minors but work permits are not federally mandated. If your state requires a work permit, you will likely receive instructions for obtaining one from your employer at the time of hiring. When a state requires a work permit, a minor must obtain one and both the employer and the local government must retain copies on file.
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Instructions
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Visit the U.S. Department of Labor website (see Resources) to see if your state requires a work permit. Find your state listed in alphabetical order and look at the chart under the heading "Employment Certificate" to see whether your state requires a work permit for employed minors. The chart also indicates which local entity issues the work permit in each state--a local labor department (city hall) or school. If your state requires a work permit, proceed to the next step.
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Obtain a hiring statement from your new employer that includes the position you will be filling, your duties and the hours you will work each week. Most employers will provide this automatically to minors upon hiring when a work permit is required.
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Get a written statement with a signature from a parent that gives consent for the minor to work.
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Take your birth certificate, Social Security card, the hiring statement, the parental consent and the fee amount to the local location that issues work permits. Present the documents to a clerk and receive your work permit.
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Tips & Warnings
Some states may allow a picture identification card instead of a birth certificate as proof of age.
Employers must reimburse minors the work permit fee in the minor's first paycheck.
References
Resources
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