ENTERTAINMENT
WORK PERMITS
FOR MINORS.

An entertainment work permit is the government document that lets a minor legally perform paid work in film, TV, streaming, commercials, live theatre, modelling or voice-over. Most US states that host production require one; in California it is issued by the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE) and is separate from any school-district work permit a teenager already holds.

Without a valid permit on file, a production usually cannot put the child on the call sheet, and the child's earnings can be disputed. Casting will ask for it early.

• Anyone under 18 working in entertainment in California needs an Entertainment Work Permit issued by the DLSE.
• Apply through the DLSE's online portal. The initial permit is valid for six months. First-time infant permits (under 15 days old) are handled separately and last 15 days.
• The application requires a parent or legal guardian's signature, the child's birth certificate, and — for children in school — a school authorization confirming the child is in good academic standing. Kindergarten through 12th grade all count.
• A physician's certification of health is required for children under one month. Older children do not need one for the initial permit.
• Renewals are also six months and require an updated school authorization each time.
• Fifteen percent of a minor's gross earnings must be deposited into a Coogan trust account before work begins. Productions will ask for the trust account number alongside the permit.

A complete California online application is often approved in a few business days; in busy seasons it can take up to two weeks. Do not wait until you have a booking. If a casting director is asking for a self-tape, start the permit and Coogan account in parallel — bookings tend to close faster than the state processes paperwork.

Once permitted, a minor's on-set day is capped by age and school status. The production must provide a certified studio teacher whenever a minor is working during school hours or under 16 years old — the studio teacher watches the hours, the schooling, and the child's welfare. If a production suggests skipping the studio teacher "just for a short shoot," that is a red flag.

Rough daily caps under California law:

• Under 6 months: 20 minutes on set, 2 minutes in front of lights.
• 6 months – 2 years: up to 2 hours on set, 20 minutes working.
• 2 – 5 years: up to 4 hours on set, 3 hours working.
• 6 – 8 years: up to 6 hours on school days, 8 on non-school days.
• 9 – 15 years: up to 7 hours on school days, 9 on non-school days.
• 16 – 17 years: up to 8 hours on school days, 10 on non-school days.

A Coogan account (named after child actor Jackie Coogan) is a blocked trust account that safeguards a minor's earnings until they turn 18. Fifteen percent of gross earnings on every job go straight in and cannot be withdrawn early. Any major US bank that offers custodial trust accounts, and specialised firms like Actors Federal Credit Union, will open one — bring the child's birth certificate and social security number.

• New York: child performer permits are issued by the NY Department of Labor. Initial permits are valid for 12 months and require a physical exam and school authorization. NY also requires a UTMA trust account, similar in spirit to Coogan.
• Georgia: minors need an employment certificate from the Georgia Department of Labor plus, for school-age children, a school release. Hours follow federal child-labor law rather than a bespoke state cap.
• Louisiana: a work permit is issued by the state Department of Education for minors under 16; older minors follow standard employment rules. On-set studio teachers are still standard on any union-scale job.
• Illinois, Massachusetts, New Mexico: each has its own permit and trust rules. A local production accountant or the union rep usually knows the current forms; assume you need one until told otherwise.

If a US-based minor books a shoot in the UK, Canada, Germany or elsewhere, expect a local child performance licence, a chaperone requirement, and often a work visa that only the production can sponsor. The parent-signed consent, birth certificate and most of the paperwork transfers — but the timeline usually doesn't. Give it three to six weeks and let the agent coordinate with the production directly.

For minors on our roster we submit the work permit application, track the renewal six months out, and confirm the Coogan or state-equivalent trust account is open before the first job. What we cannot do — legally — is sign as the guardian. That stays with a parent or court-appointed guardian on every single form.