How to Get a Child Actor Work Permit in California

Is your child the next Miley Cyrus or Nick Jonas? Have you been told that your darling ought to be in pictures? Do you want to just test the waters if your minor has what it takes by participating in a student film or by working background?

Whether your child will have the lead or be barely visible (or not at all if working atmosphere), the first thing that is needed in the State of California is an Entertainment Work Permit. This is a permit that parents need to obtain for their child age 15 days to 18 years before he or she can ever set foot on a set or professional stage and which certifies that the minor is fit to withstand the rigors of working. The permit needs to be renewed every six months and what is required for its issuance depends on the age: It is easiest to obtain this permit for children not yet in school, ages 1 month to 5 years as all that a parent needs to do is fill out the required form (obtainable as a .pdf file through the DLSE website). The filled out application needs to only be accompanied by proof of age for the child, which can be done by presenting the child's passport, certified birth certificate, baptismal certificate or an official letter from the hospital, where the infant was born.

If the infant is less than 1 month old, but at least 15 days, a physician will need to certify ON THE APPLICATION FORM that the baby was carried to full term and is otherwise healthy enough to withstand the rigors of working (which at that age largely means just being themselves on set for no more than 20 minutes at a time - the maximum amount of time a small infant is allowed to work).

Children who are of school age are required to have their applications certified by a school official instead of having to provide proof of age. All you need to do is drop the form off with the school counselor, secretary or principal who will need to verify the student's satisfactory academic progress and attendance. Some schools get confused by the all purpose form and insist you have the physician certification done first - you will need to remind them that none is needed, since this part only applies to infants. The school certification is however necessary irrespective of whether or not the child usually resides in California. Texas residents will have their regular school in Texas sign off, if your child's home school is in Georgia, that's where you will need to get the form signed. This of course can get tricky if you homeschool or in cases of online or similar education. In those cases, the parent must provide proof that whichever umbrella program is being used is recognized by the child's state of primary residence and the signatures must be obtained from there.

If you need to obtain the permit during school holidays, an emergency permit is available by presenting the child's last report card, which verifies that both academic progress and attendance have been satisfactory during the preceding academic year. However, the permit will only be valid for the duration of the vacation.

If your child is a high school graduate or has passed the CAHSEE (California High School Exit Exam) you will no longer need to obtain the permit. Congratulations, your child is now legally able to work as an adult (even at age 16).

You might need to know that there is currently no fee for obtaining or renewing an entertainment work permit. That may change at any time though, so please double check. It is possible to apply both in person as well as by mail. Both can currently only be done at the DSLE office in Van Nuys office, which has a section now specially designated to the processing of these permits. The current turnaround (as of March 2010) for walk-ins is 15 minutes - though please be advised that their office is closed on Fridays due to the state mandated furloughs. If you mail in your application, be prepared to wait at least three weeks, so please plan accordingly.

Another piece of important information is that the child's parent or guardian is always responsible for the child. If you come to a set without a studio teacher present (a state as well as SAG requirement), your child may not work. You are also subject to varied criminal penalties if you choose to ignore this law. In addition, you are required to obtain a Coogan Blocked Trust account in the name of your child for the work permit to remain valid.

Source: DLSE - Department of Labor Standards Enforcement