Previously, I’ve discussed entertainment work permits for children working in the state of California. But there are many of you in states other than California who are wondering if you need an entertainment work permit for your child.
If you are looking for employment within the state of California, refer to my posts concerning entertainment work permits in California (see “Where Is the California Entertainment Work Permit Office in Van Nuys?“, “How Do You Renew Your Child’s Entertainment Work Permit?“, “Do You Need an Entertainment Work Permit for Your Child Actor?“).
Currently, about half of the 50 states in the United States require work permits for minors working in the entertainment industry. So you are wise to look into the laws that are specific to a particular state before your child obtains employment in that state.
If your child lives in one state and gets employment in another, you can certainly get assistance and advice on how to get that work permit quickly when it is needed. Often, the production company can advise you on what to do when the time comes.
So, “Does Your Child Need an Entertainment Work Permit in States Other Than California?”
If your minor child is seeking work in a state other than California, it is a good idea to look into the requirements and laws for that state. About half of the states in the U.S. require work permits in at least some cases. Most states have certain requirements and labor laws related to employment of minors, so it is good to look into the laws regardless of where you are.
You can start with the U.S. Department of Labor website on the page for State Labor Laws for Child Entertainment. This provides basic information on child entertainment work permit and labor laws for each of the 50 states as of December 2009. To obtain additional information, you can contact the labor office for each particular state. To find the contact and number you need, refer to the list of labor office contacts.
States without any real regulation for Child Entertainment include:
- Arizona
- Colorado
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Mississippi
- Montana
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Mexico
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Utah
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
Even if you are in or planning for your child to work in one of the above states, it is still good to look into what the laws stipulate in regards to child entertainment. Even in some of the above states, children are not allowed to work in certain venues.
Keep in mind that child labor laws are created to protect children in the entertainment industry. While it may seem so, and even though it is convenient, it is not always a good thing to be in a state where no child entertainment labor laws exist.
You must be vigilant to make sure that your child is not exploited or mistreated in any way in every case in the entertainment industry. This is even more true in states where child entertainment labor laws do not exist or are very limited.
For more information on this and many other topics related to children in showbiz, subscribe to Your Young Actor’s Newsletter. You’ll also get a free mini-course on getting started in showbiz.
To your success and safety,
Debbie Sikkema
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6 comments
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Paul Jones from carpet cleaning arlington virginia says:
April 29, 2010 at 8:49 pm (UTC -8)
Thanks for this helpful information. Its really thoughtful of you to make the list of states which do not require permits. I am sure this will help many people as a majority of them are confused about obtaining work permits for minors or teens. This is due to the variations in related laws and ordinances that differ from state to state. If you need to get a work permit for your minor, you need to refer to the requirements of your respective state. Its confusing, but that’s how laws are!
college grants says:
May 3, 2010 at 7:17 pm (UTC -8)
What a great resource!
Patrice Lulow says:
December 2, 2010 at 7:51 pm (UTC -8)
Awesome website you have by the way
Billiards Boy says:
May 11, 2011 at 11:54 am (UTC -8)
This is a great post for me to come by. I appreciate you sharing your knowledge. I have interests in this area for my child and it is good to know where to come to find the information on the different state laws.
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business opportunity says:
July 23, 2011 at 7:58 am (UTC -8)
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January 21, 2012 at 3:41 pm (UTC -8)
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