Confirm the state and the age first to see which minor-hire papers the four states require.
Key takeaways for minor hire paperwork check
- In California, the employer must possess a valid Permit to Employ and Work before permitting a minor to work, according to the California Department of Industrial Relations.
- This permit form must be completed by the minor and the employer, and it requires signatures from the minor's parent or guardian and the employer, according to the California Department of Industrial Relations.
- Employers must have a current minor work permit endorsement for each location where minors are employed, according to the Washington Department of Labor & Industries.
- Additionally, parent/school authorization forms in Washington must be signed by the employer, the minor, an official from the minor's school, and the minor's parent or legal guardian, according to the Washington Department of Labor & Industries.
- In Oregon, confirm the employer's annual certificate and a proof of age document for each minor under 18.
California requires a permit for minors under 18, according to the California Department of Industrial Relations. Washington has specific rules for hiring employees under 18, according to the Washington Department of Labor & Industries. Oregon requires a certificate to employ minors under 18, according to the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries. New York requires working papers for ages 14-17, according to the New York Department of Labor.
Check the work state and age first
Verify the work location first because document requirements vary by jurisdiction.
Washington State employers must follow specific rules when hiring employees under the age of 18 Washington Department of Labor & Industries.
In Oregon, all employers must have a certificate to employ minors under 18 years of age Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries.
In New York State, if you are aged 14-17 you will need an employment certificate, also called working papers, in order to hold a job New York Department of Labor.
Identify the specific age of the prospective employee to match it against these thresholds. California covers minors under 18. Washington covers employees under 18. Oregon covers minors under 18. New York covers ages 14-17. If the worker is 18 or older, these specific minor-hire rules do not apply. If the worker is under 14 in New York, the quoted rule for ages 14-17 does not cover that age group.
Check the work state to determine which publisher’s rules apply. If the work occurs in California, use the California Department of Industrial Relations guidelines. If the work occurs in Washington, use the Washington Department of Labor & Industries guidelines. If the work occurs in Oregon, use the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries guidelines. If the work occurs in New York, use the New York Department of Labor guidelines.
Keep the state and age separate from other hiring requirements. These rules specifically address minor employment documents. Other requirements, such as background checks or I-9 forms, are separate. See Conviction timing rules for 3 jurisdictions. Focus on the minor-specific documents first. See also Salary history questions: 3 state rules to check.
Identify whose permit or certificate the state requires
The first step in checking minor-hire paperwork is determining whether the document belongs to the individual worker or the employer. The four states described in the source pages use different structures for this requirement, and the recruiter must identify the correct holder before the assignment begins.
In California, the obligation falls on the employer. According to California Department of Industrial Relations, "Prior to permitting a minor to work, employers must possess a valid Permit to Employ and Work." This phrasing places the possession of the valid permit directly with the employer rather than the minor. The recruiter should verify that the employer holds this specific document before the minor starts work. The page title for this rule is "Information on minors and employment."
Washington uses a location-specific approach tied to the employer. According to Washington Department of Labor & Industries, "Employers must have a current minor work permit endorsement for each location where minors are employed." This means the endorsement is attached to the physical location where the work occurs. If a minor works at multiple sites, the employer needs a current endorsement for each of those locations. The source page is titled "How to Hire Minors." The key distinction here is the "each location" qualifier; a single endorsement may not cover all sites if the minor’s schedule spans different addresses.
Oregon requires an employer-held certificate but explicitly excludes individual permits for the youngest workers. According to Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries, "All employers must have a certificate to employ minors under 18 years of age." The same source clarifies that "Minors age 14-17 are not issued individual work permits in Oregon." This distinction is critical for the recruiter: the document is an employer certificate, not a personal permit for the teenager. The page title is "BOLI : Minor Workers : For Employers : State of Oregon." The recruiter should not look for a personal permit in the minor’s file for ages 14-17, as the state does not issue them.
To summarize the holder distinction: * California: Employer possesses the Permit to Employ and Work. * Washington: Employer holds a location-specific endorsement. * Oregon: Employer holds a certificate; no individual permits for ages 14-17. * New York: Minor holds the employment certificate (working papers).
Check age evidence, signatures and where papers are kept
Before the first shift, verify the teenager’s age using documents accepted by the specific state where the work occurs. The Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries advises employers to verify the age of each minor hired from an appropriate proof of age document such as a passport, driver’s license or birth certificate, according to Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries.
Signatures vary by jurisdiction and must be collected before work begins. In California, the form must be completed by the minor and the employer and signed by the minor's parent or guardian and the employer, according to California Department of Industrial Relations. This requires four distinct actions: the minor fills it out, the employer fills it out, the parent or guardian signs, and the employer signs. Do not assume a single signature covers all roles.
Washington requires a broader set of signatories for its authorization forms. Parent/school authorization forms must be signed by the employer, the minor, an official from the minor's school, and the minor's parent or legal guardian, according to Washington Department of Labor & Industries. This means the school must be involved in the signing process, not just the family and the business. Contact the school’s administrative office early, as their signature is a required component of the form.
Storage and return obligations differ significantly, particularly in New York. The New York Department of Labor states that your employer must keep Student Non-Factory, Student General, Full-Time, and Limited Employment Certificates on file at the place where you work, as long as you keep the job, according to New York Department of Labor.
New York also imposes strict rules on document handling. Employers are not allowed to accept photocopies of your working papers, according to New York Department of Labor. You must present the original documents to the employer. If you provide a copy, the employer cannot legally accept it. Plan to bring the physical papers to the first day of work.
Finally, understand the return obligation when employment ends. At the end of a job, the employer must give your working papers back to you, according to New York Department of Labor. This is a mandatory return of property. The employer cannot retain the original working papers after the employment relationship concludes. Include this step in your offboarding checklist to ensure compliance and avoid disputes about document ownership.
Keep renewal dates separate
Track expiration dates for each document type to avoid relying on expired authorizations. In California, permits issued during the school year expire five days after the opening of the next succeeding school year and must be renewed, according to the California Department of Industrial Relations. Do not assume a permit remains valid indefinitely or through the summer break without checking this renewal trigger.
In Washington, all parent/school authorization forms expire each new school year on the 30th day of September and must be renewed annually, according to the Washington Department of Labor & Industries. This date is fixed to the calendar month rather than the specific school district’s start date. If a minor works across the September 30th boundary, the previous authorization is no longer valid. You must collect a new form for the new school year before the next shift begins.
Oregon requires a different annual cycle. An employer must verify the age of every minor hired and must also apply each year for a single annual employment certificate, according to the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries. This certificate is an employer-level document that applies to all minor hires for that year. Unlike the individual permits in California or the specific authorization forms in Washington, this is a single application covering the employer’s minor workforce for the annual period. Verify the current year’s certificate is on file before onboarding a new teenager.
Set reminders for the specific dates mentioned. For California, calculate the date five days after the next school year opens. For Washington, mark September 30th. For Oregon, confirm the annual certificate application is complete for the current year. Pay timing sits in First payday rules for 4 state payment schedules.
Filled reference table
One filled row shows the New York document and the ages it covers.
| Publisher | Required Document | Holder/Issuer |
|---|---|---|
| New York Department of Labor | Employment certificate (working papers) | Aged 14-17 |
According to the California Department of Industrial Relations, minors under 18 employed in California must have a permit to work except in limited circumstances defined in law.
Illustrative example
A 14-year-old is scheduled at one location, and an 18-year-old is outside these minor-hire rules. For the 14-year-old, name the work state before the first shift. In California, confirm the employer’s Permit to Employ and Work and the parent or guardian signature plus the employer signature. In Washington, confirm the location endorsement and the parent/school form, and renew it on the 30th day of September. In Oregon, confirm the employer’s annual certificate and proof of age, not a personal permit. In New York, bring the original working papers for the employer to keep at the workplace and return when the job ends.
Do this before the first shift
Today, write down the work state and the worker’s age, then match them to the document and signatures in the sections above, and note any renewal date those sections give.
Minor hire paperwork check FAQ
Does the minor or the employer obtain the document?
In New York, the minor holds working papers that the employer keeps on file, according to the New York Department of Labor.
Which signatures are needed before work starts?
California forms must be completed by the minor and the employer, and signed by the minor's parent or guardian and the employer, according to the California Department of Industrial Relations. Washington parent/school authorization forms require signatures from the employer, the minor, an official from the minor's school, and the minor's parent or legal guardian, according to the Washington Department of Labor & Industries.
Can New York employers accept photocopies?
No. The New York Department of Labor states that employers are not allowed to accept photocopies of working papers.
When do authorizations or permits need renewal?
California permits issued during the school year expire five days after the opening of the next succeeding school year and must be renewed, according to the California Department of Industrial Relations. Washington parent/school authorization forms expire each new school year on the 30th day of September and must be renewed annually, according to the Washington Department of Labor & Industries.