All Minors under 18 Years of Age in the State of New York need a Child Performer Permit to lawfully obtain work acting. Please follow the steps below to understand the process of
obtaining these things as your child will not be able to work without them.
This is a one-time deal only! Once your child has received a temporary permit, he or she will be able to work for ONLY 15 days before it expires. Once a temporary permit has been issued, there will NOT be an opportunity to get another temporary. DO NOT apply for the temporary more than 1 day before a project.
CLICK HERE to be redirected to the NYS Dept. of Labor’s TEMPORARY ONLINE APPLICATION form.
Be sure to have a bank account set up for your child. This must be a UTMA or UGMA account. You may also use a ‘Blocked Trust’ or California Coogan account.
Be sure to have your child’s Social Security Number accessible, as you will need this to complete the application.
Be sure that you are connected to a working printer! (This file can only open once; do NOT press the back button on your browser as you WILL lose the information.)
Fill out the application and Print.
Several pages will print out, but the first page will be the official 15-Day Temporary Permit. (This page will have the NY State Seal on it)
The additional pages will need to be filled out and mailed to the NYSDOL immediately. You will need several documents of identification for your child and signatures from school officials as well as a doctor’s note.
Make sure to bring the permit (PAGE ONE ONLY) to the shoot!
Without the permit in hand, a production company will NOT allow your child to work. It is a necessary document for insurance purposes.
Be sure to make a copy of your permit before you attend the shoot, to keep for your own records.
Work permits are valid for one year and must be renewed every year via MAIL. It is your responsibility to renew the work permit and keep it current! (please do well in advance of upcoming work)
CLICK HERE for the permit application.
Please fill the form out in its entirety and mail it in to the NY STATE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR as soon as possible. The permit can take up to 4 weeks to obtain.
Once you receive your permit in the mail, you MUST be sure to bring it with you to every job!
Make several copies, and always have them accessible. Keeping up with your child’s work permit status is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY and is necessary for any work in the state of NY. Work permits MUST BE RENEWED EVERY YEAR. Be sure to mark your calendar to apply for renewal of your child’s permit at least 6 weeks before it is set to expire.
California permits are only required for jobs that film in California. There is no need to obtain this permit until your agent advises you to do so.
CLICK HERE for information on obtaining a performer permit in the state of California.
Additionally with the California permit, you will need to open up a Coogan Account which is a blocked trust account. CLICK HERE to to learn more on how to open this type of bank account. It must be a CA Coogan, not one from a different state.