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Work Permits for Students

Information to assist local education agencies in the issuance of work permits for California students.

Minors employed in the state of California must have a Permit to Employ and Work (commonly referred to as a “work permit”). Work permits are typically issued by the school where the student is enrolled. Minors entering the state from other locales will have to contact the school district local to where they will be staying in California to see if that district will issue them a work permit, even though they are not enrolled there. Local District policy will determine whether a work permit can be issued. Only work permits issued by a California school district are valid in California. Minors seeking Entertainment Work Permits should go to the link under Resources to find out how to receive that type of permit.

Work permits indicate the duties and location where the work will be done as well as the number of hours a minor may work. In most cases it is a two-step process, the minor along with the parent/guardian and employer fill out the B1-1 form and submit to the school local to the minor's address. The school district reviews the B1-1 form and issues the B1-4 (Work Permit).

California Work Permit and Workplace Readiness Week

  • Statement of Intent to Employ a Minor and Request for a Work Permit-Certificate of Age CDE Form B1-1 (DOC)
  • Basic Labor Rights Information Sheet Template: Passage of AB 800 Ortega (2023) produced new Education Code 49110.5 which requires that beginning August 1, 2024, every minor submitting a Statement of Intent to Employ a Minor and Request for a Work Permit-Certificate of Age (B1-1) must be given a hardcopy of the labor rights Information Sheet based on the AB 800 Information Sheet Template External link opens in new window or tab.
  • Permit to Employ and Work CDE Form B1-4 (DOC)
  • Request for Volunteer/Unpaid Trainee Authorization for Minors for School Supported volunteering and unpaid internships (not for those internships and volunteering the student has arranged on their own). CDE Form B1-6 (DOC)
  • Statement of Intent for Self-Certification for Permit to Employ and Work CDE Form B1-8 (DOC)
  • Curriculum for Workplace Readiness Week (AB 800) The Young Worker Education Project External link opens in new window or tab. and the UCLA Labor Center External link opens in new window or tab. have developed a California Department of Education standards-based curriculum for 11th and 12thgrade U.S. History, World History, Government and Economics teachers with five in classroom session to be used during Workplace Readiness Week External link opens in new window or tab. (held annually the week of April 28).

Note: Translated forms are available on the California Department of Education Clearinghouse for Multilingual Documents web page.

Resources

Questions: Erle Hall | ehall@cde.ca.gov | 916-323-2564 
Last Reviewed: Thursday, August 22, 2024