How Do You Quickly Get a California Entertainment Work Permit?

California Entertainment Work Permit –

Every minor working in the entertainment industry in California is required to have a California Entertainment Work Permit.  For those who need an entertainment work permit quickly, there is now (as of January 1, 2012) a faster, easier way to get a California Entertainment Work Permit.

This new temporary entertainment work permit is not only a help to the guardians and children who need a work permit quickly and from a location outside of California, but it is also an advantage for the employers desiring to hire these children.

I’ve previously discussed California Entertainment Work Permits in a number of posts, including “How Do You Get a Child Entertaiment Work Permit in Southern California?,”  “What’s New in the California Entertainment Work Permit Office?,” and “Where Is the Entertainment Work Permit Office in Van Nuys?”  Be sure to take a look at those and other posts in the Work Permit category for more on the topic of Entertainment Work Permits.

The basic process to get a California Entertainment Work Permit for a minor child is to:

1. Download the work permit application.
2. Fill out the application.
3. Get the child’s school to fill out the school section (or attach an affadavit if the child is home schooled), or attach the most recent school grade report if school is not in session.
4. Take the filled-out application plus any additional paper work (past work permit for renewals, birth certificate, etc. as stated on the permit application) to the work permit office. Alternately, mail it with a self-addressed, stamped envelope, but expect a return time of at least two weeks.

But if you are really in a hurry to get a work permit and/or you are not near the California Entertainment Work Permit office, what can you do? You’ll be glad to know that you now have an easier and faster option.

So, “How Can You Get a California Entertainment Work Permit Quickly?”

Continue reading to learn about this expedited California Entertainment Work Permit.

A new law (Assembly Bill 1401) went into affect on January 1, 2012 to enable you to get a California Entertainment Work Permit more quickly and easily. This law allows guardians to apply for a temporary entertainment work permit for a minor online.

You can view more details on this on the Department of Industrial Relations website. You will see an option to

Apply for a 10-day Temporary California Entertainment Work Permit.

In order to get this expedited, 10-day temporary entertainment work permit,  the minor’s parent or guardian is required to complete the on-line application and pay a $50 permit fee.  The minor will then be allowed to start work immediately after this permit is granted.

Note that this expedited work permit is only allowed in certain circumstances such as when employment requires it. It is only a one-time work permit, so any subsequent work permits must be obtained following the standard entertainment work permit procedures. It is also not available for a child who has previously had a California Entertainment Work Permit.

According to Labor Commissioner Julie Su in a news release concerning this work permit, “The system also has an on-line verification that is secure and available for employers and studio teachers to verify the eligibility of a minor under this 10-day Temporary Entertainment Work Permit.”

The fees collected for these 10-Day Entertainment Work Permits will go to the Entertainment Work Permit Fund to pay administration costs associated with this program.

The application can be found on the Department of Industrial Relations’ web site:

Apply for 10-Day Temporary Entertainment Work Permit

One Current Issue with the 10-Day Temporary Entertainment Work Permit Process:

At this time (as of August 31, 2012), the temporary work permit site can only be used with Windows with Microsoft Internet Explorer Version 7.0. The site states that they are working to expand to other browsers in the future.

So be sure you are using Windows with Microsoft Internet Explorer Version 7.0 when you apply for this type of California Entertainment Work Permit or otherwise you will get an error and not be able to complete the application process.

To get information on this and many other topics related to the entertainment industry, fill out the form in the right sidebar with your name and email address.  And let me know if you have any questions.

To your success,

Debbie Sikkema