To get a work permit in Connecticut for a minor, the minor needs a job offer in hand, proof of age, and an in-person visit to the issuing officer at a local school. The document itself is called a Certificate of Age, Form ED-301, and it is issued for one specific employer and one specific job. Connecticut requires it for almost any paid work by anyone under 18.
What You Need Before You Apply
Two documents. Get both in order before you go, because the visit is short only if the paperwork is right.
Proof of Age
Bring a birth certificate, passport, or valid driver’s license. If none of those are available, the state’s Working Papers Manual allows a notarized affidavit from a parent as a substitute.1Connecticut State Department of Education. Connecticut Working Papers Manual Guidelines and Procedures for the Employment of Minors
The Promise of Employment Letter
This comes from the employer, on company letterhead. It is where most applications stall, so it is worth sharing the requirements with the employer in advance. Connecticut’s Department of Labor specifies that the letter must include:
- The physical street address where the minor will work
- The hourly wage as a dollar amount, at or above the current state minimum wage (currently $16.94 per hour as of January 1, 2026)2State of Connecticut. Minimum Wage Information
- The specific job tasks the minor will perform. Vague descriptions like “cleaning” or “general helper” will get the letter rejected
- The maximum number of hours per week the minor could be asked to work
- The name, contact information, and signature of an authorized company official
An incomplete letter will be turned away at the issuing office.3Connecticut Department of Labor. Required Information in a Promise of Employment Letter
Where to Go and Who Has to Show Up
The minor must appear in person. A parent cannot pick up the certificate on the minor’s behalf.1Connecticut State Department of Education. Connecticut Working Papers Manual Guidelines and Procedures for the Employment of Minors
The issuing officer is usually at the minor’s local public high school or the school district’s central administrative office. State law authorizes the superintendent of schools, or an agent the superintendent designates, to issue the certificate.4Connecticut General Assembly. Chapter 168 – School Attendance and Employment of Children Private school students can go through the supervisory agent of their nonpublic school.
The forms come from the Connecticut State Department of Education, not the Department of Labor. Labor handles enforcement; schools handle issuance.
Homeschooled, Out-of-School, or Out-of-State Minors
If you are homeschooled, not currently enrolled, or attend school out of state, any designated issuing agent at any Connecticut school can issue your working papers. The documents required are the same. A homeschooled minor who wants to work during hours that would otherwise be treated as school hours needs an additional document from the local public school confirming that the minor is not enrolled and is being homeschooled.1Connecticut State Department of Education. Connecticut Working Papers Manual Guidelines and Procedures for the Employment of Minors
Applying in the Summer
School districts are expected to arrange for issuance during vacation periods. In practice, the district’s central office keeps issuing papers even when individual schools are closed. Call the main office before going to confirm hours.
What Happens at the Visit
The officer reviews the Promise of Employment letter for completeness, verifies the proof of age, and checks that the proposed job is legal for the minor’s age. If everything is in order, the certificate is issued that day. The minor gets one copy and the employer gets another, which the employer keeps on file for the duration of employment. There is no fee.
Which Certificate Goes With Which Job
The type of certificate depends on the minor’s age and the kind of work, under Connecticut General Statutes Section 10-193:4Connecticut General Assembly. Chapter 168 – School Attendance and Employment of Children
- Age 14: A certificate showing the minor is at least 14, for work as a caddie or in a pro shop at a golf course.
- Age 15: A certificate showing the minor is at least 15, for work in a retail store (bagger, cashier, or stock clerk), as youth camp staff, or as a lifeguard.
- Age 16: A certificate showing the minor is at least 16, for work in manufacturing, restaurants, theaters, bowling alleys, barber shops, and similar industries.
A 15-year-old can be issued a certificate to work as a grocery store cashier, for example, but cannot be issued one for a restaurant kitchen until age 16.
When a Permit Is Not Required
Federal law exempts minors under 16 who work exclusively for a parent in a business the parent solely owns, provided the work is not in manufacturing, mining, or a federally designated hazardous occupation.5eCFR. 29 CFR 570.126 – Parental Exemption “Exclusively” matters: if other employees in the business also direct the minor’s work, the exemption does not apply.
Connecticut also does not require a certificate for minors employed through a youth development program of a regional workforce development board.4Connecticut General Assembly. Chapter 168 – School Attendance and Employment of Children Informal work like babysitting and newspaper delivery falls outside the system as well. When in doubt, apply. The certificate is free and the visit is one trip.
Changing Jobs or Adding a Second One
The certificate is tied to one employer and the job described in the Promise of Employment letter. It does not transfer. Leaving a grocery store job for a restaurant job means starting over: a new Promise of Employment letter from the restaurant, another in-person visit, a new certificate.1Connecticut State Department of Education. Connecticut Working Papers Manual Guidelines and Procedures for the Employment of Minors Working two jobs at once means holding two separate original certificates, one for each employer.
What the Permit Does Not Do
Holding a valid certificate does not override Connecticut’s hour, curfew, and occupation limits. Those apply on their own. 14- and 15-year-olds can generally only work during school vacation periods, capped at 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week, between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. (9:00 p.m. from July 1 through Labor Day). 16- and 17-year-olds who are still in school are capped at 6 hours on a school day and 32 hours in a school week, with higher limits when school is not in session.6Connecticut Department of Labor. What Are the Time and Hour Restrictions For 16 and 17 Year-Old Minors (By Industry)? Night-work cutoffs vary by industry, and no minor under 18 can start work before 6:00 a.m.
Certain occupations are off-limits entirely. Federal law designates 17 categories as too hazardous for anyone under 18, including power-driven meat slicers, bakery and woodworking machines, roofing, excavation, demolition, logging, mining, and work with explosives or radioactive materials.7eCFR. 29 CFR Part 570 – Child Labor Regulations, Orders and Statements of Interpretation These apply even with parental consent and a valid state work permit. Confirm with the employer that the actual duties match what the Promise of Employment letter describes before the first shift.