A New York Child Performer Permit is issued by the New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) and is required for any minor under 18 who works in film, television, theater, modeling, commercials, voice recording, or similar creative work in the state. A parent or legal guardian applies through the NYSDOL online portal using Form LS561, submits proof of age, school verification, and a physician’s health certification, and receives a permit that lasts 12 months.1Department of Labor. Information for Child Performers
Who Needs This Permit
Article 4-A of the New York Labor Law covers any minor furnishing artistic or creative services, whether the child is hired directly, through a loan-out company, or through a casting agency.2Cornell Law School. 12 NYCRR Part 186 Child Performers If your child is auditioning for paid work in the entertainment industry in New York, they need a permit before that work starts.
One boundary worth noting: this permit is what the child holds. The production or agency hiring the child has a separate obligation to hold an Employer Certificate of Eligibility, valid for three years, before it can employ any minor performer.3Department of Labor. Child Performer Frequently Asked Questions That is the employer’s paperwork, not yours, but you should confirm they have it.
What You Need Before You Apply
Three items support the application:
- Proof of age, meaning a birth certificate or passport showing the child is under 18.
- Educational verification. School-age children need a certificate from their school or a letter from a homeschool administrator confirming satisfactory academic progress. Children under six are exempt from this requirement.
- Medical certification from a licensed physician confirming the child is physically fit to work. The exam must have taken place within 12 months of the application date, and it must be recorded on the official NYSDOL health form.4Cornell Law School. NY Comp Codes R and Regs Tit 12 186-3.3 – Renewal of Child Performer Permit
You’ll also enter the child’s full legal name, date of birth, and Social Security number on Form LS561. If the child doesn’t have a Social Security number yet, you can file the application without it and add it later.5NY.Gov. Application for a Child Performer Permit LS561 A parent or legal guardian signs.
How to Apply Online
All one-year permits are now issued through the NYSDOL’s online portal. You upload the supporting documents directly during the application. Complete online submissions are typically processed within one to three business days, and the approved permit is downloaded by logging back into the portal. Mailed applications are still accepted but take three weeks or longer to process, and the department cannot expedite requests, so leave time before any production start date.1Department of Labor. Information for Child Performers
The 15-Day Temporary Permit
When a job comes up quickly and you can’t gather full documentation in time, you can apply online for a temporary 15-day permit. It buys you a short window to get the child working while you finish assembling paperwork or set up a trust account. It is strictly a one-time, first-time option: a child who has ever held either a 15-day permit or a 12-month permit cannot get another temporary one.6Department of Labor. Child Performer 15-Day Online Application
Work Hour Limits by Age
Once your child has a permit, the daily rules matter as much as the paperwork did. Hours refer to actual work time, not the whole time spent at the workplace, which is usually longer to accommodate schooling and rest. The limits below apply outside of live theater, which has its own provisions.7Cornell Law School. NY Comp Codes R and Regs Tit 12 186-6.2 – Hours and Days of Work
Infants and Children Under Six
Infants between 15 days and six months old may be at the workplace for a maximum of two hours, and actual work cannot exceed 20 minutes per day. Children ages two through five may be on set up to six hours, with no more than three hours of that as actual work; the rest is rest, recreation, or education.
Ages Six Through Eight
Up to eight hours at the workplace. When school is in session, no more than four of those can be work, and at least three hours must go to schooling. When school is not in session, work can rise to six hours, with up to two hours of rest and recreation.
Ages Nine Through Fifteen
Up to nine hours at the workplace. During the school year, work is capped at five hours, with three hours of schooling and one hour of rest. When school is out, work can go up to seven hours, with two hours of rest.
Ages Sixteen and Seventeen
Up to ten hours at the workplace. During the school year, no more than six hours can be work, with three hours of schooling and one hour of rest. When school is not in session, work can fill up to nine hours of the ten.
Start Times, End Times, and Rest
Outside of live theater, a child performer may not start work before 5:00 a.m. On evenings before school days, work must end by 10:00 p.m. On evenings before non-school days, the cutoff extends to 12:30 a.m. For live theater, the school-night limit is midnight rather than 10:00 p.m.
Every child must receive at least 12 hours of rest between dismissal one day and call time the next. A meal break of at least 30 minutes is required after five consecutive hours of work.
The Coogan Trust Account
Before your child’s first paid job, you have to establish a trust account for their benefit. This is commonly called a Coogan Account, and New York’s version sits in the Estates, Powers and Trusts Law.8New York State Senate. New York Estates Powers and Trusts Law Section 7-7.1 – Child Performer Trust Account
The employer transfers at least 15% of the child’s gross earnings into the account. For jobs of 30 days or less, the transfer happens within 30 days after the final day of employment. For longer engagements, transfers happen each payroll period. If you haven’t set up the account and given the employer the details within 15 days of the start of employment, the employer sends the money to the State Comptroller, who holds it in a child performer holding fund until the situation is resolved. Holders of a 15-day temporary permit get an extra 15 days to set up the account.9Cornell Law School. NY Comp Codes R and Regs Tit 12 186-3.5 – Child Performer Trust Account
The money in the account belongs to the child and stays protected until adulthood. As guardian of the account, you also have to keep the employer updated on anything that affects their deposit obligations.
School While Working
When the work schedule prevents regular school attendance, the employer must provide a teacher who is certified or holds credentials recognized by New York. Your child is not marked absent from their regular school while working under a valid permit, and the on-set teacher, the parents, and the child’s school are expected to coordinate so the child stays on track.10New York State Senate. New York Laws LAB Labor 152 – Educational Requirement
During instruction, the space used for schooling is reserved for that purpose, and non-participants are not allowed in.11Cornell Law School. NY Comp Codes R and Regs Tit 12 186-5.1 A permitted child whose school is in session cannot go more than ten consecutive days without educational instruction.
Renewing the Permit
The permit lasts 12 calendar months from the date of issuance.12Cornell Law School. NY Comp Codes R and Regs Tit 12 186-3.2 – Application for Child Performer Permit Renewal takes updated documentation: a new educational verification form and a health certification based on a medical exam within 12 months of the renewal application date.4Cornell Law School. NY Comp Codes R and Regs Tit 12 186-3.3 – Renewal of Child Performer Permit You use the same online portal. Give a copy of the renewed permit to any current employer before the old one expires.
Permits can be revoked or suspended for non-compliance. Falsified documents, failure to maintain academic standing, or working beyond permitted hours are common triggers. Reinstatement after revocation typically requires a formal appeal and proof that the underlying problem has been corrected.
Penalties for Skipping the Rules
Two overlapping penalty structures apply, and the dollar figures are higher than most families expect.
Article 4-A itself authorizes civil penalties against employers of up to $1,000 for a first violation, up to $2,000 for a second, and up to $3,000 for a third or subsequent violation, deposited into a dedicated child performer protection fund.13Department of Labor. Article 4-A Employment and Education of Child Performers – Section 153
The broader child labor penalties under Section 141 of the Labor Law go much higher. As of May 2025, first violations can draw fines up to $10,000, second violations up to $25,000, and third or subsequent violations up to $55,000. When illegal employment leads to serious injury or death, the range runs from $3,000 for a first offense up to $175,000 for a third or subsequent violation.14NY.Gov. Guidelines Civil Penalties Effective May 9, 2025 for Child Labor Violations
Parents are not exempt. Knowingly allowing a child to work without a valid permit, misrepresenting information on the application, or failing to set up the required trust account can result in permit revocation and further enforcement. Productions verify permits routinely, and the NYSDOL actively monitors compliance.