How to Get a Work Permit in Michigan

The state of Michigan has more shoreline than all states other than Alaska. But that does not mean all teenagers are spending their days sunbathing and enjoying water activities.  In Michigan, minors as young as 14 are able to seek work, with a work permit required for minors under the age of 18. There are two types of work permits available; one for minors under the age of 16 and one for minors aged 16 and 17. Click here for more information on teen labor laws in Michigan.

The process to obtain a work permit is Michigan is not difficult. There are two different work permits available, and the one that is required is dependent up the age of the minor. The work permit forms can be viewed here. For youth aged 14 and 15, the form that will be utilized is the CA-6. For those aged 16 and 17, the correct form is the CA-7. The CA-6 is printed on pink paper and a minor aged 14 or 15 who is seeking employment should do the following:

1. The minor should obtain the pink CA-6 form from an issuing officer. The issuing officer is typically someone who works for the school district, intermediate school district, or school official who has been designated as an issuing officer.
2. Once the minor has obtained the pink CA-6 form, they can complete Section 1, which requires general information of the minor, including the last four digits of their social security number.
3. The minor will then seek employment. Once an employer agrees to hire the minor, they will complete Section 2. This section will include the name and information of the employer, as well as the minor’s job title, wage, and the responsibilities they are being hired for. The employer must sign this section.
4. Once Section 2 is completed, the minor will take the pink CA-6 form back to the issuing officer. The issuing officer will review the form and complete Section 3. The issuing officer will review evidence of age, which could be from a birth certificate, driver’s license, school records, certificate of arrival in the United States, or a baptismal certificate. The issuing officer will also review Section 2 to make sure that the employment proposed is within the law for the age of the minor.
5. The issuing officer will make a copy of the work permit and include it in the minor’s school file. The original will be returned to the minor.
6. The minor aged 14 or 15 will bring the signed work permit to the new employer. This must be done before the minor can begin work.

For minors aged 16 and 17, the correct form for their work permit is the CA-7, which is printed on yellow paper. The process to follow to obtain the work permit is the same as when completing the CA-6. The forms are different to reflect the differing requirements when working based on age.

While minors are able to obtain employment as early as age 14 in Michigan, all minors under the age of 18 must have a work permit prior to beginning employment.  The minor must first obtain the work permit form that is required for their age, and then search for employment. Once the minor has found an employer who is willing to hire them, the employer must complete Section 2 of the CA-6 or CA-7. When it comes to work permits, employers in Michigan have the following responsibilities:

1. The employer will complete Section 2 of the CA-6 or CA-7 form depending on the age of the minor, once they decide to employ them. Section 2 includes the following information: name and address of the employer, the job title of the minor, their pay, the job duties the minor will perform and what tools the minor will use.
2. The employer cannot have the employee start working until they receive the completed and signed work permit from the minor after it has been reviewed by the issuing officer.
3. The employer must keep the original pink or yellow work permit form on file at the place where the minor is employed.
4. All child labor laws as well as federal, state, and local laws and regulations must be followed, including nondiscrimination.
5. The employer must keep time records that include the number of hours worked each day and start and end times.
6. The employer must hang required workplace posters and the work site.
7. Once the employment of the minor ends, the employer must return the work permit to the issuing officer.

Employers in Michigan who are interested in hiring minors aged 14-17 will find that it is not particularly complicated to do so. The role of the employer in the minor obtaining their work permit is minimal and not at all time consuming. The key for the employer is to follow all child labor laws and to not allow the minor to begin work prior to having a completed work permit on file.