How to Get a Work Permit in New Mexico

The New Mexico State Constitution officially considers New Mexico a bilingual state, with one out of three New Mexico families speaking Spanish at home. No matter the language spoken, teenagers in New Mexico are eager to gain work experience and earn money.  In New Mexico, 14 is the minimum age that a minor can work, and all minors under the age of 16 must obtain a work permit prior to beginning work. The process to obtain a work permit is not difficult, and minors in New Mexico who are interested in gaining work experience, should have no trouble being able to seek employment. Click here for more information on teen labor laws in New Mexico.

All minors under the age of 16 that are seeking employment must obtain a work permit prior to beginning a job. To obtain the work permit, the minor should follow the process below:

1. The minor should first seek employment. Once the minor finds an employer who is willing to hire them, the minor will need to obtain a work permit before their employment begins.
2. The minor can obtain a work permit at the school they attend, the office of the Superintendent of their school district, or from one of the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions offices.
3. The minor must bring their parent or guardian with them when seeking to have a work permit issued.
4. The minor is required to bring proof of age; proof of age can include: a birth certificate, valid driver’s license, state issued ID, school ID/school records that show date of birth, military ID/dependent’s ID card, Native American tribal document, Medicaid card/medical records that show date of birth, resident alien card, United States Passport or baptismal record.
5. The work permit will not be issued until proof has been provided to the person issuing the work permit that the work the minor intends to do is not dangerous or could cause injury to the “child’s health, morals or mental development”. To ensure that the person responsible for issuing the permit is clear on the job the minor is seeking to work, the minor would benefit from getting a letter from the potential employer regarding the job they would be hired for.
6. The person issuing the permit will keep one copy on file, and send one copy of the permit to the labor and industrial division of the labor department. The minor can bring a copy of the permit to their new employer.
7. The work permit will be good for one year and is able to be renewed at the time of expiration (the minor should request the renewal from the individual who issued the work permit).

Should an employer in New Mexico be interested in hiring a minor that is under the age of 16, they must obtain a work permit prior to the minor starting work. Fortunately, it is not difficult for a minor under the age of 16 to complete the process to obtain a work permit and the employer does not have to do much work in order for the minor to be issued the required document. Employers have the following responsibilities in regards to the work permit:

1. The employer who has offered a job to a minor may be asked by the minor to provide a document stating the position they will hold and what their responsibilities will be, in order to make it clear to the individual issuing the work permit that the job the minor is seeking to work will not injure them.
2. Once the employer is given a copy of the work permit, the employer is responsible for keeping the work permit on file. The work permit is always subject to inspection.
3. The employer must follow child labor laws.

Prior to allowing a minor under the age of 16 to begin working in New Mexico, employers must receive a work permit from them. It is not hard for a minor to obtain the work permit, and the role of the employer in the minor accessing it is minimal.