If your teenager is offered a part-time job before they leave school, the employer will usually need a child employment permit. Plenty of parents, and plenty of small employers, have never heard of one. Here is how they work.
Last reviewed November 2026. Permit rules are set by each council, so check your local council's child employment page for its own form and conditions.
What is a child employment permit?
A child employment permit is the council's record that a school-age child is working, for whom, where, doing what and for how many hours. Councils use it to check that the job is legal for the child's age, that the hours stay within the limits and that the work will not harm the child's health or education.
Who needs one?
Most councils require any business that employs a child of compulsory school age, paid or unpaid, to apply for a permit. That covers children from 13 or 14 up to the school leaving date, which in England is the last Friday in June of the school year in which they turn 16.
Who applies, and to which council?
- The employer applies, not the child or the parent, although the parent usually has to sign the form.
- The council is the one where the work happens, not where the child lives.
- Many councils ask for the application before the child starts, and some allow up to a week after.
What the application involves
Forms vary, but councils commonly ask for the child's details and school, the employer's details, the type of work, the place of work, the days and hours, a parent's signature and sometimes a risk assessment. Some may ask for a photo of the child or, rarely, a medical check.
How much does it cost?
Permits are normally free.
What happens without one?
The government warns that if a child works without a permit, the employer may not be insured against accidents involving the child. Councils can also fine employers who break the rules, with some, such as Croydon, stating fines of up to £1,000.
The permit is specific
A permit covers one child, one employer, one place of work, one type of work and set hours. If any of those change, the employer needs to tell the council, and the child may need to carry the permit while working.
When a permit is not needed
- Work experience arranged by the school.
- After the school leaving date, when young worker rules apply instead.
- Licensed performances such as TV, theatre and modelling, which use a separate performance licence.
What about odd jobs for neighbours?
Permits are designed around businesses employing children. Occasional jobs for neighbours or family friends, such as washing a car or raking leaves, are usually treated differently in practice, though some councils define employment broadly. If your teenager is doing regular work for the same person, or the person hiring them is running a business, it is worth checking with your council's child employment or education welfare team.
How KidsHustle approaches this
KidsHustle is built around the same principles as the permit system. Jobs must sit between 7am and 7pm, every job owner verifies their identity, every listing is checked before it goes live, and parents approve each job before their teen can apply, with full visibility of messages. Read how parent approval works, or the full UK rules on working under 18.
Find safe local work
On KidsHustle every job owner is ID-verified, jobs sit between 7am and 7pm, and you approve each job before your teen can apply. Download KidsHustle to set up your family account.