Any individual or company hiring a minor (a person under 18 years of age) for stage or production work, including rehearsals, must first obtain New Jersey Child Labor Permits. Please note, that a production can only acquire a Child Labor Permit after that minor has been hired. There is no charge for these permits. Child labor permits or working papers from other states are NOT valid for work in New Jersey. Production representatives new to the process are strongly advised to contact The New Jersey Motion Picture Commission at 973-648-6279 and speak with a staff member before filling out paperwork.

There are two types of permits:

1. Emergent Permit – Short term permit utilized for film or theatrical productions working with a minor for 1-2 days maximum. Please note that you may use this permit for more than 2 shoot days if no individual minor works more than 2 days on the production. The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development requires two (2) business days advance notification prior to filming, or the performance of a theatrical production, to guarantee that requisite child labor permits will be issued. For assistance with these permits contact Charles Ricciardi at the New Jersey Motion Picture & TV Commission (charles.ricciardi@njeda.gov / 609-404-8984).

   Directions for Obtaining Emergent Theatrical Permits For Minors

   NJ Theatrical Production Application (Required form for Emergent Permit)

2. Formal Permit – Long term permit utilized for film or theatrical productions working with a minor for 3 or more days (up to 3 months). Please note that this process is now entirely online. Applications can be accessed and submitted at MyWorkingPapers.nj.gov.  For assistance with these permits, contact Charles Ricciardi at the New Jersey Motion Picture & TV Commission (charles.ricciardi@njeda.gov / 609-404-8984).

   Directions for Obtaining Formal Permits for Minors

Some Quick Facts:

Maximum Hours per day/week: Minors between the ages of 16 and 18 can work as long as 8 hours daily, 40 hours weekly, 6 days a week. Minors under 16 are permitted to be on set for a maximum of 8 hours daily and working for a maximum of 5 hours daily, 24 hours weekly, 6 days a week. If a minor attends school and works on a production, the combined hours of school and work must not exceed 8 hours daily. The minor’s travel time to and from set is not factored into their on-set time or work time. In the case of theatrical productions, where the performances are separable into discrete shows, the proposed employment of minor will not exceed two shows in a day or a total of eight shows in any given week.

When can a minor work? Unless a special waiver is granted by the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development, minors under 16 are prohibited from working before 7 a.m. or after 11:30 p.m., while minors between the ages of 16 and 18 are prohibited from working before 6 a.m. or after 11:30 p.m. The Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development does not have the authority to alter or amend the total hours in the day during which a minor may work. Contact the Motion Picture and Television Commission for more information about obtaining a waiver of hours when night filming is required.

Minors under 16 must be accompanied at all times by an adult who is a parent, or an officially appointed guardian. For minors under 8 years of age, a signed physical examination or note from the doctor must be presented. These documents must contain a doctor’s signature, be no more than a year old, and certify that the minor is in good health and will not likely be endangered by the working conditions of the prospective employment. There is no minimum age requirement for children working on theatrical productions, however the use of infants and toddlers should be further governed by an abundance of caution, common sense, and good judgment.

Most New Jersey counties, cities, towns, state parks, county parks, national parks, historic sites, highways, railroad and airport terminals, and military posts have their own unique regulations pertaining to production.  New Jersey Motion Picture and Television Commission staff members are well versed in these matters and should be consulted before specific communities are approached.

As a rule, filmmakers working in New Jersey are required to carry general liability insurance in the amount of $1 million ($2 million in the City of Newark). Additional insurance may be required of crews using pyrotechnic effects or performing stunts.  Property owners must be relieved of all liability in connection with production work taking place on their respective locations. Typically, production companies are asked to present certificates of insurance naming property owners as "additional insured."