In California, a minor working in entertainment may spend from 2 hours (a baby) to 10 hours (ages 16 and 17) at the place of employment in a day, and only part of that time can be actual work. On days the child’s school is in session, school age performers must also get at least 3 hours of schooling with a studio teacher inside that time. Pick an age and the type of day below to see every limit that applies, with the source for each one. Nothing you type leaves your browser.
How the calculator works
Choose the minor’s age band, whether their school is in session that day, and whether the next day is a school day. The calculator shows the most time allowed at the place of employment, the most actual work inside that time, the schooling and rest that must fit in the same window, whether a studio teacher and a parent or guardian must be there, the earliest and latest times of day, and the 12 hour turnaround to the next call. Add a dismissal time and the next morning’s school start time to see the earliest legal call and whether school moves to the set the next day.
Every figure comes from the California Code of Regulations, Title 8, Section 11760 and the related sections on studio teachers, parents and guardians and infants, plus Labor Code Section 1308.7 for times of day and the weekly cap. The California Labor Commissioner also publishes a summary chart of hours for minors.
California work hour limits for minors at a glance
| Age | Most time at the workplace | Most work, school in session | Most work, school not in session | Schooling when school is in session |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 days to under 6 months | 2 hours | 20 minutes | 20 minutes | Not required |
| 6 months to under 2 years | 4 hours | 2 hours | 2 hours | Not required |
| 2 to under 6 years | 6 hours | 3 hours | 3 hours | Not required |
| 6 to under 9 years | 8 hours | 4 hours | 6 hours | At least 3 hours |
| 9 to under 16 years | 9 hours | 5 hours | 7 hours | At least 3 hours |
| 16 to under 18 years | 10 hours | 6 hours | 8 hours | At least 3 hours |
Four rules families most often miss
- The workplace clock includes everything. Time at the place of employment covers work, school and rest and recreation together. For a 10 year old on a school day, 9 hours at the workplace holds no more than 5 hours of work plus at least 3 hours of school and at least 1 hour of rest.
- The 12 hour turnaround. Twelve hours must pass between dismissal and the next call. If the child’s regular school would start less than 12 hours after dismissal, the child must be schooled the next day at the employer’s place of business instead (8 CCR 11760, subsection i).
- The night before a school day. Labor Code 1308.7 bars work before 5 a.m. and after 10 p.m. on a day before a school day, and allows work until 12:30 a.m. before a non-school day. It also caps work at 8 hours a day and 48 hours a week.
- At 16 the rules change, not disappear. At 16 and 17 a studio teacher is required when needed for the minor’s education, and the regulation that requires a parent or guardian on set applies only under 16. Hours are still limited, and 14 to 17 year olds can work up to 8 hours on no more than 2 consecutive days only with permission from school authorities.
What the hours mean for school
Three hours with a studio teacher keeps a student legal on a work day, but it does not keep them caught up. The studio teacher teaches from the work the student brings, so the hours are only as useful as the assignments in the bag. A long shoot also means late returns, early calls and makeup work stacked on top of the regular school week. And because the entertainment work permit depends on school records for school age minors, slipping grades or attendance can become a work problem at the next renewal. Our guide to school on set in California covers permits, studio teachers and independent study in more detail.
Where a mentor helps
The rules set the outer limits. Living inside them every week is a skill: a planner that survives a schedule change, teacher emails sent before the shoot, a set bag with the right assignments, finished work sent back on Friday, and enough sleep to do it again. A Blackburn mentor works one on one with the student on exactly that, by video on location or in person in Los Angeles, and keeps parents in the loop. Read more about mentoring for young performers.
Common questions
How many hours can a child actor work in California?
It depends on age. Actual work is capped at 20 minutes for babies under 6 months, 2 hours from 6 months to 2 years, 3 hours from 2 to 6, and on school days 4 hours from 6 to 9, 5 hours from 9 to 16 and 6 hours at 16 and 17. On non-school days the limits rise to 6, 7 and 8 hours for those three older groups.
Does school time count toward a child actor’s work hours?
No. Schooling and rest and recreation are separate from work time, but all three must fit inside the maximum time at the place of employment for that age.
How late can a minor work on set in California?
Under Labor Code 1308.7, not after 10 p.m. on a night before a school day, and not after 12:30 a.m. on a night before a non-school day. Work cannot start before 5 a.m.
Is a studio teacher required for 16 and 17 year olds?
For minors from 15 days old to 16, a studio teacher is required on every call. For 16 and 17 year olds, a studio teacher is required when needed for the minor’s education.
Does a parent have to be on set?
For a minor under 16, yes. A parent or guardian must be present on the set or location and within sight or sound of the minor at all times under 8 CCR 11757.
Is this calculator legal advice?
No. It summarizes public California rules in plain language. Rules change and special situations exist, so confirm with the California Labor Commissioner, the production and the studio teacher.
This page and calculator are general information, not legal advice. Nothing you type in the calculator is sent, stored or tracked.
Related
- School on set in California: a guide for parents
- Mentoring for young performers
- Mentoring for entertainment industry families
- When a parent works on location
- All free tools
Get started
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