The Two Legal Requirements

California law requires two things for any child under eighteen who works in entertainment. First, a Coogan account, which is a blocked trust account that protects a portion of the child’s earnings until they turn eighteen. Second, an entertainment work permit, which is a state issued document that authorizes the child to work in the industry. You need both. One does not replace the other. The Coogan account protects the money. The work permit protects the child. Productions will ask for both before your child steps on set.

Some parents think they only need a work permit. Others think a regular savings account counts as a Coogan account. Neither is true. A regular savings account does not meet the legal requirements for a Coogan trust. And a work permit without a Coogan account is incomplete. Get both. Get them early. And keep them current. Work permits expire. Coogan accounts need to stay active. This is ongoing maintenance, not a one time task.

What Is a Coogan Account?

A Coogan account is named after Jackie Coogan, the child star of the 1920s who earned millions and discovered as an adult that his parents had spent it all. California created the Coogan Law to prevent that from happening again. The law requires that 15% of a child actor’s gross earnings be deposited into a blocked trust account that the parents cannot touch. The child gains full access at age eighteen.

The account must be opened at a bank that offers Coogan accounts. Not every bank does. Wells Fargo, Bank of America, and several credit unions in Los Angeles offer them. You will need the child’s birth certificate, Social Security card, and proof of address. Some banks also require the parent’s ID and proof of the child’s school enrollment. Call ahead. Ask specifically for a Coogan trust account. If the teller does not know what that is, ask for a minor’s blocked trust account for entertainment earnings.

The 15% is the minimum. Parents can deposit more if they want. Some families put 50% in to build a larger nest egg. That is a personal financial decision. But the law requires at least 15%. Productions are required to withhold this percentage and deposit it directly into the Coogan account. If the production does not do this, the parent is responsible for making the deposit. Do not skip it. It is a legal requirement, not a suggestion.

How to Get a California Entertainment Work Permit

The entertainment work permit is issued by the California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement. You apply online through the DLSE website. The process is straightforward but requires documentation. You need the child’s birth certificate, proof of school attendance or satisfactory academic progress, and a recent doctor’s note saying the child is healthy enough to work. For children under thirteen, you also need a statement from the child’s school confirming that the work will not interfere with education.

The permit is valid for six months. After that, you renew it. The renewal requires updated school documentation and sometimes an updated doctor’s note. Do not let it expire. A production will not let your child work with an expired permit. And the renewal process can take two to four weeks, so start early. We recommend setting a calendar reminder three weeks before expiration. That gives you buffer time if the school is slow to provide the required letter.

There is also an emergency permit process for rush bookings, but it is unreliable and stressful. Do not count on it. Get the standard permit and keep it current. That way when the booking comes, you are ready instead of panicking.

What Happens If You Do Not Have These

If your child books a role and you do not have a Coogan account or a current work permit, the production will not let them work. Period. There are no exceptions. Productions face heavy fines and legal liability if they employ a child actor without proper documentation. They will not take that risk for anyone. The role will go to the next kid who has their paperwork in order.

We have seen parents lose bookings over this. A child gets the role. The parent celebrates. Then the production coordinator asks for the Coogan account number and the work permit. The parent says they will get them next week. The production says no. They need them before the first rehearsal. The role goes to someone else. It is heartbreaking and completely preventable.

The other risk is legal. Working without a permit is a violation of California labor law. The parent can face fines. The production can face sanctions. And the child’s ability to work in the future can be compromised. It is not worth it. Get the documents. Keep them current. Treat them like headshots and resumes. They are part of the professional toolkit.

Contracts 101 for Parents

Once your child has the Coogan account and the work permit, you will start seeing contracts. Do not sign anything without reading every word. Production contracts for child actors can be complex. They might include exclusivity clauses that prevent your child from working on other projects during a certain window. They might include options for future seasons or sequels. They might include travel requirements that pull your child out of school for extended periods.

Read the payment terms carefully. When is the money due? Is it per day, per week, or per episode? Are there residuals? What happens if the production is delayed or canceled? These are not hypothetical questions. They come up regularly. And if the contract is vague, you need to ask for clarification before signing.

If you do not understand the contract, hire an entertainment lawyer. Not a general practice attorney. An entertainment lawyer who works with child actors regularly. The fee is usually a few hundred dollars for a contract review. That is cheap insurance against a bad deal. Some parents skip this to save money. Then they discover later that they signed away their child’s image rights for ten years. Do not be that parent. Spend the money. Protect your child.

The Business Side Is Part of the Job

Parents often tell us they just want to focus on the creative side. They want their child to act, to learn, to grow as an artist. The business stuff feels like a distraction. We understand that. But the business side is not separate from the creative side. It is the foundation that makes the creative side possible. Without the Coogan account, the work permit, and the contract knowledge, the creative work cannot happen legally.

We teach the business side in our programs because we know it is part of the training. Our students learn about unions, residuals, contracts, and the legal requirements of working as a minor. Not because we think every child will book a series regular role. Because we think every child deserves to be prepared if the opportunity comes. And because we think parents deserve to understand the industry they are entering.

The parents who succeed are the ones who treat the business side with the same seriousness as the acting classes. They open the Coogan account before the first audition. They keep the work permit current. They read contracts carefully. They ask questions when they do not understand something. That diligence protects the child. And it sets an example that professionalism matters in every part of the business, not just the fun parts.