In order to employ minors under the age of 18 in the State of Michigan, employers and workers must obtain work permits. The process for this changed on October 2nd, 2026, as an effort to make the process easier and work permits more accessible.
Here is everything you need to know in order to get a minor work permit in Michigan.
The Michigan Youth Employment Standards Act (YESA) establishes rules and regulations regarding the employment of minors under the age of 18.
Part of those regulations include requirements for work permits. Before a minor is able to start work, they must obtain one.
As of October 2nd, 2026, work permits in Michigan must be obtained exclusively through the State of Michigan’s centralized work permit system, called the Youth Employment Permit Portal (YEPP).
The Youth Employment Permit Portal was created to make obtaining work permits easier for minor employees and their employers.
Using the portal, minor employees can:
The portal also provides a help center, troubleshooting guides, and live support.
To access the portal, users will need to log in through MiLogin.
For those who already have an account, search for the Youth Employment Permit Portal (YEPP) and add it to your applications.
For those who don't, you'll need to create one first. In order to create an account, you'll need to provide a unique email address and/or mobile phone number.
In order to obtain a minor work permit in Michigan, there is a series of steps to be followed. The permit applicant, employer, and the applicant's parent or legal guardian all have tasks to complete.
Here is a checklist for obtaining a work permit in Michigan, broken down in order and by the responsible party:
The process starts with the permit applicant, or in other words, the minor employee.
The permit applicant begins the process through the My Work Permit page in the Youth Employment Permit Portal.
Next, complete the personal information requested by the application. Some basic contact information may already be populated.
The application requests information including:
Use the platform's address search feature to find and confirm the correct home address.
Next, select the parent or legal guardian who will be associated with the application.
The selected parent or guardian will be able to review information and, when required, provide confirmation or consent later in the process.
Next, provide information about your current education and school schedule.
You will be asked to:
This information is used to provide context when the proposed work schedule is reviewed later in the process.
Next, provide information about the job and employer:
Before submitting, review the information entered into the application.
You'll need to confirm that the following information is accurate:
Personal/profile information
Home address
School information
Employer information
Complete the required acknowledgment and submit the application.
After submission, the portal will indicate what happens next. The employer will be responsible for completing the job information, while the parent or guardian may also need to complete their portion of the process.
The applicant can continue tracking the application's status through the portal.
Once the application is submitted, the employer must complete the following steps:
Once the applicant has submitted their portion, the employer begins the Job Authorization process.
From the Job Authorization dashboard:
Find applications awaiting employer action.
Open the appropriate application.
Choose an existing job template, if applicable, or enter the job information manually.
Next, provide detailed information about the position the applicant will perform.
The employer will need to:
Confirm whether the position involves employment by a parent or guardian.
Select the appropriate job categories.
Select the duties the applicant will perform.
Enter the job title.
Identify the tools and equipment that will be used.
The selected duties are summarized in the application to document the specific work the applicant will perform.
The portal displays the applicant's school schedule alongside applicable employment limits.
The employer then enters the proposed employment schedule, including:
Employment start date
Workdays
Start and end times/hours
Breaks
When the same hours apply to multiple days, the portal allows those hours to be applied across multiple days.
Next, enter the young worker's compensation information, including the hourly wage and any tips if applicable.
Before submitting the employer portion, employers should:
After submission, the permit remains pending until any required parent/guardian and state approvals are completed.
Once the Job Authorization has been submitted, the applicant's parent or legal guardian must complete a few steps as well.
The parent or legal guardian can review the proposed employment information and understand the job the applicant will perform.
Parental action is not required in every application. Instead, it depends on whether or not the job involves conditions requiring caregiver approval.
When consent or confirmation is required, the parent or guardian completes the requested action through the portal. The dashboard indicates whether an application requires their attention.
After the necessary portions of the process are completed, the state provides oversight and reviews the records associated with the permit process.
The system tracks applications awaiting action, certificate statuses, participant actions, history, and other information throughout the permit lifecycle. The applicant can continue tracking the application's status through the portal.
Once the process is complete and a certificate is issued. The young worker can see the permit's status through the portal, while the employer can access issued certificates through the Certificates page and review the certificate number, type, issue date, status, restrictions, and expiration information. The parent or guardian can review the certificate, confirm its status, and download a copy.
Thanks to the new system, employers no longer need to keep work permits on file at their place of business.
While the school no longer handles the initial application process, they are still connected to the employment record.
School administrators can review certificate information and may take action if education-related concerns arise. For example, a school can temporarily suspend a certificate because of poor attendance.
Here are some common questions regarding minor work permits in Michigan:
Employers and employees in Michigan must start using the new portal as of October 2nd, 2026.
Yes. A valid work permit issued by a Michigan school before YEPP launches will continue to be honored. A minor will not need to obtain a new permit. However, employers MUST continue to keep pre-existing work permits on file. A new YEPP permit will be required if the minor changes employers.
No. While school administrators can review certificate information and may take action if education-related concerns arise, they are no longer involved in the process of obtaining an initial permit.
Prior to the new portal, work permits were obtained from the school of the applicant and were issued by a school official.
If you are struggling with the new process for obtaining work permits in Michigan, or are struggling with other challenges involving hiring and onboarding new employees, a Michigan HR company may be able to help.
Contact us today to learn more about how we help employers maintain a smooth hiring and onboarding process.