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Madison Metropolitan School District

Work Permits

Work permits are required for minors younger than 16 before they can begin working.

Students must first be hired for a specific job with a specific employer before receiving a work permit.

Items needed for a work permit include:

  • Proof of age – either a birth certificate, Wisconsin driver’s license, Wisconsin State ID, or a baptismal certificate.
  • Social security card
  • Letter from the minor’s employer stating the employer’s intention to hire the minor, describing the job duties and hours of work, and signed by the employer’s representative.
  • Letter from the minor’s parent or guardian consenting to the employment. Alternatively, parents/guardians may sign the letter from the employer.
  • $10.00

Open Work Permit Offices can be found on the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) website  or by emailing erinfo@dwd.wisconsin.gov or calling 608-266-6860 Monday-Friday 7:45am-4:30pm.

East High School does not process Work Permits.

The Department of Workforce Development's Equal Rights Division has developed a new online work permit application tool. The Division carefully considered the lessons of the past few years, when pandemic restrictions made it nearly impossible for some minors to obtain work permits and decided to pursue an online application that would be available to the parents of minors 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from any computer, tablet, smartphone, or similar device. 

The new online application is live now. A parent can access the site using these instructions. Payment is made directly to the department through the application, using a credit or debit card or by ACH direct withdrawal. Once the permit application process is complete, the Department mails a paper copy of the permit directly to the employer.

The old system, where students obtain work permits in person will continue to be operational until June 30, 2023. The closest in-person Work Permit Office to East High School is Common Wealth Development, located at 1501 Williamson Street. For more information on work permits at Common Wealth Development, visit their website, or contact Ashley Hoeft, Youth Workforce Development Manager, at 608-516-3437 or ashley.h@cwd.org.

More information about work permits can be found at the Department of Workforce Development’s website.