Background checks for minor applicants.

Yes. Employers can run background checks on minor applicants ages 14 and older, subject to specific legal requirements. The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) applies to background checks on minors just as it applies to adult applicants. The key differences are that a parent or legal guardian must provide written consent before the check can begin, and the information reportable for minor applicants is more limited than for adult applicants because most juvenile records are sealed by state law. Employers should consult qualified legal counsel for guidance specific to their jurisdiction.

Yes. Minors do not have the legal capacity to consent to a background check on their own. A parent or legal guardian must provide written authorization before a Consumer Reporting Agency can initiate screening on a minor applicant. If the minor signs the consent form without a parent or guardian, the resulting report may not be legally binding and could expose the employer to FCRA liability. The parental consent obligation arises primarily from state contract law and state-specific screening requirements, not from the federal FCRA directly. Turn provides employers with parental consent guidance and documentation templates to help manage this requirement. Employers are responsible for obtaining and retaining valid parental or guardian authorization before initiating a background check on a minor applicant.

What appears on a background check for a minor depends on whether the applicant has any records that are not protected by juvenile record sealing laws. In most U.S. states, juvenile adjudications, cases handled in juvenile court, are sealed and cannot be reported by a Consumer Reporting Agency. Records that can appear include criminal convictions for cases tried in adult court, sex offender registry entries for applicable offenses, motor vehicle records if the minor holds a driver's license, employment and education history, and identity verification results. Employers should be aware that available records vary by state.

In most U.S. states, juvenile records are sealed and cannot be reported by a Consumer Reporting Agency in an employment background check. However, there are exceptions. If a minor was tried as an adult rather than in juvenile court, that record is generally reportable and will appear. Some states allow limited access to juvenile records for specific types of employers. Sex offender registry information may appear for juveniles ages 14 and older convicted of applicable offenses, depending on state law. Employers should not assume juvenile records are entirely inaccessible and should consult legal counsel when in doubt.

Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the minimum age for most non-agricultural employment in the United States is 14 years old. Accordingly, the practical minimum age for employment background checks is also 14. Some Consumer Reporting Agencies, including Turn, set a minimum age of 15 for processing a background check. The FCRA applies to background checks regardless of the applicant's age, and parental consent is required for all applicants under 18.

For retail, food service, and hospitality employers hiring minors, the most commonly used background checks are criminal background checks (national and county), sex offender registry searches, identity verification, and employment verification for any prior work history. Motor vehicle records are relevant for any role that involves driving. Drug testing may be appropriate depending on the role and state law, but requires parental consent for minors. Credit checks are generally not relevant for entry-level teen positions. Employers should configure their packages to match the scope of the role and consult legal counsel for jurisdiction-specific requirements.

The parental consent obligation belongs to the employer, not the CRA. Employers are responsible for obtaining written authorization from the minor applicant's parent or legal guardian before requesting a background check. Turn supports employers in meeting this obligation by providing parental consent documentation templates, guidance on state-specific requirements, and compliance resources available when a check is initiated for a minor applicant. Turn's team surfaces the parental consent requirement when a minor's date of birth is entered, noting the employer's responsibility and providing documentation to support the process. The employer retains responsibility for collecting and retaining signed authorization.

Yes, but the same FCRA adverse action rules that apply to adult applicants also apply to minors. If an employer is considering not hiring a minor applicant based on background check results, the employer must follow the pre-adverse action process: send a pre-adverse action notice to the applicant and their parent or guardian along with a copy of the report and a summary of rights, wait the legally required period for the applicant to respond, then issue the final adverse action notice if the decision stands. Employers should also consider whether any Ban-the-Box laws in their jurisdiction restrict using juvenile records in employment decisions. Consult qualified legal counsel for guidance specific to your situation.

The industries that most commonly hire minor applicants ages 15 to 17 include retail (sales associates, cashiers, stock clerks), food service and fast casual restaurants (crew members, hosts, cashiers), hospitality and seasonal tourism (resort, hotel, and attraction staff), grocery and convenience stores, and staffing agencies placing teens in light industrial or administrative roles. Each industry has specific compliance considerations around child labor law, work permits, and permissible job duties for workers under 16 and under 18.

Work permits are separate from background checks but are an important part of the minor hiring process. Most U.S. states require minors under 16 (and in some states under 18) to obtain a work permit or age certificate issued by their school district before beginning employment. Employers are responsible for obtaining and retaining this documentation. Work permits confirm the minor's age and school enrollment and authorize the specific employer and job duties. They are typically requested after a conditional offer has been made. Turn's platform does not issue or verify work permits but employers should confirm permit requirements in their state before onboarding a minor.