For many teenagers, a part-time job after school or at the weekend is a great way to gain work experience and get some extra money in their pocket.
Having a job puts you beyond the limits of your weekly allowance and enables you to save for your first car, put money away for college, or stash away a travel fund.
With so many jobs on offer at Amazon all year round, and thousands of seasonal worker jobs up for grabs, you’re probably considering working for the retail giant and wondering, “How old to work at Amazon?”
Will Amazon hire you if you’re a high school student under the age of 18? Let’s find out what Amazon’s hiring policy has to say about its minimum age requirements.
How Old To Work At Amazon in 2024 – What’s The Minimum Age?
The minimum age you need to be before you can work for Amazon is 18, so if you’re still in high school, and age 16 or 17, you won’t be able to work for the retailer.
In addition, Amazon requires all employees to hold a high school diploma or GED.
The requirement to hold a high school diploma or equivalent is a minimum hiring standard with many large companies, so make sure you’re working hard at school so you get a passing grade.
Even though most states’ labor laws allow minors to start work at 16, Amazon has stated that they don’t hire young adults until age 18 for safety reasons.
Can A High School Student Get A Summer Job At Amazon?
For many teens, the prospect of working and earning money over the long summer break is a better use of their time than loafing around watching Netflix or playing video games.
If you’re 15 or 16 years old and hoping to find a summer job with Amazon, unfortunately, you’re out of luck. Amazon can’t hire you until you turn 18.
You could get a summer job at Amazon the summer after you graduate high school and before you start college, as long as you have turned 18 by the time you begin your application.
And remember, even though you might turn 18 before you leave high school, you can’t start working at Amazon until you have graduated with your high school diploma.
Related: How Old Do You Have To Be To Work At Marshall’s?
What Is Amazon’s Job Application Process?
Once you meet the minimum age and education requirements, you can create an account on Amazon’s online jobs portal and look for positions in your area.
You’ll need to complete a basic application, and pass a few quick online assessments. Having access to a laptop will make it easier to complete the assessments than trying to manage them on your cell phone.
If your initial application is successful, you then attend an Office Hours appointment (which is paid) where you submit your identity documents and proof of your right to work.
An acceptable ID is a driver’s license, a state identity card, a school photo ID card, or a voter registration card. You’ll also need a Social Security number at this stage.
Amazon pays wages via direct deposit to your bank account, so make sure you have a bank account set up.
Once you pass a background check and drug test, you’ll be asked to attend an orientation session, then you can start work.
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How Old Do You Have To Be For An Amazon Warehouse Job?
To be hired for a position at an Amazon warehouse, you will need to be at least 18 years old and hold a high school diploma or a GED.
Amazon warehouses are vast, fast-paced environments, and they can be dangerous places.
While the U.S. Department of Labor’s Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) allows the employment of minors from the age of 14, the Act prohibits employers from hiring under 18s for roles in hazardous conditions.
Can You Work As An Amazon Driver At 18?
No, Amazon doesn’t hire drivers at 18. While you can get hired for other positions at Amazon, once you turn 18, to drive for Amazon, you will need to be at least 21 years old.
And once you are 21, for driving positions, Amazon will need to see a clean driving record going back for at least 3 years.
The same age restriction is in place for independent contractors planning on becoming Amazon Flex drivers.
Although Amazon doesn’t make direct hires for driving positions under the age of 21, you may be able to get hired as an 18-year-old by working for a third-party contractor as an Amazon Associate for a Delivery Service Partner (DSP)
Search on job sites like Indeed.com to see what opportunities are currently open.
Where Can You Work Before You Turn 18?
It might seem unfair to you that you can’t get a job at Amazon before you turn 18, but honestly, that’s probably a good thing.
You’ve got all the time in the world to encounter tough working conditions and become disillusioned, and you should hold on to your youthful optimism for as long as you can because optimism is priceless, and in this world, you’ll need it.
Entry-level jobs at Amazon are physically tiring, very fast-paced, and pretty impersonal. Even though you’re young and physically fit, fetching and carrying practically non-stop over an 8 to 10-hour shift is not the best introduction to the world of work.
Amazon also has incredibly strict time management requirements, and they monitor their employees closely. If you aren’t keeping pace with your task schedule, you will start to get warnings.
Being disciplined by a teacher at school is something you might choose to shrug off, but disciplinary actions at Amazon will lead to you getting fired, even though you were doing your best to keep time. And you don’t want a termination sitting on your work record.
As a young adult, you’ll be much better off working in a smaller environment, with a more close-knit team, where supervisors aren’t under so much pressure and will have time to mentor you while you find your feet.
Besides checking out opportunities at small local businesses, you’ll be able to find work with large chains that start hiring at 16.
These chains include McDonald’s, Walmart, Dairy Queen, Chick-Fil-A, Krogers, Starbucks, Walgreens, Home Depot, Target, and Publix.
At some outlets, you can even start work as young as 14 in some positions, for a limited number of hours, if state labor laws allow.
Identity Documents Acceptable As Employment ID For Under 18s
Federal law requires all employers to complete and submit a form I-9 and verify the identity and employment eligibility of their workers. This requirement extends to minors under the age of 18.
If you already have your driver’s license, you can use that as your ID documentation, but other forms of ID can be used if you haven’t passed your test yet.
On the I-9 Central website, the government lists acceptable forms of ID for under 18s as follows:
- School Photo ID Card
- Clinic, Doctor, or Hospital Record
- Day Care or Nursery School Record
You’ll also need to show that you are eligible to work within The United States, and proof of this is your Social Security Number Card or the original or certified copy of your Birth Certificate bearing an official seal.
Amazon Age Hiring Policies FAQS
Can I Work At Amazon As A 17-Year-Old?
No, you can’t work at Amazon as a 17-year-old. The minimum age to begin work at Amazon is 18. You will also need to have passed your exams and hold a high school diploma or GED.
Can You Work For Amazon Under 18?
No. The minimum age you can apply to work at any Amazon department is 18. At 18 you can apply for entry-level warehouse work, customer service roles, internships, and more. The only entry-level positions with a higher minimum age requirement are driving positions.
To apply for a driving job at Amazon, you must be at least 21 years old. Independent Amazon Flex drivers must also be at least 21 years old.
What Is The Youngest Age Amazon Hires?
The youngest age that amazon hires is 18. Most entry-level positions at Amazon involve working in their warehouses and those warehouses can be dangerous places.
Amazon has stated that they have an age limit in place because of safety reasons, and in addition, federal law prohibits employers from hiring workers below 18 years to work in hazardous conditions.
Conclusion
How old to working at Amazon? The answer is 18 for most jobs and 21 for driving jobs. And even when you reach your 18th birthday, you might not be able to work at Amazon yet because you must have completed your high school diploma or GED.
Don’t feel too let down though, other companies will hire under 18s and those work environments will be a much better fit for you, as you enter the world of work.
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