What is the minimum age to work as a youth sports referee in North Dakota?

14 (under 14: parents, farm, newspaper, casual) Parent-employed exempt; no referee carve-out (NDCC 34-07). State law keys on 'employ/permit to work' - no 1099 carve-out; misclassifying minor officials as contractors does not avoid child-labor rules.

When is a final paycheck due in North Dakota if you let someone go?

Next regular payday Penalties under NDCC 34-14. Accrued PTO generally must be paid.

How does North Dakota decide whether a coach or referee is a 1099 contractor or an employee?

Common law / right to control (20-factor; N.D.A.C. 46-02-07-02)

Does a youth sports league in North Dakota need workers' compensation for 1099 referees and coaches?

North Dakota is a monopolistic state; all coverage runs through Workforce Safety & Insurance (WSI) and private WC policies are not sold. N.D.C.C. 65-01-02 defines "employee" as one who performs hazardous employment for remuneration "unless the individual is an independent contractor under the common-law test," and 65-01-03 presumes every paid worker is an employee, placing the burden on the hiring entity to prove IC status. WSI applies the IRS-style 20-factor common-law test in N.D.A.C. 92-01-02-49, emphasizing integration, work for multiple firms, continuing relationship, availability to the public, investment, right of discharge, and profit or loss. There is no opt-out waiver, but WSI offers an Independent Contractor Verification review that documents a worker's status; a general contractor can be charged premium and penalties for uninsured contractors found to be employees (65-04-26.1 and WSI guidance). Sole proprietors are outside the act and may buy optional coverage from WSI. 65-01-02 excludes athletes in contact sports but contains no exclusion for referees or umpires; no UI officials exclusion found in N.D.C.C. 52-01-01. Bottom line: 1099 referees and coaches are at risk; because of the statutory presumption, a league should either report them as WSI employees or obtain WSI verification for each.

For youth sports organizations and event operators · North Dakota rulebook

Youth sports labor rules in North Dakota: who can you put in the game, and what do you owe them?

State rules for everyone a youth sports organization pays: coaches and trainers on payroll, officials and event staff on 1099, program and front-office staff, and the teenagers you hire for a season. Wages, final pay, minors, contractor status, workers' comp, safe sport and youth safety, 50 states + DC, checked against statute text.

Last reviewed Oct 1, 202651 jurisdictions · 32 rules each

Step 1

Pick the state where the work happens

Rules follow where people work, not where you are based. Running an event? Use the event state. Operating a club or league? Use the state where your staff coach, officiate and work.

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Set a role, age and pay type below to see which rules apply to your organization.

Step 2

Check a staffing plan

Tell us who you are paying, how old they are, and whether they are on payroll or 1099. We rank what applies.

State where the work happens

Role

Worker age

Paid as

Not sure if someone should be 1099 or on payroll?Answer 5 plain-English questions. We explain the sticking points in your state.5-question check

Tourney Direct does not decide classification. Confirm with a tax advisor or attorney before you onboard anyone as a contractor.

Step 3

Everything on file for North Dakota

All 32 rules for this state, with the statutes and agency pages they came from.

Wages and pay
Minimum wage (2026): $7.25
Required pay frequency: Monthly
Final paycheck if you let them go: Next regular payday
Final paycheck if they quit: Next regular payday
Final-pay penalties: Penalties under NDCC 34-14. Accrued PTO generally must be paid.
State income tax withholding: Yes
Workers' comp required at: 1+ (monopolistic WSI fund)
New-hire report due (days): 20
Minors
Minimum working age: 14 (under 14: parents, farm, newspaper, casual)
Work permit: Yes, under 16 (Employment & Age Certificate via ND DOL, parent + employer signed); 16+ on request
Ages 14 to 15, school in session: 3 hrs/day, 18 hrs/wk, 6 days (if not exempt from school); 7am-7pm
Ages 14 to 15, summer and breaks: 8 hrs/day, 40 hrs/wk, 6 days; 7am-9pm June 1-Labor Day
Ages 16 to 17: None: federal has none
Weekend and evening games: Mirrors FLSA
Referee, coach and recreation exemptions: Parent-employed exempt; no referee carve-out (NDCC 34-07). State law keys on 'employ/permit to work' - no 1099 carve-out; misclassifying minor officials as contractors does not avoid child-labor rules.
Contractors and leave
How this state decides 1099 vs. payroll: Common law / right to control (20-factor; N.D.A.C. 46-02-07-02)
Same question, for unemployment insurance: Common law / IRS 20-factor (N.D.C.C. 52-01-01(17); N.D.A.C. 27-02-14)
Referee-specific rule: None found (no officials-specific statute; general tests apply)
Workers' comp for 1099 referees and coaches: North Dakota is a monopolistic state; all coverage runs through Workforce Safety & Insurance (WSI) and private WC policies are not sold. N.D.C.C. 65-01-02 defines "employee" as one who performs hazardous employment for remuneration "unless the individual is an independent contractor under the common-law test," and 65-01-03 presumes every paid worker is an employee, placing the burden on the hiring entity to prove IC status. WSI applies the IRS-style 20-factor common-law test in N.D.A.C. 92-01-02-49, emphasizing integration, work for multiple firms, continuing relationship, availability to the public, investment, right of discharge, and profit or loss. There is no opt-out waiver, but WSI offers an Independent Contractor Verification review that documents a worker's status; a general contractor can be charged premium and penalties for uninsured contractors found to be employees (65-04-26.1 and WSI guidance). Sole proprietors are outside the act and may buy optional coverage from WSI. 65-01-02 excludes athletes in contact sports but contains no exclusion for referees or umpires; no UI officials exclusion found in N.D.C.C. 52-01-01. Bottom line: 1099 referees and coaches are at risk; because of the statutory presumption, a league should either report them as WSI employees or obtain WSI verification for each.
Seasonal or recreation carve-out: N.D.A.C. 46-02-07-02(1)(a) exempts from state MW employees of nonprofit camps that are directly youth-related and intended for educational purposes; no for-profit seasonal amusement/recreation or coach exemption.
Paid sick leave: No
Paid family and medical leave: No
What it costs to get it wrong: N.D.C.C. 65-04-33 WC misclassification penalties
Safety
Background checks: None statewide: check municipal/league policy (NCPA channeling via BCI).
Safe sport: state law: No state safe-sport statute for private youth leagues; federal SafeSport Act baseline and NGB rules apply. North Dakota imposes no abuse-prevention training, written-policy, parent-notification or SafeSport Code duties on leagues, clubs, camps or tournaments, and the NDHSAA coaching requirements for school coaches center on NFHS fundamentals and concussion courses, not abuse prevention. The criminal hooks are general: N.D.C.C. 12.1-20-07(1)(f) makes sexual contact by an adult in a position of authority over a minor aged 15 to 17 a felony-level sexual assault (coaches fit), and N.D.C.C. 12.1-17-10 (hazing) applies to any organization, including athletic teams, but is not coach-specific. Coaches are not named mandated reporters under N.D.C.C. 50-25.1-03 (see mandatory_reporter_coaches), so a private-league coach has no state duty to report unless acting in a listed profession. No 2025 session enactment or 2027 interim study on youth-sports abuse prevention was identified. Cross-reference: background_check_youth_sports (none statewide) and coach_certification (none).
Safe sport: federal SafeSport Act and NGB rules: Nationally, the Safe Sport Act (36 U.S.C. 220541-220543, 220530; Pub. L. 115-126 as amended by Pub. L. 116-189, 2020) requires NGBs and amateur sports organizations in interstate or international competition to report suspected child abuse within 24 hours (34 U.S.C. 20341), limit one-on-one adult-minor contact (MAAPP), give SafeSport Core training and keep oversight procedures; the 2026 SafeSport Code applies. North Dakota adds no stricter rule: coaches are not state mandated reporters, the NDHSAA does not require SafeSport, and no state statute references the Center. For an NGB-affiliated club (USA Hockey, USA Wrestling, USA Swimming are prominent in the state) the federal Act and the NGB's MAAPP are the only enforceable abuse-prevention standards; non-NGB rec leagues have none.
Concussion law: N.D.C.C. §15.1-18.2-04 (2011), school only; coach training; RTP clearance by licensed health-care provider.
Sudden cardiac arrest law: Yes (school), N.D.C.C. §15.1-02-24 (2025): cardiac crisis plans from 2027-28. Youth leagues not covered.
CPR and AED: None for youth leagues.
Coaches as mandated reporters: Not specifically: N.D.C.C. §50-25.1-03 (professionals list).
Coach certification: None.
Assault-on-official law: No.

All states

Rulebook by state

North Dakota at a glance: minimum wage $7.25. Final paycheck when you let someone go: Next regular payday. Minimum working age: 14 (under 14: parents, farm, newspaper, casual). Background checks for youth sports: None statewide: check municipal/league policy (NCPA channeling via BCI).