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

14 (under 14: parents' business, 11+ newspaper, agriculture, casual non-hazardous work with parental consent, TWC hardship) Casual employment & parent-employed exempt (Lab. Code 51.003); no referee carve-out. 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 Texas if you let someone go?

Within 6 calendar days TWC wage-claim penalties (Lab. Code 61). PTO per written policy.

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

Common law / right to control (no state MW beyond FLSA)

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

Texas workers' compensation is elective for private employers. Under Tex. Lab. Code 406.002 an employer may be a non-subscriber at any headcount, but must file DWC Form-005 with TDI-DWC, give employees written notice (406.004, 406.005) and, if sued by an injured employee, loses the defenses of contributory negligence, assumption of risk and fellow servant (406.033). The act covers only employees (401.012: a person in the service of another under a contract of hire). Independent contractor status is judged by common-law right to control (Limestone Products v. McNamara, Tex. 2002) and, for subscribers, the statutory definition in 406.121(2) (controls the means and methods, furnishes own tools, obtains work through advertising, and so on); 406.122 looks to actual working conditions, not labels. A subscribing hiring contractor may elect to cover its contractors by written agreement (406.123); the DWC-83 joint agreement (406.141 to 406.146) applies to building and construction only. There is no sole-proprietor waiver because coverage itself is optional. UI uses the "direction or control" test (201.041; TWC rule 815.134); no sports-official exclusion appears in TUCA Subchapter E, and none in the WC act; NASO lists no Texas statute. Bottom line: a non-subscribing league covers no one, so 1099 referees and coaches are not covered either way; the misclassification risk is TWC payroll tax and unlimited tort exposure for an injured official found to be an employee.

For youth sports organizations and event operators · Texas rulebook

Youth sports labor rules in Texas: 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.

Color the map by

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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 Texas

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: Semi-monthly (monthly if FLSA-exempt)
Final paycheck if you let them go: Within 6 calendar days
Final paycheck if they quit: Next regular payday
Final-pay penalties: TWC wage-claim penalties (Lab. Code 61). PTO per written policy.
State income tax withholding: No
Workers' comp required at: Elective (non-subscribers must notify TWC)
New-hire report due (days): 20
Minors
Minimum working age: 14 (under 14: parents' business, 11+ newspaper, agriculture, casual non-hazardous work with parental consent, TWC hardship)
Work permit: No; certificate of age from TWC on request
Ages 14 to 15, school in session: State: 8 hrs/day, 48 hrs/wk; no work 10pm-5am before school day - FLSA 3/18, 7am-7pm governs
Ages 14 to 15, summer and breaks: State 8/48; midnight-5am ban before non-school days/summer; FLSA 8/40, 9pm summer governs
Ages 16 to 17: None: federal has none
Weekend and evening games: State lets 14-15 work to midnight before non-school days (non-FLSA employers only)
Referee, coach and recreation exemptions: Casual employment & parent-employed exempt (Lab. Code 51.003); no referee carve-out. 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 (no state MW beyond FLSA)
Same question, for unemployment insurance: Common law / 20-factor (Tex. Lab. Code 201.041; TWC Rule 815.134)
Referee-specific rule: None found (no officials-specific statute; general tests apply) (Tex. Penal Code 22.01 sports participant assault)
Workers' comp for 1099 referees and coaches: Texas workers' compensation is elective for private employers. Under Tex. Lab. Code 406.002 an employer may be a non-subscriber at any headcount, but must file DWC Form-005 with TDI-DWC, give employees written notice (406.004, 406.005) and, if sued by an injured employee, loses the defenses of contributory negligence, assumption of risk and fellow servant (406.033). The act covers only employees (401.012: a person in the service of another under a contract of hire). Independent contractor status is judged by common-law right to control (Limestone Products v. McNamara, Tex. 2002) and, for subscribers, the statutory definition in 406.121(2) (controls the means and methods, furnishes own tools, obtains work through advertising, and so on); 406.122 looks to actual working conditions, not labels. A subscribing hiring contractor may elect to cover its contractors by written agreement (406.123); the DWC-83 joint agreement (406.141 to 406.146) applies to building and construction only. There is no sole-proprietor waiver because coverage itself is optional. UI uses the "direction or control" test (201.041; TWC rule 815.134); no sports-official exclusion appears in TUCA Subchapter E, and none in the WC act; NASO lists no Texas statute. Bottom line: a non-subscribing league covers no one, so 1099 referees and coaches are not covered either way; the misclassification risk is TWC payroll tax and unlimited tort exposure for an injured official found to be an employee.
Seasonal or recreation carve-out: Tex. Lab. Code 62.152? exempts seasonal amusement/recreation; MW law adopts FLSA exemptions
Paid sick leave: No
Paid family and medical leave: No mandate. Voluntary employer-purchased paid family leave insurance authorized by HB 1996 (2023), Tex. Ins. Code ch. 1255 (eff. 9/1/2023; applies to policies from 1/1/2024).
What it costs to get it wrong: Tex. Lab. Code 214.008: $200 per misclassified worker (gov't contractors only)
Safety
Background checks: Partial: Youth camps (Tex. Health & Safety Code ch. 141; 25 TAC 265) require criminal history + sex-offender checks on staff and sexual abuse/child molestation training; municipal & school programs by policy; Tex. Gov't Code §411.1345 etc. permit checks. General private leagues: none statewide, check municipal/league policy. NCPA channeling via DPS.
Safe sport: state law: Texas has no general safe-sport statute for private youth leagues; the federal SafeSport Act baseline and NGB rules apply. The one state abuse-prevention mandate is for licensed youth camps: Tex. Health & Safety Code 141.0095 (2006, rules at 25 TAC 265) requires every camp employee and volunteer to complete DSHS-approved sexual abuse and child molestation awareness training and bars operating without it (see background_check and mandated_reporter cells). School-based coaches are covered by Education Code 38.004 district sexual-abuse policies and UIL safety training (see coach_certification cell), and the educator-student offense (Penal Code 21.12) applies only to school employees. Private leagues, clubs and tournaments face no training, two-adult, one-on-one, electronic-communication, locker-room or travel-policy requirement, no parent information-sheet duty, and no statute references the SafeSport Code. Hazing (Education Code 37.151-.157) reaches only school and college students. Reporting is universal (Family Code 261.101; professionals must report within 48 hours). The 2025 "Coach Safety Act" (HB 3811, 89R) proposed DSHS injury-mitigation training for youth coaches under 15 but did not become law and did not address abuse.
Safe sport: federal SafeSport Act and NGB rules: Nationally, the Safe Sport Act (36 U.S.C. 220541-220543, P.L. 115-126 of 2018 as amended by P.L. 116-189 of 2020) binds the USOPC, every national governing body and their member clubs and other amateur sports organizations in interstate or international competition to SafeSport Core training, MAAPP-style minor athlete protection policies, and reporting of suspected child abuse to law enforcement and the U.S. Center for SafeSport within 24 hours, regardless of state law. Texas-specific overlap: camps operated by NGB clubs must satisfy both SafeSport Core and the DSHS camp training (H&S 141.0095); all coaches are mandated reporters under Family Code 261.101, with the 48-hour professional deadline tighter than nothing but looser than the federal 24 hours, so the federal clock controls for NGB personnel. State associations such as North Texas Soccer publish athlete safety policies that require SafeSport training and MAAPP compliance for all member clubs.
Concussion law: Natasha's Law, Tex. Educ. Code ch. 38 subch. D (§38.151-.160, 2011), school/interscholastic (UIL) only; coaches training every 2 years; RTP written clearance by treating physician. Youth leagues not covered.
Sudden cardiac arrest law: Yes (school), Tex. Educ. Code §38.018 cardiac emergency response plans; §22.902 coaches CPR. Youth leagues not covered.
CPR and AED: School: AED at athletic events (Tex. Educ. Code §38.037); coaches/athletic staff CPR/AED (§22.902, §33.086). None for youth leagues.
Coaches as mandated reporters: All persons: Tex. Fam. Code §261.101. Youth camps: sexual-abuse prevention training (H&S §141.0095).
Coach certification: None for youth leagues; UIL school coaches safety/CPR training.
Assault-on-official law: Yes: Tex. Penal Code §22.01(c)(2): assault by threat or offensive contact (§22.01(a)(2)/(3)) committed by a non-participant against a person known to be a 'sports participant' while performing, or in retaliation for, official duties is a Class B misdemeanor (up from Class C). §22.01(e)(4) defines 'sports participant' as anyone in an official capacity at an interscholastic, intercollegiate or other organized amateur/professional competition, incl. referees, umpires, linesmen, coaches, administrators and staff. Section last amended by HB 1589 (2023), eff. 9/1/2023.

All states

Rulebook by state

Texas at a glance: minimum wage $7.25. Final paycheck when you let someone go: Within 6 calendar days. Minimum working age: 14 (under 14: parents' business, 11+ newspaper, agriculture, casual non-hazardous work with parental consent, TWC hardship). Background checks for youth sports: Partial: Youth camps (Tex. Health & Safety Code ch. 141; 25 TAC 265) require criminal history + sex-offender checks on staff and sexual abuse/child molestation training; municipal & school programs by policy; Tex. Gov't Code §411.1345 etc. permit checks. General private leagues: none statewide, check municipal/league policy. NCPA channeling via DPS.