# How old do you have to be to work at Sonic Drive-In?

You have to be at least 16 to work at Sonic Drive-In. Most Sonic Drive-In locations are independently owned franchises, and each owner sets their own minimum age. State law can raise the age.

Postings on Sonic's own careers site say crew members, cooks and carhops must be at least 16. Most Sonic drive-ins are franchised, and each owner sets its own hiring rules. We did not find a verifiable Sonic posting that accepts 14- or 15-year-olds.

- Minimum age: 16
- Most locations: 16
- Franchised: mostly
- Pay: $7.25–$25/hour (Crew and cook, 2026 postings on careers.sonicdrivein.com ($7.25 in MS up to $20-25 in CA). Carhops in some states get a tipped base as low as $5.25 plus tips.)
- Confidence: From job postings
- Checked: 2026-10-10

## By job

- Crew member: 16+
- Carhop / skating carhop: 16+ (paid a tipped base wage in some states)
- Cook: 16+

## By state (youngest possible age)

| State | Age | Work permit |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 16 | needed |
| Alaska | 16 | needed |
| Arizona | 16 | no |
| Arkansas | 16 | no |
| California | 16 | needed |
| Colorado | 16 | no |
| Connecticut | 16 | needed |
| Delaware | 16 | needed |
| District of Columbia | 16 | needed |
| Florida | 16 | no |
| Georgia | 16 | no |
| Hawaii | 16 | needed |
| Idaho | 16 | no |
| Illinois | 16 | no |
| Indiana | 16 | no |
| Iowa | 16 | no |
| Kansas | 16 | no |
| Kentucky | 16 | no |
| Louisiana | 16 | needed |
| Maine | 16 | no |
| Maryland | 16 | needed |
| Massachusetts | 16 | needed |
| Michigan | 16 | needed |
| Minnesota | 16 | no |
| Mississippi | 16 | no |
| Missouri | 16 | no |
| Montana | 16 | no |
| Nebraska | 16 | no |
| Nevada | 16 | no |
| New Hampshire | 16 | no |
| New Jersey | 16 | needed |
| New Mexico | 16 | no |
| New York | 16 | needed |
| North Carolina | 16 | needed |
| North Dakota | 16 | no |
| Ohio | 16 | needed |
| Oklahoma | 16 | no |
| Oregon | 16 | no |
| Pennsylvania | 16 | needed |
| Rhode Island | 16 | needed |
| South Carolina | 16 | no |
| South Dakota | 16 | no |
| Tennessee | 16 | no |
| Texas | 16 | no |
| Utah | 16 | no |
| Vermont | 16 | no |
| Virginia | 16 | no |
| Washington | 16 | needed |
| West Virginia | 16 | no |
| Wisconsin | 16 | no |
| Wyoming | 16 | no |

## Questions

**How old do you have to be to work at Sonic Drive-In?**
You have to be at least 16 to work at Sonic Drive-In. Most Sonic Drive-In locations are independently owned franchises, and each owner sets their own minimum age. State law can raise the age.

**Does Sonic hire at 14 or 15?**
We couldn't find a real Sonic job posting that accepts 14- or 15-year-olds. The Sonic postings we checked all say you must be at least 16. Most Sonics are owned by franchisees who set their own rules, so you can ask your local drive-in, but plan on applying at 16.

**How old do you have to be to be a carhop at Sonic?**
Carhop postings on Sonic's careers site say you must be at least 16. In some states carhops earn a lower tipped wage plus tips.

**How much does Sonic pay teens?**
Crew postings from 2026 range from about $7.25 an hour in Mississippi to $20-25 in California. Pay depends on your state's minimum wage and the owner.

**Do I need a work permit to work at Sonic at 16?**
That depends on your state. Some states require a work permit or age certificate for anyone under 18, and state law can limit the hours you work. Check your state's rules before you start.

## Sources

- Crew Member, Kerrville, TX - Careers at SONIC: https://careers.sonicdrivein.com/crew-member/job/A61494AE4F1B1B48EA7A53F7BDF35F15
- Carhop/Skating Carhop, Hattiesburg, MS - Careers at SONIC: https://careers.sonicdrivein.com/carhop-or-skating-carhop/job/495645DA7F323B698763524BE569FCCA
- Carhop/Skating Carhop, Santa Fe Springs, CA - Careers at SONIC: https://careers.sonicdrivein.com/carhop-or-skating-carhop/job/C46A04AD7FFBAD7C9C1EE99F1A4410FF
- Carhop, Columbia, LA - Careers at SONIC: https://careers.sonicdrivein.com/carhop/job/P1-1501568-14
- Cook, Yuba City, CA - Careers at SONIC: https://careers.sonicdrivein.com/cook/job/718EC6DC7AE4B9F12906FED04E733B72
- Daytime Carhop, Sonic Drive-In Hurst, TX (Seasoned): https://www.seasoned.co/job/daytime-carhop-sonic-drivein-hurst-hurst-tx_c3061782-c235-4970-b38a-55e86ecf9035
- Carhop, Sonic Drive-In Bryant, AR (Seasoned): https://www.seasoned.co/job/carhop-sonic-drivein-bryant-ar_798ac837-119c-48e4-a3fa-154d7eed0d2a

Page: https://hiringage.com/sonic/ — please cite with a link.