Fiverr is a marketplace where people sell and buy professional services; all you need is an account on the platform and you’re ready to go. If you’re here, you may be wondering if Fiverr has an age limit and whether Fiverr allows teenagers under 18 to to work on its platform.
If you just want the tl;dr without anything else, the answer is yes.
This answer might surprise you, especially if you keep reading elsewhere that you need to be at least 18 years old to work on Fiverr, one of the most popular platforms for freelancers.
This confusion may be because Fiverr has an age restriction policy: From a minimum age of 13 you can use Fiverr under 18. Just create an account and start working on Fiverr.
Easy, right?
Well… not quite. Don’t just jump in! Here is what the Fiverr Terms of Service agreement says:
If you are under 18 and at least 13 years of age, you are only permitted to use the Site through an account owned by a parent or legal guardian with their appropriate permission. If you are under 13 you are not permitted to use the Site or the Fiverr services.
Fiverr TOS
Your parent (or legal guardian) will have to open your account and be its owner until you hit 18. This is the only legal way to use Fiverr under 18. Before writing this guide, I contacted Fiverr customer support to learn exactly what they require. This guide is based on their recommendations.
How to Create a Fiverr Account and Use Fiverr Under 18
Get Permission from Your Parents
First things first: make sure you have permission from your parents or guardian. You need parental permission because they will be the owner of your account until you reach the age of 18. There’s no way around this.
If getting permission from your parents will be hard, keep reading – you’ll find some tips that will help you to persuade them to let you make an account on Fiverr as a way to make money.
Information for Parents with Kids Who Want to Use Fiverr Under 18
If your teenager wants to use Fiverr, they need to be at least 13 and have your permission to use Fiverr under 18. You will need to be the account owner until they are 18, and you will also need to make it clear across their services that you are the legal owner of the Fiverr account.
Fiverr has a Minors Policy page in its Community Standards which is worth looking at for more information. If you have further questions, you should contact Fiverr Customer Support to get an official answer. I am not a lawyer or employed by Fiverr – just someone who knows best practices to use Fiverr under 18!
Why Can’t I Use Fiverr Under 13?
The law in many countries doesn’t let people under 13 work, even if they have permission from their parents.
It’s amazing that you want to start a business so young!
Unfortunately, you must be at least 13 years old to use the platform according to Fiverr’s Terms of Service.
Please don’t let this (very small) setback put you off!
Instead, work on improving your skills at something you love doing. The more you practice, the better you will get and the more your work ethic will grow. This will put you in a great position when you are allowed to start selling on Fiverr or other online platforms.
When you’re 13, you can ask your parents to help you open a Fiverr account so you can start to use Fiverr under 18 legally. If they decide that Fiverr may not be appropriate for you, then you will have to wait until you are older – keep asking once a year and make sure they see that you’re dedicated to doing this. It will go a long way to persuading them.
Why Can’t I Use Fiverr Under 18 By Myself?
18 is the age of majority in most countries around the world, or the age when you are legally considered an adult who can consent to and sign contracts. Fiverr Terms of Service are a contract. Every time you work with a buyer on the platform, you will be in a contract with them.
TL;DR: if you use Fiverr under 18, you don’t have the legal capacity to do anything on the platform.
Put simply, Fiverr has to comply with the law. When your parent or guardian owns your Fiverr account, they can accept the contract for you as a legal adult, enabling you to work on Fiverr under 18 legally.
Without your parents’ permission and account ownership, you will not be able to use Fiverr under 18 without breaking their Terms of Service. Breaking Fiverr’s TOS means the company may restrict or permanently disable your account.
Trust me, you don’t want that. And it’s impossible to avoid this.
Why?
Because you need to verify your identity to withdraw money from Fiverr, so this isn’t something you can avoid. No matter how desperate you are to use Fiverr under 18, it is essential to get permission first, otherwise you are wasting your time – and jeopardizing your future on Fiverr.
Waiting until you are 18 to verify your account won’t work either. There will be plenty of evidence that you were using Fiverr under 18, breaking the TOS.
You should know that a permanently disabled Fiverr account is for life: there are no second chances.
So please, get permission! You don’t just want to use Fiverr under 18. You want to use it for as long as you can. If you can’t get their permission, work on improving your skills until your 18th birthday rolls around.
You’ll thank yourself later, especially if you want to work on Fiverr as an adult.
How to Get Your Account Ready for Fiverr Verification as a Minor
To enhance the chances of getting permission from your parents so you can use Fiverr under 18, it’s a great idea to get everything set up well in advance. Here are a few quick things you can do:
- Create a new email address that you will only use for your Fiverr business. Make sure it’s one that your parents own and that you can access if necessary. You will use this to sign up for the platform and to set up your PayPal account later (you’ll need parental permission for PayPal, too).
- Research what top sellers are doing in your desired category. Get an idea of prices, how they present themselves and their gigs, and think about what you could do better and find gaps you can fill
- Find out what your local child labor laws and regulations are and check that you are not violating any of them. These will apply to you when you work under 18 on Fiverr
- Learn about Fiverr’s Privacy Policy (ELI5 here). Your parents might not know what Fiverr is and be worried about your safety. If you know how privacy on Fiverr works, you can ease their mind.
- Show your parents that what you want to do is legal where you live by showing them the results of your research into local child labor laws and regulations
- Your parents need to provide their identification details for verification. Before talking to them, think about the best way to talk about this, especially if your parents get nervous about their online privacy
- Give yourself a username. I recommend something professional and neutral. You can’t change your username, so make it count. You can use Namelix (it’s free!) to generate ideas if you’re stuck
- You should also sign up to Canva. The free version can help you to create graphics for your Fiverr gigs, and there are lots of good-looking templates that you can use.
- Think about your gigs and services you want to offer. What will you offer and what will your pricing look like? You should have good ideas from your research.
Even if you have strict parents, showing that you are taking this seriously will help them to see that you are not fooling around and that you’re being responsible by taking this seriously.
As you already know, sometimes people don’t take you seriously because they think you’re too young. Which is crazy, especially when you probably have better digital skills than them!
Talk about ageism…
Don’t let negative people put you off.
You can use Fiverr under 18 to make good money with your skills. Let them say their piece in peace. You’ve got better things to do and you can prove them wrong when your Fiverr profile is flying high.
(They’ll probably come to you for advice after this. If you’re petty, you might want to suggest that they are too old to work on Fiverr – but you’re better than that, aren’t you?)
How to Freelance on Fiverr When You’re Under the Minimum Age
Now comes the tricky part that most guides leave out. Fiverr wants your parent or legal guardian to create the account for you to use. This is why it’s best to talk to them before and do a lot of the work for them. It will help them to agree to help you.
How do I know this? I contacted Fiverr customer support to make sure that this guide was accurate. Here is the response I got:
Go to Fiverr and sign up, using the email address you made. You’ll get an email to activate. Here’s what most guides miss out
Do NOT activate your account.
Instead, open a ticket with Fiverr CS (direct link) and write to CS explaining that you want to use Fiverr under 18. This should be done by your parents. Request their help to set up your account so you can start to use Fiverr under 18.
That’s all you have to do: they will tell you what to do next, so follow the instructions they give you. This step might be tedious, but it’s important if you want to start your Fiverr account the right way. Following these steps prevents misunderstandings in future that could harm your account.
That’s the first hurdle. Now you have a hurdle that everyone who wants to start working on Fiverr faces, whether they’re using Fiverr under 18 or older than dirt, like me.
Seems like a lot of work just to make some extra money? Don’t worry, it will be worth it. Unlike many sellers under 18, you’ll be starting the right way which puts your account at an advantage – you’re in good standing reputationally.
Can Under 18s Get Approved as Fiverr Sellers?
Absolutely! You may have found some of the steps above overkill. Do your parents or legal guardians really need to do all of this just so you can use Fiverr under 18?
I really don’t recommend doing it alone. You will get away with it at first, but Fiverr will catch up to you eventually. If you want to use Fiverr under 18 and well into your adulthood, do it the right way.
Fiverr is very strict sometimes and it doesn’t take prisoners when it acts.
Since 2022, they’ve made it harder for new accounts to get approved as sellers, whether they use Fiverr under 18 or above. What does this mean for you?
You need to hit the ball out of the park on the first try and make sure you open your account the legit way.
Don’t give Fiverr reasons to refuse you.
If you don’t put the effort in now, you simply won’t be allowed to sell. While nobody knows exactly what criteria Fiverr use to approve new sellers, the company does give people important clues in its rejection email. You can see it below.
Fiverr is looking for high-quality services from trustworthy freelancers.
How do they judge this? From looking at your profile and your gigs.
By doing the research first, you give yourself a much better chance to get approved.
Fiverr is looking for high-quality services from trustworthy freelancers.
How do they judge this? From looking at your profile and your gigs.
By doing the research first, you give yourself a much better chance to get approved.
If you can make your first Fiverr gig in a niche without a lot of competition, this will help.
Why? Because underserved categories and sub-categories need more sellers, so Fiverr’s approval process may take this into account. Regardless of your chosen categories, you should only create gigs you can do. Your age isn’t important here – your skills are.
Tips to Get Under 18 Fiverr Seller Account Approval
To effectively showcase your skills as a young freelancer on Fiverr, make sure to highlight your unique talents. Buyers care about how you can help them, not how old you are.
- Create a profile that gets attention. Use a professional photo and write a concise and engaging bio that clearly communicates your skills, experience, and passion for the work you do
- Create a portfolio to show off your best work samples (make some if you don’t have any). This will give potential buyers an idea of your abilities and the quality of your work
- Offer services that match your skills, strengths and interests. By focusing on what you’re good at and enjoy, you can show your expertise and enjoy the learning process
Once your account is approved, you are ready to start selling your services.
Pro-tip: Make sure that your skills are good enough to deliver quality work that meets or exceeds the expectations of your buyers! It might sound obvious, but it will save you a lot of grief.
And that’s it! You might be a minor, but you’re able to use Fiverr just like everyone else – and by doing things the right way from the beginning, you’ve saved yourself a lot of frustration. Just remember that if you run into problems, speak to your parents first and make sure they deal with Fiverr customer support.
Do I Need to Tell Buyers That I’m Under 18?
You have to make it clear on your gigs and your profile that your account is owned by your parent. You are not obliged to say anything else about your age beyond that. This disclosure might seem annoying and restrictive, but it is there to help protect you.
Remember, what matters more than your age is your ability to deliver. Keep the focus on your services and how you can help buyers. The more professional you appear, the less your age matters – if you can create beautiful art, nobody will care that you are using Fiverr under 18!
On the other hand, if someone criticizes your work, don’t make a big fuss about it. Be matter of fact, then return to what matters: what you can do for your buyers. It might be tempting to say “but I’m only 15!” but please don’t do that, as it’s not a good look. It invites the buyer to ask why you should use Fiverr under 18 when you still have plenty of learn. Ouch.
If someone in Fiverr harasses you about your age, you should report them to Fiverr Customer Support. Do not argue back and block them if you do not have an order with them. It might be tempting to snap back, but you could end up getting in trouble.
Let Fiverr deal with it for you. If someone is being mean over you about your age, they’re not worth your time or the trouble.
Pros and Cons of Working on Fiverr Under 18
When working on Fiverr under 18, you face the same pros and cons as everyone else. The biggest difference is that you also have schoolwork to deal with at the same time (OK, so college students have that issue too).
Let’s look at the advantages first:
- Fiverr is very flexible and can fit around your schoolwork
- Fiverr lets you start earning money from as young as 13
- Fiverr lets you build a real portfolio with real clients
- Fiverr is a great to gain lots of valuable business skills
- Fiverr makes it easy to try out new services and find your niche
As you can see, there are many advantages to working on Fiverr as a minor, but you will also experience difficulties. These are mostly issues experienced by everyone, so don’t feel disheartened – rise to the challenge, instead!
- Fiverr is very competitive, so you might find it hard to get work
- Some buyers who notice your age may not want to work with you
- Other buyers may try to manipulate you into doing free work
- Fiverr is very strict. Innocent mistakes can lead to permanent lifetime bans
- You may find it challenging to juggle school, work, and your social life
It’s important that you weigh up the pros and cons of using Fiverr before joining. If you are not skilled at something, it may be better to find work through Reddit, Discord, and other platforms to build your skills.
You can always apply for Fiverr later when you have better skills – you don’t have to use Fiverr under 18!
One final note – I know it’s boring, but don’t neglect your studies. If you need to take time off for revision and exams or simply to minimize stress, do it.
How to Withdraw Money from Fiverr Under 18
If you’ve been following this guide, you will have an email that you created just to sign up to Fiverr. Use this email to sign up to PayPal.
Keep in mind that like Fiverr, PayPal restricts access for people under 18 years of age. The good news is that they do allow you to have an account with your parents’ permission. It’s a few extra hoops to go through, but getting paid makes verification worth it.
You can also set up bank transfers in some countries, or use Payoneer. I think PayPal is the best method for now, but it’s worth checking out the options to see which are best for you. Just remember, because you’re a minor, you will need to check the their underage policies first.
Don’t forget, you can ask your parents to help you out here. Make use of their life experience to make the best choice.
You Can Do Fiverr Under 18 – It’s Easy!
If you follow this guide, you won’t have any problems signing up to Fiverr under 18, and you should pass the seller profile approval process with flying colors.
Quite a few adults have problems passing the approval process, so you can be proud of yourself if you pass! You’ve unlocked the doors and now have full access to a great platform for freelancers. Now you’re really going places!
After that, if you have an in-demand skill and have done a good job with your profile and gigs, you should find your first buyer in the near future. Don’t be demoralized if it takes time to attract serious buyers. This is normal.
Also, if you find yourself in a difficult situation with a buyer, don’t be afraid to turn to your parents and Fiverr Customer Support for help in dealing with the issue. You’re new to the world of business, and some people may try to take advantage of that – they know that you’re using Fiverr under 18 are hoping to use your inexperience against you.
If you ever feel something is a bit off, don’t ignore it. Get help and learn how to handle it. In time, you’ll be able to deal with everything yourself, but don’t try to start that way. You may end up making a mistake you regret.
Good luck! I hope that you find Fiverr under 18 a great way to develop your professional skills and make money at the same time! Don’t let anyone bully you for being “too young”. You are allowed to use Fiverr under 18 and make money from your skills – and if you do better than so-called adults bullying you, kudos!
