Is there a legal minimum age to operate a backhoe?

[USVeteran]

If anyone here has experience starting as an operator or hiring new operators, I'd really appreciate hearing how you got into it and what requirements you had to meet. Just trying to learn the ropes and figure out the right way to get started.

 

[USefulMachines03]

Interesting question! When I first got behind a backhoe, I was about 16 and it was just on private land helping out family. No formal license or anything back then, just learning the basics. Curious how others here got their start, was it similar or more official?