Enroll Apple Developer Program under 18 [duplicate]

Question

I've seen a lot of questions like this throughout the web but they're mostly from 2 or 3 years ago, so I decided to ask to have some updated answers.

I'm 16 and I want to start publishing and using the benefits that comes with the Developer Program. In the legal agreement says that I should be over 18, and I'm not so, i can't do it. I've contacted the apple developer support and they told me that I should use a account in my father's name. We reside in Brazil. With that, I had some doubts:

• Will the name on the App Store be mine or my father's?
• In the future, when I'm 18, this account can be transferred to my name?

Besides that, if someone has any advice or (legal) workaround I'd appreciate it, thanks

Answer 1

The person that registers is the owner. They can of-course enter a contract to give you control of their goods or form a corporation. You'd need to consult a lawyer if you want help forming a corporation and they'd need to know Brazil law as well as US law.

I wouldn't let any of this hinder you. You'll do the work, you'll start with as much responsibility as your father allows and when you're 18 you can transfer the account to your Apple ID or keep using the one you share. You can transfer accounts today - so unless that changes between now and when you're 18 that should be a non-issue.

Most developers that have commercially viable apps are a team, so if you can start with that - no worries. I believe you can even associate any Apple ID with the developer program once Apple is convinced that the primary legal account can accept the terms and conditions under a legally binding framework. Basically US law and presumably Brazilian law prohibit minors from entering into many binding agreements.

So, your father's Apple ID would accept the legal responsibility to be bound by the terms and then allow your account as little or as much authority as the iTunes connect allows (quite a good deal of freedom can be delegated thusly).