Free template · Families

Field trip permission slip

A one-page permission slip for each trip: where, when, transportation and what to bring, with a parent signature and consent for emergency care.

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What's in it

What the field trip permission slip covers

At the top: Please return this slip by [return date]. Your child can't go on the trip without it.

Trip details (filled in by the program)

Destination and address
Date
Departure and return times
Transportation (such as school bus, van or walking)
Pickup location, if it's not the usual place
Cost, if any, and when it's due
What to bring (such as lunch, water and clothes for the weather)
Trip lead and cell phone on the day

Child

Full name
Group or age group

Health for this trip

Any new allergies, health needs or medications we should know about
Medication your child will need during the trip (we must have your signed medication form)

Permission

Check each one you agree to. Leave a box blank to say no.

My child may go on this trip
My child may ride in the transportation listed above
My child may swim on this trip (staff may give a swim test first)
I can help as a chaperone (we'll contact you about our volunteer requirements)

Parent or guardian

In an emergency, staff will call 911 if needed and contact me as soon as they can. If they can't reach me, I authorize program staff to get emergency medical care for my child, including ambulance transport and treatment by a doctor or hospital, and to share this form with the medical staff who treat my child.

Backup emergency contact and phone for the day
Cell phone on the day of the trip
Parent or guardian's printed name
Parent or guardian signature
Date

Free to use and change, but not legal or medical advice. Check your state's licensing rules and your insurer's requirements, and have a lawyer review any consent or waiver language.

Tips

How to use it well

Fill in the trip details before you make copies, so families sign for a specific trip, date and ride.
Bring the signed slips, each child's emergency contacts and their emergency medicine (such as auto-injectors and inhalers) on the trip.
Count children at every departure and arrival. Check your state's licensing rules on ratios and transportation for off-site trips.

Rules on ratios, medication and reporting vary by state. See your state in our state-by-state rules for youth programs.

FAQ

Questions, answered

Do we need a separate permission slip for every field trip?

It's good practice. A general field trip permission on your registration form covers the idea, but a slip for each trip tells families exactly where, when and how their child is going, and gives you a signed record. Some states and insurers require written permission for each trip, so check your state's licensing rules and your insurance policy.

What if a child shows up without a signed slip?

Don't take them without permission. Call the parent or guardian. Decide ahead of time whether you'll accept a signed slip by email or text, and whether a child who can't go stays at the site with staff or goes home. Put the rule in your parent handbook so families know it in advance.