Before you apply
If your child is between reception and year 11, they may be eligible for free school transport if they:
- live in Lincolnshire
- attend a school within the designated transport area* (DTA) for their home address
- attend a school nearer to their home address than the DTA school
- attend a school we allocate because there were no places in nearer schools
- and, live:
- more than two miles away (primary school)
- more than three miles away (secondary school)
*An area around a school or college from which resident pupils/students can get transport support subject to meeting the criteria for entitlement.
If you live in a town, transport will only be provided to the nearest school, subject to the distance criteria above.
Distances to schools are calculated using the shortest, safest route.
Please email schooltransportapplications@lincolnshire.gov.uk for information about designated transport areas.
Transport only includes your child's journey to school in the morning and home from school at the end of the school day.
If your child is not eligible for free school transport, you must ensure they can get to school safely. You may be able to apply for concessionary school transport.
For more advice, read the schools and college transport policy.
Changing address or school during the school year
If your child's address or school changes, you must reapply for school transport.
Cancellation of transport
To cancel your transport, please send your details to TSG@lincolnshire.gov.uk.
Unsuitable routes
If you think your child’s route to school or pick-up point is unsuitable to walk, you can ask us to assess it. Email schooltransportapplications@lincolnshire.gov.uk.
How to apply
Once you have been offered a school place, you may then apply for free school transport.
The deadline for applications for the 2026 to 2027 school year is 31 May 2026.
If you miss this deadline, you may still apply, but it may not be processed for the start of the new school year, and you should make other arrangements for your child to travel to school.
If you apply mid-year then it is your responsibility to make other arrangements for your child until your application has been processed.
Apply for free school transport
What happens next
Once you have applied online, you will get an email to confirm we have received your application. We will then assess your eligibility and contact you as soon as possible with our decision.
If your application is approved, we will send you details and, where appropriate, a bus pass as soon as possible.
Your child will be allocated a Transport number – please keep hold of this as you will need it if you wish to contact us about your transport provision in future.
Transport is usually agreed until the end of Year 6 or the end of Year 11, whichever is applicable. However if you move address you will need to make a new application which will be reassessed accordingly. Please be advised that where transport has been agreed on the grounds of your income eligibility will be reviewed annually.
If you are worried that your application has exceeded 20 days then you can email TSG@lincolnshire.gov.uk to check its status.
Appeals
You can appeal a free school transport decision if:
- the decision to refuse transport is wrong according to our policy or the law
- there are personal circumstances that have not been taken into account
- a walking route has been assessed incorrectly
The school and college transport policy contains information on how to appeal.
Free school transport for low-income families
If your child is between years 7 to 11, they may be entitled to free school transport for low-income families if:
- your child attends one of the three nearest schools
- and, the school is between two and six miles from their home address
On the grounds of religion, it must be your nearest faith school and be between 2 and 15 miles from your child’s home address. You must provide evidence of religious belief.
Your child may get free school transport if the family receives the following benefits:
- Universal Credit if your income does not exceed a certain amount as set by the Government
- Income support
- Income-based Job Seeker’s Allowance
- Child Tax Credit, if your income does not exceed a certain amount as set by the Government
- Working Tax Credit run-on
- The Guaranteed Element of State Pension Credit
- Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.
Apply for free school transport
If you come off any qualifying benefit at the time of review, your child’s free school transport will end unless they qualify under the school and college policy.
If your child is not eligible for free school transport, you must ensure they can get to school safely.
When transport is granted on the grounds of low income, we will review eligibility yearly. We will contact you before the school year starts to request up-to-date evidence of the above benefits.
Changing address or school during the school year
If your child's address or school changes, you must reapply for school transport from your new address.
Cancellation of transport
To cancel your transport please send your details to TSG@lincolnshire.gov.uk.