Blue cards for schools
On 20 September 2025, changes were made to this category which is detailed on this page. Read about the upcoming changes to the blue card system.
If you work, volunteer, or run a business providing services within a school, you will need a blue card.
School means either:
- a state school that provides primary, secondary or special education
- a school that is accredited, or provisionally accredited, under the Education (Accreditation of Non-State Schools) Act 2017.
If you are providing education to children that are not of school age, refer to the education and care services category.
Employees
You will need a blue card under the ‘Schools - employees other than teachers’ category, if you carry out work within an area of a school where children are being educated and cared for or have access to at a time when children are ordinarily present.
Examples
A blue card is needed for:
- school cleaners
- school groundskeepers
- bus drivers employed by the school
- teacher aides and administration staff
- student teachers doing practical placement
- other teaching and support staff who are not registered with Queensland College of Teachers.
A blue card is not needed for:
- teachers registered with the Queensland College of Teachers
- tradespeople carrying out maintenance or servicing equipment at the school, with only incidental contact with students
- volunteer parents for activities their child is involved in – such as reading with children in their child’s class, unless a restricted person.
Volunteers
Parent volunteer exemption
Under the parent volunteer exemption, you may not need a blue card if you volunteer for a school activity your child is involved in. However, this does not include volunteer activities at a school overnight camp or if the activities involve close physical contact with students.
Read about the parent volunteer exemption.
P&C and P&F associations
Parents and Citizens’ (P&C) or Parents and Friends (P&F) association executive committee members will need a blue card under the ‘Churches, clubs and associations’ or the ‘education and care services’ category, regardless of whether their child attends the school.
Read more about blue card requirements for these associations.
Business owners or operators
You’ll need a blue card under the ‘Education Services and activities conducted inside a school’ category, if your business activities take place in a school where children are being educated and cared for or that is accessible to children, and at a time when children are ordinarily present.
You won’t need a blue card if your business activities are not directed towards children and, do not involve any contact with children, other than incidental contact.
Examples
A blue card is needed for business operators or sole traders where their business provides school students with:
- cultural services
- faith based services
- sporting or recreational services (e.g. elite pathway programs)
- music services (e.g. external music lessons)
- motivational talks on life experiences (e.g. business involves providing motivational talks)
- petting zoo, agriculture or wildlife experience.
A blue card is not needed for business operators or sole traders where their business attends a school to:
- carry out maintenance or repairs to the school grounds, with only incidental contact with students
- provide professional development to teachers or other adults, where children are not involved
- carry out an audit of equipment, with only incidental contact with students.
School boarding facilities
A school boarding facility is an environment based category, meaning that you will need a blue card if you carry out any work in a boarding facility at a school while children are present under the ''School-boarding facilities' category.
Under this category you don't need a blue card if you are a teacher registered with the Queensland College of Teachers.
Examples
A blue card is needed for anyone carrying out employment within the boundaries of a boarding school, including:
- dormitory staff
- night attendants
- cooks
- cleaners/maintenance workers.
- boarding coordinators
- any other staff members working at the boarding facility.
A blue card is not needed for:
- teachers registered with the Queensland College of Teachers
- parents volunteering in their own child’s activities, unless a restricted person
- a maintenance worker that performs maintenance or repair work while students are not present – such as during school holidays if no students are on school grounds.
School crossing supervisors
You will need a blue card if your work includes supervising a road crossing at a school.
Examples
- A blue card is needed for a crossing guard directing traffic at a school crossing.
- A blue card is not needed for a council worker or other person directing traffic at roadworks or public event.
Principals of state schools
As the principal of a state school, you are considered the employer for anyone needing a blue card under the ‘Schools - employees other than teachers’ category and a notifiable person if the status of a blue or exemption card changes.
Directors of non-state school governing bodies
Read about blue cards for non-state schools – directors of governing bodies and authorised persons.
More information
- Obligations under the blue card system
- Executive officers and bored or committee members
- Understand linking requirements for organisations.
- Check when you don’t need a blue card.
- Check who cannot apply for or hold a blue card.
- Learn how to apply for a blue or exemption card.