School trip waiver template
A starter waiver template for school field trips and events with parent authorization, transportation consent, and trip-specific risk acknowledgment.
What a school trip waiver template needs to cover
School trip waivers serve a different purpose than general activity waivers. They are tied to a specific event on a specific date, involve transportation, take students off school grounds, and require parent authorization before the student can participate. This template is built for field trips, athletic away games, club excursions, and other school-organized events.
Why school trips need their own waiver
A school's general participation waiver typically covers activities on campus. Once students leave school grounds (by bus, charter van, or parent carpool), the risk profile changes. The waiver needs to cover the trip itself, the transportation, the activities at the destination, and the supervision arrangement while students are off-site.
Schools and event organizers also face a practical challenge: getting every parent to sign before the trip date. A digital waiver with a deadline and automatic reminders handles this more reliably than paper forms sent home in backpacks.
What this template includes
The template covers eight sections, starting with trip and event details (the specific trip, destination, activities, and any related supervised events). The parent permission section confirms that the signer is the legal parent or guardian and authorizes the student's participation.
The transportation section acknowledges that the trip may involve travel, loading and unloading, and attendance at off-site locations supervised by staff, volunteers, or authorized third parties. The medical section asks the guardian to provide accurate health information and authorizes organizers to contact emergency services and obtain care for the student if needed.
The assumption-of-risk section names trip-specific hazards: transportation incidents, slips and falls, weather conditions, crowd-related hazards, and other injuries. There are also sections for student conduct, a liability release, and optional photo and video consent.
Naming the specific trip matters
A waiver that says "school field trip to [Destination] on [Date]" is more credible and harder to dispute than one that generically covers "school activities." If you are running multiple trips throughout the year, create a separate waiver for each one with the specific trip details filled in. WaiverChaser lets you duplicate a waiver and update the details in minutes.
Getting every parent to sign before the deadline
The best workflow is to send waiver links as soon as the trip roster is confirmed, ideally at least two weeks before the event. Teachers or coordinators can email the link to every family on the list at once. The dashboard shows who has signed and who has not, so you can send targeted reminders as the deadline approaches rather than resending to everyone.
For schools and districts that run many trips per year, this replaces the cycle of printing forms, collecting crumpled papers from students, and manually tracking who returned what. Every signed waiver is stored as a searchable record with a timestamped PDF.
Not legal advice — template only. This document is a starting point and has not been reviewed by an attorney. WaiverChaser makes no representations about its legal enforceability or sufficiency. Have this reviewed and customized by a licensed attorney before use.
1. Trip or Event Details
This document applies to participation in the school trip, event, extracurricular activity, transportation, and related supervised activities described by the school or organizer.
2. Participant or Parent/Guardian Permission to Participate
I represent that I am either the participant or the legally authorized parent or guardian of the participant. I give permission for participation subject to the terms, rules, and instructions associated with the trip or event.
3. Transportation and Supervision Acknowledgment
I understand that participation may involve travel, loading and unloading, attendance at off-site locations, and supervision by staff, volunteers, or authorized third parties.
4. Medical Information and Emergency Treatment Authorization
I represent that I am responsible for providing accurate medical information, allergies, medications, and emergency contacts. If emergency care is reasonably necessary, I authorize school representatives or organizers to contact emergency services and obtain care for the participant.
5. Assumption of Risk
I understand that school trips and events involve inherent risks, including transportation incidents, slips and falls, weather conditions, crowd-related hazards, and other injuries that may be serious. I voluntarily accept and assume those risks to the extent permitted by law.
6. Release and Waiver of Liability
In consideration of participation, I release and hold harmless the school, organizer, hosting venue, staff, volunteers, contractors, and affiliates from claims arising out of participation, except to the extent prohibited by law.
7. Student or Participant Conduct and Compliance With Instructions
I agree that the participant will follow instructions, comply with applicable rules and codes of conduct, and act in a manner that supports safety during the trip or event.
8. Photo and Video Consent (Optional)
I understand that the school or organizer may request permission to use photographs or video from the trip or event for educational, operational, or promotional purposes.
Signer fields included
A good starting point if you run:
School field trips and excursions
Athletic away games and tournaments
Club activities and extracurricular events
This is a starting point, not legal advice.
Every template should be reviewed and customized by a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction before you publish it. WaiverChaser does not guarantee the legal enforceability of any template.