Older person's bus pass

Get free off-peak bus travel with an older person's bus pass.

Apply

You can apply online, in libraries and gateways, by post or by phone.

Supporting documents

As part of the online application process you will need to upload:

1. A photo of yourself

You will need a webcam or an existing digital photograph for your application. You can read about photograph requirements in the 'Photograph size and format' section on the concession card website.

2. Proof of address

Choose 1 of the following:

driving licence
utility bill from within the last year
bank or credit card statement from within the last year
Council Tax bill from within the last year.

You cannot use the same evidence as proof of age, that you used for proof of address. We must have 2 different forms of evidence to issue a bus pass.

3. Proof of age

Choose 1 of the following:

birth certificate (and marriage certificate if your name has changed)
passport
driving licence
a letter from the pension service confirming you're eligible for the state pension.

Apply in a library

Staff in the libraries below can put your details onto the system for you. Bring your supporting documents with you.

Apply by phone

Call 03000 41 83 83, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

You'll give us your details over the phone but will need to send your supporting documents by post.

Apply by post

Download an older person's bus pass application form (PDF, 2.8 MB) or pick one up from any library or gateway.

Posting the supporting documents: send photocopies, not originals with a passport style photograph from the last year with your name and postcode on the back. A passport-style photo does not need to be taken in a photo booth and can be taken at home, as long as it complies with passport style photo regulations, which can be found in the 'Photograph size and format' section on the Concessioncard website.

Send to: ENCTS, Kent County Hall, Contact Point, Invicta House, Maidstone, Kent ME14 1XX or drop your completed application and supporting documents into your local library or gateway.

Kent County Council keeps supporting documents for a maximum of three months and then securely destroys them. We do not return documents so please do not send originals.

After you've applied

Track your application

Getting your pass

We'll send your pass within 15 working days as long as we have received all photographs and evidence.

Pass hasn't arrived

Your pass should be with you within 15 working days as long as we have received all photographs and evidence. If you haven't received your pass, please email buspass@kent.gov.uk or call 03000 41 83 83. Also get in touch if you haven't received your new pass 3 weeks before your existing one expires.

Renew

Passes that expired on 31 March 2018

You should have received a new pass before your previous one expired if you:

used it in the 12 months leading up to its expiry date (this would have been automatically renewed)
renewed your pass by 12 March 2018 using the instructions in the letter we sent you in February or March 2018
let us know you moved home before renewing your pass, if applicable

If you haven’t received your pass and you should have, it may have got lost in the post or there may be a problem with the details we hold for you. You can email buspass@kent.gov.uk with your full name, date of birth and address so we can check this for you and issue you a new one if necessary.

If your pass wasn’t automatically renewed and you didn’t renew it before 12 March, you can still renew it online if you have your customer number from the letter we sent you in February or March this year, or you can renew it at a library or gateway. If you have changed your address since receiving your last pass, you will need to let us know before you can renew your pass. It will take up to 15 days to process. If we have already sent your new pass to your old address, you will need to pay £10 for a replacement.

Renew your bus pass

Passes expiring after 31 March 2018

You can renew your pass any time by emailing buspass@kent.gov.uk with your full name, date of birth and address and you won’t need to pay for it, or prove your eligibility again. For passes expiring after 31 March, renewals will take 15 days to process.

Without an English National Concessionary bus pass, you will need to pay the ordinary bus fare.

If the information you give us contains different information to what we hold for you, it may delay us sending your bus pass as we cannot renew passes without checking the information is correct. You need to let us know you have moved home before renewing your pass.

If you do not need your pass anymore

Please return the pass to us (at ENCTS, Kent County Hall, Contact Point, Invicta House, Maidstone, Kent ME14 1XX) or hand it in at any library or gateway. You can also destroy your pass in the same way as an old debit or credit card.

Moved home

Please fill in the bus pass change of address form if you have moved since you applied for your current pass or have received a letter asking you to confirm your address.

Or call us on 03000 41 83 83.

If you are moving to Kent you need to apply for a new pass.

We renew passes automatically. If you don't tell us that you have moved you may not receive your new pass. You may then need to pay for the cost of replacing this pass.

If you have moved out of Kent, you will need to contact your new local council to request a new pass. Your current Kent pass will be valid for 15 days and will then be cancelled.

Who can get one

You can get an older person's bus pass if you are:

a Kent resident
a man or a woman who has reached the state pension age for women.

Check when you qualify with the pension age calculator.

Rejected applications

If we rejected your application and you want to appeal please write, with evidence, to: ENCTS, Invicta House, Maidstone, Kent, ME14 1XX.

Using your pass

Only you can use your pass.

When

Monday to Friday: 9.30am - 11pm.
Weekends and bank holidays: All day.

Check the Medway scheme for details of when you can use your pass in Medway.

Find bus routes and maps or plan your journey with traveline.

Where

Local bus services in England – outside Kent, check the relevant council's website for when you can use it.
Gravesend to Tilbury ferry
Canterbury Park and Ride (you'll still have to pay for parking).

You can't use your pass outside of England or on scheduled coach services.

Problems using your pass

If you have problems using your bus pass or getting the ticket machine to accept it, please contact us by email at buspass@kent.gov.uk or call 03000 41 83 83.

Read the terms and conditions.

Lost, stolen or damaged

Your replacement pass will have the same expiry date as the pass that was lost, stolen or damaged.

Replace online (lost or damaged passes only)

Order a replacement bus pass online

Replace by phone or in a library (lost, stolen or damaged passes)

Call 03000 41 83 83 or visit one of the libraries in the apply section.

Cost and paying

Lost or damaged: £10 for lost or damaged cards.
Stolen: free if you've got a valid crime reference number (not a police lost property reference). Otherwise £10

Pay by credit or debit card, cheque or cash.

Cheques

Make payable to Kent County Council.
Mark your name, date of birth, contact details and postcode on the back.
Send to ENCTS, Kent County Council Contact Point, Invicta House, County Hall, Maidstone, Kent, ME14 1XX.

We'll process your order once payment has cleared. We can't give refunds once we've processed your payment, even if you find your lost pass.

Found pass

If you have found a lost bus pass please contact one of our staff:

call 03000 41 83 83
email buspass@kent.gov.uk
return it to your local library
return it to your local gateway
return it by post to ENCTS, Contact Point, Invicta House, County Hall, Maidstone, Kent. ME14 1XX.

Faulty pass

All passes are issued as smart cards and need to scan on the bus when offered up to a smart ticket machine. If they do not scan then they need to be replaced and a £10 fee will apply.

If you think that the reason for the failure to scan relates to a fault with the pass rather than how it has been looked after, your pass can be returned for testing but the £10 fee will still initially apply. In the event that the pass is found to be faulty, we will refund your replacement fee. Cards which are found to fail because they have not been properly cared for will not be tested. Passes can be returned to one of the following:

to your local library
to your local gateway
by post to ENCTS, Contact Point, Invicta House, County Hall, Maidstone, Kent. ME14 1XX.

If it is found to be sub-standard then we will refund your replacement fee.