Blue cards for Educational services and activities conducted inside school
From 20 September 2025 this category will take effect.
You need a blue card 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.
However, a business working in a school does not need a blue card if the activities are not directed towards children and do not facilitate contact with children, other than incidental contact.
Examples
You need a blue card if you operate a business that provides students with things like:
- cultural services
- faith based services
- sport 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.
You do not need blue card if you operate a business or are a sole trader who 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
- carry out an audit of equipment, with only incidental contact with students.
Transitional requirements
If you are already providing services in a school, you have six months from 20 September 2025 to apply for a blue card. Anyone commencing child-related work on or after 20 September 2025 must hold a blue card before they can start. Learn more about transitional requirements.
More information
- Changes to the blue card system.
- Executive officers and board or committee members of a regulated child-related organisation require a blue card.
- Understand linking requirements for organisations.
- Check when you don’t need a blue card
- Who cannot apply for or hold a blue card
- Learn how to apply for a blue or exemption card