Who can have a National Bus Pass?

national bus pass

Older residents or those with certain disabilities are eligible for a National Bus Pass.

Older residents

On the 6 April 2010 the state pension age for women changed. As the pensionable age for women gradually increases from 60 to 65 and over, so too will the age of eligibility for a National Bus Pass for both men and women.

This means that if you were born on or before 5 April 1950, you are eligible for a National Bus Pass from your 60th birthday.

If you were born after 5 April 1950, you can find out the date on which you will become eligible for a bus pass by reason of age by using the table below. If you are still unsure about when you will become eligible from, please contact us for help.
Please do not send in your application more than two weeks before the date you are eligible for a bus pass. Applications made before this will be refused and returned.

Date of birth	Date eligible for a national bus pass	When to Apply
6 September 1951 to 5 October 1951	Already eligible	Now
6 October 1951 to 5 November 1951	6 May 2013	2 weeks before eligibility date
6 November 1951 to 5 December 1951	6 July 2013	2 weeks before eligibility date
6 December 1951 to 5 January 1952	6 September 2013	2 weeks before eligibility date
6 January 1952 to 5 February 1952	6 November 2013	2 weeks before eligibility date
6 February 1952 to 5 March 1952	6 January 2014	2 weeks before eligibility date
6 March 1952 to 5 April 1952	6 March 2014	2 weeks before eligibility date
6 April 1952 to 5 May 1952	6 May 2014	2 weeks before eligibility date
6 May 1952 to 5 June 1952	6 July 2014	2 weeks before eligibility date
6 June 1952 to 5 July 1952	6 September 2014	2 weeks before eligibility date
6 July 1952 to 5 August 1952	6 November 2014	2 weeks before eligibility date
6 August 1952 to 5 September 1952	6 January 2015	2 weeks before eligibility date
6 September 1952 to 5 October 1952	6 March 2015	2 weeks before eligibility date
6 October 1952 to 5 November 1952	6 May 2015	2 weeks before eligibility date
6 November 1952 to 5 December 1952	6 July 2015	2 weeks before eligibility date
6 December 1952 to 5 January 1953	6 September 2015	2 weeks before eligibility date
6 January 1953 to 5 February 1953	6 November 2015	2 weeks before eligibility date
6 February 1953 to 5 March 1953	6 January 2016	2 weeks before eligibility date
6 March 1953 to 5 April 1953	6 March 2016	2 weeks before eligibility date
6 April 1953 to 5 May 1953	6 July 2016	2 weeks before eligibility date
6 May 1953 to 5 June 1953	6 November 2016	2 weeks before eligibility date
6 June 1953 to 5 July 1953	6 March 2017	2 weeks before eligibility date
6 July 1953 to 5 August 1953	6 July 2017	2 weeks before eligibility date
6 August 1953 to 5 September 1953	6 November 2017	2 weeks before eligibility date
6 September 1953 to 5 October 1953	6 March 2018	2 weeks before eligibility date
6 October 1953 to 5 November 1953	6 July 2018	2 weeks before eligibility date
6 November 1953 to 5 December 1953	6 November 2018	2 weeks before eligibility date
6 December 1953 to 5 January 1954	6 March 2019	2 weeks before eligibility date
6 January 1954 to 5 February 1954	6 May 2019	2 weeks before eligibility date
6 February 1954 to 5 March 1954	6 July 2019	2 weeks before eligibility date
6 March 1954 to 5 April 1954	6 September 2019	2 weeks before eligibility date
6 April 1954 to 5 May 1954	6 November 2019	2 weeks before eligibility date
6 May 1954 to 5 June 1954	6 January 2020	2 weeks before eligibility date
6 June 1954 to 5 July 1954	6 March 2020	2 weeks before eligibility date
6 July 1954 to 5 August 1954	6 May 2020	2 weeks before eligibility date
6 August 1954 to 5 September 1954	6 July 2020	2 weeks before eligibility date
6 September 1954 to 5 October 1954	6 September 2020	2 weeks before eligibility date
6 October 1954 onwards	66^th birthday	2 weeks before eligibility date

Residents with certain disabilities

If you are not eligible by reason of age you must have a disability that falls into one or more of the following categories:

a) Blind or partially sighted

b) Profoundly or severely deaf

c) Without speech

d) Have a disability, or suffered an injury, which has a substantial and long term adverse effect on your ability to walk

e) Without arms or have long term loss of the use of both arms

f) Have a learning disability, that is, a state of arrested or incomplete development of mind which includes significant impairment of intelligence and social functioning. The disability must have started before adulthood and have a lasting effect on development.*

g) Persons who would be refused a driving licence on medical grounds (excluding the misuse of drugs or alcohol)

* Learning disability bus pass holders issued
Bus pass-holders and lanyards will now be issued to all clients with a learning disability.A letter will be sent out to all existing learning disability bus pass holders and any new applicants with a learning disability will be sent a holder and lanyard when they apply.This decision was made to assist learning disabled pass holders in keeping their pass safe.

If you are applying under a category other than having a learning disability and you would like a pass holder and lanyard, please contact our office, we will be happy to send you one, providing we have enough stock.

lanyards

Travel Companions

Devon County Council will provide on application a supplementary companion pass to severely disabled residents of Devon who are only able to access local bus services with the assistance of a travelling companion.

The Devon companion pass can only be issued to a Devon resident National Bus Pass holder. The companion pass can be used alongside your National Bus Pass on journeys starting within the Devon County Council area. It is not valid for use on journeys starting in any other council areas, including Plymouth, Torbay, Cornwall, Dorset or Somerset.
If you are travelling into Plymouth, Torbay or across the other boundaries to Cornwall, Somerset or Dorset from the Devon County Council area you will be able to use the companion pass for free travel on the outward journey but not for the return journey.
If you are visiting elsewhere in England and using your National Bus Pass for free travel, your companion pass will not be valid.

Devon companion pass application forms image - PDF icon (30KB - pdf help) are available to print or from the Concessionary Bus Travel Team.

Plymouth and Torbay Residents

Residents of Plymouth should contact Plymouth City Council , Tel: 01752 668000.
Residents of Torbay should contact Torbay Council, Tel: 01803 207766.

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