16+

The 16+ Oyster photocard scheme will close temporarily.

The Post Office will not accept 16+ Oyster photocard applications from 1 July until 31 August 2009. Applicants can apply as normal from 1 September 2009.

The 11-15 and 5-10 Oyster photocard schemes are not affected.

Customers may continue to order duplicate Oyster photocards online at tfl.gov.uk/photocard or by calling 0845 331 9872. A £10 is payable by credit or debit card.

All 16 and 17-year-olds and some 18-year-olds can apply for a 16+ Oyster photocard.

Travel benefits

A 16+ Oyster photocard allows you to buy 7 Day, monthly or longer Travelcards at child rate and pay as you go at half the adult rate on bus, Tube, tram, DLR and London Overground services.

You can also apply for free travel on London's buses and trams if you:

Live in a London borough
Are in full time education
Were aged 18 on 31 August 2008

16 to 17 year-olds who do not have an Oyster photocard pay adult-rate fares.

How to get your 16+ Oyster photocard

If you live in London

Application forms are available from Post Offices in Greater London and areas just beyond the boundary that are served by London's bus, Tube and London Overground networks. Some schools have also agreed to distribute forms.

Complete your form and take it to a Post Office with:

A passport-sized photograph
Your original passport, ID card (from an European Economic Area country) or birth certificate as proof of age

If you are applying for free bus and tram travel:

You must be in full-time education
You must get your school or college to sign your application form. This can't be done before you have started your course for the current academic year
Take proof that you live within a London borough to the Post Office with the completed application form. This can be a utility bill, council tax bill or driving licence.
These can be in your parent or guardian's name, but must be for the same address as your application. Mobile phone bills are not accepted as proof of address

If you have a query once your application has been submitted or want to track the progress of your application, please call the helpline on 0845 330 9876* or alternatively you can text your application reference number to 07624 809330. You will receive a response from our SMS service. Standard network charges apply.

If your 16+ Oyster photocard doesn't arrive within two weeks, please call 0845 330 9876*, quoting your application reference number.

If you live outside London

You can apply for a Non-resident 16+ Oyster photocard online which allows you to travel at half adult rate on bus, Tube, tram, DLR and London Overground services. Please allow three weeks for your application to be processed.

You will need to:

Supply a digital passport-type photo
Pay £5 by debit or credit card. This will be loaded on your photocard as credit to pay as you go and can be refunded if not used

Collecting your Oyster photocard

You will need to pick up your 16+ Oyster photocard when you arrive in London.

It can be collected from any Travel Information Centre. You will need to show proof of your date of birth in the form of a valid Passport, ID card (from a European Economic Association country) or birth certificate.

You must do this within two weeks of the collection date you chose when ordering.

Full-time education

Full-time education means a minimum of 12 hours of guided learning per week for a minimum of 10 weeks on further education courses at Level 3 or below (up to and including A level or equivalent vocational qualifications).

This must be based at a school sixth form, sixth form college or Further Education college, or be part of a Learning and Skills Council funded Entry to Employment (E2E) or Programme Led Apprenticeship. The guided learning must take place between 09:00-18:00 Monday-Friday.
If you were 18 or over on 31 August prior to the start of the academic year and are following a Level 4 course (eg at a University or FE college) you should apply for an 18+ Student Oyster photocard instead.

Expiry

Your free travel concession will expire on the date printed on the front of your Oyster photocard. For applications made after 1 September 2008 this will usually be 30 September 2009. If your 18th birthday is after the free travel expiry date you'll be able to carry on using your Oyster photocard for half-rate travel until the day before your 18th birthday.

Using your Oyster photocard

You must touch in on the yellow reader as you board a bus or at the tram stop. When using Tube, DLR or London Overground services, you must touch in on the yellow reader at the start and touch out at the end of your journey. If you do not, you may be liable for a penalty fare and your Oyster photocard and travel concession may be withdrawn.

If your 16+ Oyster photocard will not activate the yellow reader, call the helpline on 0845 330 9876*

If you do not follow TfL's Behaviour Code or if you commit a crime on one of our vehicles, your concession and your Oyster photocard may be withdrawn.

Lost or stolen Oyster photocard

If your 16+ Oyster photocard has been lost or stolen, you will need to re-apply to get a duplicate. You will need to pay a non-refundable fee of £10. You cannot apply via the Post Office but must apply online or phone 0845 331 9872*. If appropriate, a refund of the unused value of any ticket product or pay as you go balance on the lost or stolen Oyster photocard will be made. To apply for a refund write to:

Oyster Ticketing and Refunds
55 Broadway
London
SW1H 0BD

or call 0845 330 9876*.

* For BT residential customers, calls to the Oyster helpline will cost no more than 3.5p per minute, (current at August 2008). The price on non-BT phone lines may be different.

Leaflets

Download Travel discounts for children, teenagers and students (PDF 472KB)
Download Travel discounts with 16+ Oyster Photocard (PDF 300KB)

16+