You're stuck at work, Grandma is free, and the school has never met her. Most schools won't hand your child to someone new on your say-so at the door. They want it from you, ahead of time, and often in writing. Here's a note you can copy, and what schools in the US and Canada actually ask for.
A note you can copy
Fill in the brackets, sign it, and get it to the office before dismissal: in your child's bag, by email to the office, or through the school's own app if it has one.
To the office at [school name]
[today's date]I give permission for [full name of the person picking up] to pick up my child, [child's full name], [grade or class], on [date] at [time, or "dismissal"].
Reason: [for example, "I'm working late"].
My child will be at: [address and phone number where they'll be].
[Their first name] will bring photo ID.If you need to reach me: [your phone number].
[Your signature]
[Your printed name], [parent or guardian]
Keep a copy. If the person picking up isn't already on your child's emergency or pickup list, call the office as well and ask whether a note is enough, or whether they need to be added to the list first.
What schools ask for
Rules vary by district and even by school, so check yours. These are real policies, and they show the range:
| School or district | What it asks for |
|---|---|
| Tulsa Public Schools, Oklahoma | Authorization in writing to the main office, and valid, unexpired photo ID at pickup. No ID, no release, even for a listed emergency contact. Only a parent can change the list. |
| Murray Manor Elementary, La Mesa-Spring Valley, California | A signed, dated letter with the date and time and who's picking up. That adult must be on the emergency contact list, and everyone shows photo ID. |
| Martin Luther King High School, Riverside, California | Photo ID from everyone picking up. Emergency contacts are released only with written permission from a parent. |
| Fraser-Cascade School District 78, BC | Written or verbal permission from the parent. For anyone else, the school contacts the parent, records the person's name and checks who they are, and notes the reason and where the child is going. |
| School District 81, BC | Release only to adults authorized in the student record, or with written approval from the custodial parent or guardian. Teachers can't authorize a release. |
| Vancouver Island West School District 84, BC | Release to parents, guardians, people with custody, or others with the parents' permission. |
The US policies above ask for photo ID; the BC ones ask the school to be sure who the person is. Either way, send ID with them.
If there's a custody order
A note can't override a court order. Schools follow the order they have on file: Delta School District in BC, for example, asks anyone whose right to pick up is in doubt to produce a court order, and won't release a child who is the subject of a custody dispute before the normal end of the day. If you have an order or a parenting agreement that limits who can pick up, give the school a copy now, not on the day it matters.
A note settles the school. It doesn't settle who's going.
The note tells the office that Grandma is allowed. It doesn't tell Grandma, or your partner, or the sitter, which of them is actually going today. That part is what Kid Pickup is for: every pickup gets one person who said "I'll do it", and if one still has nobody, the app sends you a nudge in time to sort it out.
For the rules on who's allowed in the first place, see who can pick up my child from school.
Frequently asked questions
How do I write a note to let someone pick up my child from school?
Write to the school office with your child's full name and class, the date and time, the full name of the person picking up, the reason, where your child will be, and your phone number, then sign and date it. Tell them to bring photo ID.
Does a pickup note need to be signed?
Many schools ask for a signed and dated note. A phone call alone isn't always enough, so sign it and keep a copy.
Can someone who isn't on the emergency list pick up my child with a note?
Some schools allow it with written permission; others only release children to adults already on the list. Call the office to check, and add regular helpers to the list at the start of the year.
Does the person picking up need ID?
Many US schools require valid photo ID, and some refuse release without it even for listed contacts. BC policies ask the school to verify who the person is. Send ID either way.