How to Get Permission to Use the Bathroom in School

Raising Your Hand or Using a Hand Signal

Determine your teacher's restroom policy. Bathroom policies will vary from school to school, teacher to teacher, and grade to grade. If you do not understand the bathroom policy, ask your teacher or professor to explain the rules and procedures to you. If you can not remember the restroom rules, ask your teacher to remind you of the rules. If you can not comply with any part of the bathroom policy, set up a meeting with your parents, teacher, and principal to discuss the concern and develop a solution you can all agree on. In elementary, middle, and high school, you are generally required to ask for permission to use the restroom. In college and graduate school, most professors will let your come and go from the classroom as you please. When you do get up to use restroom, leave and re-enter the room quietly and discretely. If you are an exchange student, ask your host family, roommate, teacher, or professor to explain the country's cultural norms regarding using the bathroom at school.

Choose an appropriate time to ask if you may use the bathroom. Before asking to use the bathroom, make sure it is a convenient time for you to ask this question. Ask yourself, “Is it a good time to talk to my teacher and leave the classroom?” Avoid asking your teacher to use the bathroom when they are in the middle of giving instructions, during the middle of a lecture, or during a lesson. Do ask your teacher to use the restroom during independent work times, when you have finished all of your class work, or after you have completed a test. If it is an emergency, remain calm and ask your teacher immediately.

Ask to use the bathroom. When it comes to asking to use the restroom, each teacher has a different policy. While some teachers prefer the traditional method of raising your hand to ask for permission, other teachers find this practice disrupting. Instead, they insist that their students use a special hand signal. Raise your hand, wait patiently to be called on, and ask for permission to use the restroom. “May I please go to the restroom, Mr./Mrs/Ms. ____.” Raise your hand with the special signal (perhaps crossed fingers) and patiently wait for a response. If your teacher is fine with you using the bathroom, they may nod their head "yes.” If your teacher would like you to wait, they may shake their head “no” or raise a finger to signal “wait a few minutes, please.”

Respect your teacher’s answer. Your teacher may respond in one of three ways: “yes,” “no,” or “not right now.” If you don’t receive the answer you were hoping to hear, you must respect your teacher’s answer. If it is an emergency, tell your teacher it is an emergency and you can't wait to use the restroom. If your teacher says “yes,” thank them and exit the room. After using the bathroom, return to the room quietly. If your teacher says “no” or “in a minute,” ask again in a little while.

Filling Out a Pass to Use the Restroom

Fill out your pass to use the restroom. In some schools, especially middle schools and high schools, students are required to fill out a pass each time they need to leave the classroom. Students generally receive a set number of passes for each semester, trimester, or quarter. Once a student uses all of their passes, they must wait until the next marketing period to receive more. In elementary school, you teacher may give you a set number of pre-printed bathroom passes or tickets. When you need to use the restroom, pull out your pass sheet and fill out the following information: Date Class Reason for using the pass.

Ask if your teacher will sign your pass for the restroom at an appropriate time. After filling out or finding your pre-printed pass, subtly get your teacher’s attention. Raise your pass in the air until they notice you. When the call on you or come over to your seat, ask if you may use the bathroom. Unless it is an emergency, do not ask to use the bathroom when your teacher is giving instructions or in the middle of a lesson. Great times to ask for permission include after you have finished taking a test, while you are working independently, and during transitions from one activity to the next.

Comply with your teacher’s answer. When you ask, “may I use the bathroom," your teacher has the option to reply with “yes,” “no,” or “please wait a few moments.” If you don’t receive permission or are asked to wait, remain calm and respectful. If it is an emergency, explain the situation to your teacher and ask to be excused. If your teacher says “yes,” hand them your pass to sign. Leave the room quietly, use the bathroom quickly, and reenter the room silently, If your teacher says “no” or “please wait a few moments,” ask again at a later time.

Managing Your Own Trips to the Bathroom

Use the restroom during passing time and lunch. Many teachers and administrators prefer that students use the restroom on their own time. Visiting the restroom during passing time and throughout lunch time, teachers argue, increases the amount of time students are present in the classroom. While some students can manage to do this, others simply don't have time in between their classes. If you have enough time in between classes, make an effort to use the restroom before your next class starts. Teachers will appreciate that you took care of this need prior to entering their class. If your passing times are extremely short or your classes are really far apart, do your best to fit in visits to the restroom between classes. If you simply don't have enough time, ask your teacher for permission to use the bathroom during class.

Sign in and out of the classroom to use the bathroom. When you need to use the restroom, your teacher may allow you leave the classroom without asking for permission. Instead, they may simply require you to sign-in and sign-out of the classroom when you need to go to the bathroom. This sign-in/out sheet is usually located near the classroom door. Quietly get up from your seat and walk to the sign-in/sign-out sheet. Fill out your name, the date, the time, and where you are going. If your teacher requires you to take a pre-printed pass, grab one before exiting the room. When you return from the bathroom, sign-in and write down the time you returned. Go back to your seat without disturbing the class.

Grab a classroom bathroom pass. Some teachers have a classroom bathroom pass that they require students to take with them to and from the restroom. This form of pass is often less disruptive to the entire class. Students may take these community passes without asking permission to use the restroom and the teacher is not required to sign any passes. When you need to use the bathroom, get out of your seat quietly and walk to the classroom restroom passes. Grab the pass and take it with you to the restroom. When you return to class, put the pass back and return to your seat. If you get up to use the bathroom while your teacher is talking or giving instructions, they may ask you to wait a moment.

Use the restroom during approved times. In some classrooms, teachers use a sign to let students know exactly when it is and is not a good time to use the bathroom. One side of the sign may read: “You may use the bathroom without asking permission.” The opposite side of the sign may read: “Please wait to use the restroom. If it is an emergency, let me know.” When the sign says, “You may use the bathroom without asking permission,” get up from your seat quietly and walk to the bathroom. After using the restroom, return to your seat quietly. When the sign reads, “Please wait to use the restroom. If it is an emergency, let me know,” wait patiently for your teacher to flip the sign. If you are having an emergency, notify your teacher immediately.