BTP Special
Constables
How to volunteer as a British Transport Police special constable: what BTP Specials do, the stations that recruit, the 16 hours a month, every stage of selection, 24 days of training, the duty allowance and expenses, free rail travel on duty and the routes for transferee Specials, BTP officers and people who want to become regular officers.
Independent information, not advice · Sources checked 23 October 2026 · Great Britain unless stated
Apply through BTP's rolling Special Constables advert. You need to give at least 16 hours a month. Selection is an online application with a situational judgement test, online maths and English tests (unless you have Level 2 certificates), a video assessment and an assessment centre with a 10-minute presentation, an interview, the 5.4 bleep test, biometrics and a uniform fitting. Training is 24 days on the SPC PEQF course. BTP Specials have the same powers and uniform as regular officers with no SC insignia. There is no salary, but BTP pays a duty allowance, travel expenses with receipts and your Federation membership. Postings are at B and C Division stations in England and Wales.
BTP Special Constables at a Glance
| What BTP publishes | |
|---|---|
| Role | Volunteer police officer with "the same powers and uniform as full-time Officers" |
| Insignia | No "SC" insignia on your epaulettes |
| Minimum commitment | 16 hours a month |
| Where | B Division (London and the South) and C Division (Midlands, North, Wales and West) stations |
| Age | Apply from 17 and a half; you must be 18 to start (BTP FAQs) |
| Selection | Online application with a situational judgement test, ability tests, a video assessment and an assessment centre |
| Fitness | 15-metre bleep test to level 5.4 |
| Training | 24 days of initial training on the SPC PEQF course |
| Pay | None. A duty allowance by length of duty and travel expenses with receipts |
| Rail travel | Free National Rail travel on duty with your warrant card; an Oyster card in London |
| Federation | Membership paid by BTP (£21.04 a month) |
| If unsuccessful | Reapply after three months |
BTP's 2025/26 annual report gives an average of 221 Special Constables during the year, alongside an average of 4,810 permanent employees (officers and staff together).
What BTP Special Constables Do
Special constables are volunteer police officers. BTP's Specials page says its Specials have "the same powers and uniform as full-time Officers". One visible difference from many forces: BTP Specials do not wear "SC" insignia on their epaulettes, so the public sees a police officer.
BTP polices the railway. Its constables have police powers on the railway and throughout Great Britain for railway-connected purposes, under section 31 of the Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003. As a Special you would work alongside regular officers at a BTP station, on trains, platforms and the wider network for your division.
BTP does not publish a typical BTP Special's duties beyond this. Our divisions and postings guide explains what each division covers, from London Underground and the DLR in B Division to the four sub-divisions of C Division.
Where You Can Volunteer: B and C Division Stations
BTP's Specials advert lists the stations that take Specials, by division. These are Specials postings, not a full list of BTP stations.
| Division | Stations listed on the Specials advert |
|---|---|
| B Division (London and the South) | Ashford, Blackheath, Bournemouth, Brighton, Cambridge, Colchester, Croydon, Euston, Finsbury Park, Gatwick, Guildford, Hammersmith, Kings Cross, London Bridge, Liverpool Street, Luton, Maidstone, Norwich, Paddington, Richmond, Southampton, Southend, Stockwell, Stratford, Victoria, Wembley Park, West Ham and HQ |
| C Division (Midlands, North, Wales and West) | Bangor, Bristol, Cardiff, Coventry, Crewe, Darlington, Doncaster, Exeter, Leeds, Leicester, Lincoln, Liverpool, Manchester, Milton Keynes, Newcastle, Peterborough, Plymouth, Preston, Rhyl, Sheffield, Shrewsbury, Swindon, Truro, Worcester and York |
The Specials advert lists no D Division (Scotland) stations. If you live in Scotland, ask BTP whether it takes Specials there before you apply. For Police Scotland's own Specials, see our Police Scotland special constable guide.
Who Can Apply
BTP's recruitment pack covers constables, PCSOs and Specials together. What BTP publishes that applies to Specials:
- Age: apply from 17 and a half; you must be 18 to start (FAQs). The pack says you cannot attend the assessment centre until you are 18. BTP says it has removed upper age limits for all roles.
- Reapplying: current adverts bar anyone who was unsuccessful for a Police Officer, Special Constable or PCSO role and has not finished the three-month reapplication period.
- Occupations: some jobs rule you out or restrict you. BTP attaches a list, "Appendix D Special Constabulary prohibited and restricted occupations", to the Specials advert. We have not summarised it: read the list on the advert.
- Medical: BTP's abbreviated medical standards cover both constables and Special Constables. See BTP medical and eyesight standards.
- Vetting: BTP vets its own recruits. See BTP vetting.
BTP's adverts for regular officers set out rules on residence, criminal records, finances and previous vetting refusals. The Specials pages we read do not repeat them in full, so check the Specials advert and our BTP eligibility guide. Ask BTP if you are unsure.
The Commitment: 16 Hours a Month
BTP asks for a minimum of 16 hours a month. That matches what most forces ask: the College of Policing says most require an average of at least 16 hours a month (see our special constable hours guide).
BTP does not publish how duties are rostered for Specials. Because the duty allowance is set by the length of a duty (see below), it is worth asking your station how duties are usually arranged.
Your employer
BTP's pages we checked do not mention Employer Supported Policing (an arrangement where an employer gives staff paid time off to volunteer). If you need time off work for duties or training, agree it with your employer yourself.
The Selection Process, Stage by Stage
BTP's Specials page sets out a process with the same shape as for regular constables. BTP calls its process "bespoke": it does not use the College of Policing's national online assessment. Scores from other forces do not transfer.
| Stage | What happens | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Online application | Includes a situational judgement test (SJT): realistic workplace and policing scenarios where you pick the most appropriate actions | Advert 1720; Specials page |
| 2. Online ability tests | Maths and English, unless you hold the qualifying Level 2 certificates | Specials page; role page |
| 3. Video assessment | Watch a short clip, then write factual information about what you observed | Specials page; role page |
| 4. Assessment centre: presentation and interview | A 10-minute presentation followed by an interview | Specials page |
| 5. Assessment centre: fitness | The bleep test to level 5.4 | Specials page |
| 6. Assessment centre: biometrics | A DNA mouth swab and fingerprints for checks against national databases | Specials page; role page |
| 7. Assessment centre: uniform | Measurements for your uniform | Specials page |
| 8. Checks and training | Vetting, references and the medical, then initial training | Recruitment pack; role page |
Stage guides
- The application form: BTP says too many spelling or grammar errors will end an application.
- The situational judgement test: measures decision-making, integrity, teamwork, communication and professionalism.
- Online maths and English tests: skipped if you upload qualifying Level 2 certificates.
- The video assessment: an observation-based written exercise.
If you are unsuccessful
BTP's Specials page and its current adverts say you can reapply after three months. Older BTP pages, including the FAQ, say six. Go by the advert you apply to.
The Assessment Centre
The assessment centre is in person. BTP's Specials page lists four parts:
- A 10-minute presentation followed by an interview. For constables, BTP says the interview assesses "your insight into the BTP, your understanding and expectations of the role" as well as the Competency and Values Framework. BTP does not publish the presentation topic.
- The fitness test: the 15-metre bleep test to level 5.4, plus a warm-up.
- Biometrics: a DNA mouth swab and fingerprints.
- Uniform fitting.
BTP's recruitment pack says that for regular officers only those who pass the interview go on to "Stage Two" (the fitness test, biometrics and uniform). It also gives a maximum of three fitness test attempts, to be passed within six months of the pre-conditional offer. Ask BTP whether both rules apply in the same way to Specials. Travel to the assessment centre is at your own expense and there is no parking at the venues.
Guides: BTP assessment centre, presentation practice, interview questions and the BTP fitness test.
Training: 24 Days on the SPC PEQF Course
BTP's Specials page says new Specials do "24 days initial training" on the Special Constable (SPC) PEQF course. PEQF stands for the Police Education Qualifications Framework.
BTP's October 2025 recruitment pack says Specials are "usually trained over 10 weekends". The Specials page is the newer source. BTP does not publish a 2026/27 course timetable for new Specials, where the training is held or how the 24 days are spread. Ask when you get an offer.
Transferee Specials have their own shorter timetable: see transferee Specials.
Duty Allowance, Expenses and Rail Travel
BTP Specials are unpaid volunteers, but BTP pays a duty allowance set by the length of a duty. The current figures on BTP's Specials page, with the October 2025 pack figures for comparison:
| Length of duty | Current (Specials page) | October 2025 (recruitment pack) |
|---|---|---|
| 4 to 8 hours | £10.78 | £10.42 |
| 8.01 to 12 hours | £18.33 | £17.71 |
| 12.01 to 24 hours | £30.20 | £28.18 |
Worked examples
Our arithmetic, assuming the allowance is paid once for each duty by its length, as BTP's bands suggest. BTP does not list a rate for duties under 4 hours.
| Month (invented) | Calculation | Duty allowance |
|---|---|---|
| Four duties of 4 hours (16 hours) | 4 x £10.78 | £43.12 |
| Two duties of 8 hours (16 hours) | 2 x £10.78 | £21.56 |
| Two duties of 10 hours (20 hours) | 2 x £18.33 | £36.66 |
| One duty of 13 hours | 1 x £30.20 | £30.20 |
Two 8-hour duties and four 4-hour duties both meet the 16-hour minimum but attract different totals, because the allowance is per duty band rather than per hour. Ask your station how it applies the bands in practice.
Travel expenses
BTP's recruitment pack says reasonable standard class public transport costs to and from duty are reimbursed with receipts. That is as well as free rail travel on duty, not instead of it. Keep your receipts.
Rail travel and Federation membership
- On duty: "All Police Officers and Special Constables are entitled to free travel on all National Rail services when on duty, whether or not they are in uniform", on production of your warrant card.
- Oyster card: issued to officers and Specials in London for duty, travel to and from duty and leisure. It is not valid on National Rail.
- Residential travel: BTP's FAQ says officers, Specials and PCSOs get free or reduced-rate rail travel for residential purposes. BTP does not publish the Specials' mileage rules separately.
- Federation: BTP pays Specials' Federation membership, £21.04 per calendar month, according to BTP's Specials page and the BTP Federation.
How to Prepare, Step by Step
Our suggested order, built around BTP's published stages. It is not a BTP requirement.
- Check the station list. Make sure a B or C Division station on the advert is one you can reach for 16 hours a month.
- Read Appendix D on the Specials advert to check your job is not prohibited or restricted.
- Talk to your employer about time for training and duties, since BTP does not mention an Employer Supported Policing scheme.
- Find your Level 2 English and maths certificates. Uploading them means you skip the online tests.
- Practise situational judgement scenarios before you start the application, because the SJT sits inside it.
- Write your application answers offline, check spelling and grammar, then paste them in. Say why BTP and why the railway.
- Practise observing and writing. Watch a short clip, then write down what you saw, factually and in order.
- Train for level 5.4 on a marked 15-metre course with the beeps, well before the assessment centre.
- Prepare a 10-minute presentation structure and practise it to time, plus competency examples for the interview.
- Learn the basics of BTP: its railway jurisdiction, its divisions and the station you applied for.
| Week | Focus (our suggestion) |
|---|---|
| 1 | Station, Appendix D, employer conversation, find certificates |
| 2 | SJT practice; draft application answers |
| 3 | Submit the application; start bleep test training |
| 4 | Video observation practice; keep training |
| 5 | Presentation structure and timing; competency examples |
| 6 | Mock interview out loud; bleep test comfortably past 5.4 |
Free tools: the 15m bleep test simulator and the police mock interview.
BTP Specials Adverts Open Now
The main Specials advert is rolling, with no closing date. The status column is worked out when this page is built (24 October 2026).
| Advert (links to BTP) | Closing date as BTP writes it | Status when built (24 October 2026) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Special Constables (Volunteer) | No closing date | Open | Rolling |
| Transferee Special Constables, April 2027 intake | 13 November 2026 | Open | Plus a rolling transferee Specials advert |
| BTP Police Officer to Special Constable | No closing date | Open | Serving or recently left BTP officers |
BTP also listed a separate rolling Transferee Special Constables advert with no closing date. Every BTP advert is on our open campaigns page.
Transferee Specials: the April 2027 Intake
Already a Special in another force? BTP's Transferee Special Constables advert for the April 2027 intake was open when this page was built (closing date 13 November 2026). It is for:
- serving Specials in an eligible Home Office force, or Specials who served within the last 12 months;
- with independent patrol status;
- with first aid training.
| Training dates, April 2027 intake | Notes |
|---|---|
| 3 and 4 April 2027 | |
| 12 to 16 April 2027 | |
| 24 and 25 April 2027 | |
| 8 and 9 May 2027 | |
| 22 and 23 May 2027 | If needed |
| Then supervised patrol | 4 to 8 weeks or 30 hours |
If you miss this intake, BTP also runs a rolling transferee Specials advert. The advert we read does not say how BTP decides which Home Office forces count as eligible: ask if you are unsure.
The BTP Police Officer to Special Constable Pathway
For serving BTP officers, or BTP officers who left within the last 12 months, who want to carry on as Specials. The advert (no closing date) sets a break before you start:
| Your situation | Break before you start as a Special |
|---|---|
| Taking your police pension | Six months |
| Not taking your police pension | One week |
From Special to Regular Officer
Volunteering as a Special can open the regular route. BTP's Police Constable Entry Programme (PCEP) adverts in England and Wales ask for Level 2 English and maths (or BTP's own assessment) plus either a Level 3 qualification or relevant experience. One accepted form of experience is:
12 months' policing experience within the last five years as a Special with independent patrol status, a PCSO or police staff. Evidence is required.
So a BTP Special who reaches independent patrol status and serves 12 months can meet the experience requirement without A levels. The regular route has its own selection and training: see the how to join BTP hub and open campaigns. Regular constables start on £33,609 (2026/27).
For the general picture in Home Office forces, see our guide to moving from special constable to regular officer.
Not Ready to Apply? The On Patrol Scheme
BTP's On Patrol scheme lets members of the public shadow operational officers. BTP's page says you need to be:
- 18 or over;
- resident in the UK for three years;
- without a custodial sentence;
- with an unrestricted right to work in the UK.
BTP says spaces are "very limited". It is a way to see railway policing before committing to 16 hours a month.
Special Constable or Regular Officer?
| BTP special constable | BTP regular constable | |
|---|---|---|
| Powers and uniform | The same as full-time officers; no "SC" insignia | Full police powers |
| Pay | None; duty allowance and travel expenses | £33,609 rising to £52,014 after five years (2026/27), paid every four weeks |
| Time | Minimum 16 hours a month | Full time, 12-hour rotating shifts |
| Initial training | 24 days on the SPC PEQF course | About 33 weeks from April 2027 on the Police Constable Entry Programme |
| Selection | SJT, ability tests, video assessment, assessment centre | The same shape |
| Rail travel | Free National Rail travel on duty; Oyster in London | Free National Rail travel on duty; Oyster in London; home to work rail concession |
| Federation | Paid by BTP (£21.04 a month) | Officer pays £19.50 per four weeks |
| Where | B and C Division stations (England and Wales) | Campaigns by area across Great Britain |
Many people volunteer first to see whether railway policing suits them. If you want a paid role without full warranted powers, see the BTP PCSO guide.
Myths and Facts
| Common claim | What BTP publishes |
|---|---|
| BTP Specials have fewer powers than regular officers | BTP says Specials have "the same powers and uniform as full-time Officers". |
| Everyone can tell you are a Special | BTP Specials do not wear "SC" insignia on their epaulettes. |
| Specials train over 10 weekends | That is BTP's October 2025 pack. Its Specials page now says 24 days of initial training on the SPC PEQF course. |
| Specials get free rail travel instead of expenses | Both. Free National Rail travel on duty and reasonable standard class public transport costs to and from duty reimbursed with receipts. |
| You can be a BTP Special anywhere in Great Britain | BTP's Specials advert lists B and C Division stations in England and Wales. No Scotland stations are listed. |
| Specials pay their own Federation subscription | BTP pays it: £21.04 a calendar month. |
| Specials do an easier selection | BTP's process includes the SJT, ability tests, a video assessment and an assessment centre with a presentation, interview and the 5.4 bleep test. |
| If you fail you wait six months | BTP's Specials page and current adverts say three months. Older BTP pages say six. |
| Time as a Special does not help you become a regular | Twelve months as a Special with independent patrol status in the last five years counts as policing experience for the Police Constable Entry Programme. |
| Your employer has to give you time off | BTP's pages do not mention an Employer Supported Policing scheme. Any time off is between you and your employer. |
Mistakes to avoid
- Applying without reading Appendix D, the prohibited and restricted occupations list.
- Leaving the bleep test until the week before the assessment centre.
- Not knowing anything about BTP or the railway when you present.
- Spelling and grammar errors on the application form.
- Throwing away travel receipts.
- Assuming you can volunteer at a station that is not on the advert's list.
What We Could Not Verify
BTP's published pages do not state the following, so we have not given figures or rules for them. Ask BTP recruitment.
- Whether BTP has an Employer Supported Policing scheme.
- Where Specials' initial training is held and how the 24 days are timetabled.
- Whether the three-attempt fitness rule and the interview gate before Stage Two apply to Specials as they do to regular officers.
- The SJT, ability test and video assessment formats, timings and pass marks.
- The presentation topic.
- Whether the duty allowance is taxable and exactly how the bands are applied.
- Specials' rail mileage rules for residential travel.
- Whether BTP takes Specials in Scotland.
- Which Home Office forces count as eligible for transferee Specials.
- How long the Specials process takes from application to training.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do BTP special constables have full police powers?
Yes. BTP says its Specials have the same powers and uniform as full-time officers. Unlike some forces, BTP Specials do not wear SC insignia on their epaulettes.
How many hours do BTP Specials have to do?
A minimum of 16 hours a month, according to BTP's Specials page.
How long is BTP special constable training?
BTP's Specials page says 24 days of initial training on the SPC PEQF course. BTP's October 2025 recruitment pack described training over 10 weekends; the Specials page is the newer source.
Do BTP Specials get paid?
No salary, but BTP pays a duty allowance by length of duty: £10.78 for 4 to 8 hours, £18.33 for 8.01 to 12 hours and £30.20 for 12.01 to 24 hours. Reasonable standard class public transport to and from duty is reimbursed with receipts and BTP pays Specials' Federation membership.
Do BTP Specials get free train travel?
Free National Rail travel on duty with your warrant card and an Oyster card in London for duty, travel to and from duty and leisure. BTP's FAQ also says Specials can get free or reduced-rate rail travel for residential purposes.
What is the BTP Specials selection process?
An online application with a situational judgement test, online ability tests, a video assessment, then an assessment centre with a 10-minute presentation and interview, the 5.4 bleep test, biometrics and a uniform fitting.
Can I reapply to BTP Specials if I fail?
Yes. BTP's Specials page and current adverts say you can reapply after three months. Some older BTP pages say six months.
Where can I be a BTP Special?
BTP's Specials advert lists stations in B Division (London and the South) and C Division (the Midlands, North, Wales and West). It does not list any Scotland stations.
Can I transfer to BTP as a special constable?
Yes, if you are a serving Special in an eligible Home Office force, or were within the last 12 months, with independent patrol status and first aid training. The April 2027 intake advert had a closing date of 13 November 2026 and there is also a rolling transferee Specials advert.
Does being a BTP Special help me become a police officer?
It can count as experience. BTP's Police Constable Entry Programme accepts 12 months' policing experience in the last five years, including as a Special with independent patrol status, in place of a Level 3 qualification. You still need Level 2 English and maths or BTP's assessment.
Are there jobs that stop you being a BTP Special?
Yes. BTP attaches a list of prohibited and restricted occupations (Appendix D) to its Specials advert. Read it before you apply.
Sources and how we checked them
Every factual claim on this page was written from the sources below, read on 23 October 2026. Rules and figures change, so check the source for the date you are reading this. Where we could not confirm something from an official or independent source, the page says so rather than guessing. Spotted something out of date? See our corrections policy.
- BTP careers: Specials and Volunteers : same powers and uniform; no SC insignia; 16 hours a month; process; reapply after 3 months; 24 days' initial training on the SPC PEQF course; duty allowance rates; free rail travel on duty; Oyster; Federation paid by BTP (accessed 23 October 2026)
- BTP advert 1720: Special Constables (Volunteer) : rolling Specials advert; B and C Division station lists; Appendix D prohibited and restricted occupations; SJT in the application (accessed 23 October 2026)
- BTP advert 1824: Transferee Special Constables, April 2027 Intake : transferee Specials eligibility; April 2027 training dates; 4 to 8 weeks or 30 hours of supervised patrol; closing 13 November 2026 (accessed 23 October 2026)
- BTP advert 1660: BTP Police Officer to Special Constable : Police Officer to Special Constable pathway; six-month or one-week break (accessed 23 October 2026)
- BTP Recruitment Information Pack (PDF, 9 Oct 2025, attached to advert 1720) : October 2025 duty allowance rates; travel to and from duty reimbursed with receipts; older 10 weekends wording; fitness attempts (accessed 23 October 2026)
- BTP careers: Police Officer (Full Time) : process stages; Oyster card for officers and Specials; PCEP experience route (accessed 23 October 2026)
- BTP careers: FAQs : age 17 and a half to apply, 18 to start; free or reduced rail travel for residential purposes (accessed 23 October 2026)
- BTP careers: Application Guidance : SJT, video assessment and online test descriptions (accessed 23 October 2026)
- BTP advert 1746: Police Officer, Stevenage, Colchester, Southend, Brighton and Guildford : PCEP experience route: 12 months as a Special with independent patrol status; three-month reapplication (accessed 23 October 2026)
- BTP Federation: FAQs : Specials' Federation membership £21.04 a month paid by BTP (accessed 23 October 2026)
- BTP careers: On Patrol Scheme : On Patrol scheme eligibility (accessed 23 October 2026)
- BTPA Annual Report and Accounts 2025/26 (PDF) : average of 221 Special Constables in 2025/26 (accessed 23 October 2026)
- BTP Abbreviated Medical Recruitment Standards (PDF, April 2018, attached to advert 1720) : medical standards for constables and Special Constables (accessed 23 October 2026)
On this topic elsewhere
More in this guide series
More for BTP applicants and officers
Disclaimer
PolicePay.co.uk is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with British Transport Police, the British Transport Police Authority, the BTP Force Superannuation Fund, Railpen or the College of Policing. It does not recruit, test or assess applicants. Our practice questions and scenarios are original PolicePay material, not BTP's own. BTP runs its own selection process and changes it. Its own pages sometimes disagree, so check the live advert and BTP's careers site before relying on anything here. Details are as checked on 23 October 2026.