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Minibus Drivers Licence Requirements

When driving any given vehicle on a public road, the driver is obliged to hold the relevant licence for the particular vehicle that he is driving. Minibuses are no different and failure to be able to produce the correct licence will be classed as an offence with legal repercussions for both driver and operator. It is vital therefore that checks are in place to be sure that each driver is licensed to drive a particular vehicle and that any endorsements are reported to the insurer. The operator will have an overall responsibility to ensure that the people driving the vehicles are adequately trained and licensed to do so.

Note that the permit scheme and its exemptions for volunteer driver does not exist outside of the UK; so any driver of a minibus being used outside the UK 'for hire or reward' will need a full PCV 1 licence.

Small permit buses

All permit bus drivers must be 21 or over.

Although the minimum age may be 18 years where a PCV (passenger carrying vehicle) test has been passed for full D1 or D entitlement.

Note that permit minibuses used for hire or reward cannot be driven outside the UK unless the driver has passed a PCV test for category D1 or D. The permit system has no force outside the UK. Hence the exemptions do not exist for voluntary drivers outside the UK.

Driving licences held before 1 January 1997

Drivers who passed their car test before 1 January 1997 were automatically granted additional entitlement to drive minibuses (9-16 passengers) as a category D1 (not for hire or reward). These drivers will continue to be allowed to drive a permit bus (9-16 passengers) until the licence expires (usually at the age of 70).

Once the D1 (not for hire or reward) licence expires entitlement can be renewed provided that the driver makes a special application and passes a medical examination.

If a driver does not renew the D1 (not for hire or reward), but retains the Category B car entitlement, he / she may still be entitled to drive a minibus provided that

1. He / she is aged 21 or over;
2. He / she receives no payment or consideration for driving the vehicle;
3. He / she provides the service on a voluntary basis;
4. He / she has held the Category B licence for at least 2 years;
5. The minibus max weight does not exceed 3.5 tonnes;
6. If the driver is aged 70 or over, they must be able to meet the health standards for driving a vehicle (i.e. minibus) which comes within the D1 class.

Drivers who passed their test on or after 1 January 1997

New drivers who obtained a category B entitlement on or after 1 January 1997 are not granted D1 (not for hire or reward) entitlement. This will allow them only to drive vehicles with less than 8 passenger seats. However they may be able to drive a minibus under a permit if the conditions listed a-e in the section above are met.

Again there are no exemptions granted in respect of volunteer drivers outside the UK. The full PCV D1 or D licence will therefore be needed for any trips to other parts of the European Union.

Commercially operated PSVs

All drivers driving a commercially operated minibus for 'hire or reward' are obliged to pass a PCV Test (this is the successor to the PSV licence).

All new (post-1997) minibus drivers will need PCV entitlement to drive any vehicle capable of carrying more than eight passengers. This will involve a second official test set by the Driving Standards Agency, consisting of theory and practical tests.

New drivers will need a D1 provisional licence before undertaking training and tuition and all drivers will have to undergo a medical examination.

Non-permit and non commercial PSV drivers

Licences for drivers of minibuses that are not operated for hire or reward, (only likely to include private or family use where the driver does not benefit in any way and there are no donations, charges or fares) and do not therefore fall under either PSV or 'section 19 permit' operator's regimes, are governed by the same rules as per permit buses. The minibus must be used for social purposes, by a non-commercial body and must not be used to tow a trailer of any size.

For pre-1997 drivers, the D1 licence will be accepted for temporary visits within the EU, whereas new drivers will need to hold a D1 or D entitlement, which will involve a further test to drive on the continent. So drivers without automatic minibus entitlement on their licence are not permitted to drive minibuses outside the UK without a further test.

Courtesy of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA)

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