Have Minibus Will Travel

Answering the question of who can and who cannot drive a minibus is simple provided you’re given a little help. The DVLA’s regulations become more accessible if their common denominator is used as a guide. This is the category of licence held by the minibus driver-to-be and the categories break down like this…

Category B

A Category B licence is a car licence and with one, you can drive a minibus with between 9 and 16 passenger seats if…

You’re driving socially for a non-commercial body and not driving for hire or reward (unless using a permit).

You are aged 21 or over.

You’ve had your licence for 2 years or more.

You’re driving on a voluntary basis.

Your minibus weighs no more than 3.5 tonnes, not including specialised equipment for disabled passengers. An extra 750kg is allowed to cover the weight of such equipment for disabled passengers or wheelchair users.

At 70 or more, you meet the medical requirements associated with a Category D1 licence.

You aren’t being paid, in cash or kind, apart from receiving out-of-pocket expenses.

You aren’t towing a trailer.

You are driving in the UK.

So, there are requirements to be met but none are particularly difficult to understand. However, it isn’t yet time to feel smug because there’s more. Here, licence category and chronology interact.

Category B Licence issued before the 1st January 1997

If you had a car licence from before this date, you can drive a minibus subject to these rules…

You are aged 21 or more.

The minibus has no more than 17 seats, including the driver’s seat.

You’re not driving for hire or reward.

Again, fairly simple…but then there are the new rules. ‘New’ isn’t too accurate a prefix for these rules, as the date shows, but they’re perfectly clear…

New rules from 1 January 1998

You keep your minibus driving entitlement, in the UK and on temporary visits aboard and for non-hire or reward use until you need to renew your licence.

To retain your minibus entitlement (that is, Category D1 and D1+E not for hire or reward) you must make a special application, which also means meeting a higher medical standard.

A successful application renews your minibus entitlement for three years, subject to the above limitations concerning where you drive and what you receive for driving there. Should your Category D1 and D1+E status not be renewed, you might still be able to drive a minibus under certain circumstances. When you must renew your licence, your reminder letter will come with the necessary advice enclosed.

This leaves three groups to be considered, which we can call young drivers, medically restricted drivers and older drivers…

Category B Licence issued after the 1st January 1997

If you have this kind of licence, Category D1 won’t be on it. However, you can still drive a minibus but if you also want to tow a trailer, you must pass a further test to add +E to your licence.

Medically Restricted Licence

Generally speaking, all drivers have to renew their licence on reaching the age of 70. However, younger holders of a restricted medical licence are also subject to the ‘new’ rules. Fortunately, driving a non-commercial minibus voluntarily is still allowed…until the driver’s 70th birthday

Older Drivers

When minibus drivers reach 70, a licence renewal becomes necessary, followed by renewals at three-year intervals. The official line is that, ‘DVLA requires confirmation at age of 70 that no medical disability is present…’ Thereafter, licence renewal applications need to be accompanied by a medical self-declaration.

The solution to questions about which licence entitles you to drive a minibus is easy to express. In short, you might not need the licence categories you have but you must have the licence categories you need.

The Minibus Club is a specialist minibus insurance provider and has offered UK minibus insurance quotes since 1997. Visit our website for minibus driving advice and to receive an online quote for minibus insurance.