If you wish to drive a minibus you'll need a D1 on your driving licence
Up until recently we were able to hire someof our minibuses to anyone over the age of 25 with a standard driving licence. Only the largest vehicle in our minibus fleet, the 17 seater, required a special category on your licence.
However from November 2021 - we now require that ALL hires of minibuses with more than 9 seats need to have the D1 clasification on the drivers licence.
What is a D1 on your licence?
Different categories on your licence allow you to drive sized/weight vehicles in addition to a standard car.
Having a D1 means that you can drive a minibuses from us that:
- have no more than 16 passenger seats (17 including driver)
- have a maximum length of 8 metres
How do I add a D1 to my licence
It is possible to get the D1 category on your licence.
If your licence was issued prior to January 1st 1997 - you may find that some higher vehicle categories are already included and yiu can drive a minibus without any further requirements.
If your licence was issued AFTER January 1st 1997 you are unlikely to have the D1 classification included by default, unless you have taken a more advanced driving test.
It's relatively straightforward to apply to have a D1 added to your licence.
- Apply for a provisional licence
- Pass a medical inspection undertaken by your own GP
- Pass the theory and practical driving test
You can find more information about getting a D1 here on the DVLA website
