The question we are asked most often at Minibus World is “Can I Drive a Minibus?” or do I need a special licence? To answer we have written this blog to explain who can drive a Minibus, what licence you may or may not need and any other conditions that may apply.
It sounds a daft question, but to answer ‘can I drive a Minibus’ we have to define what a Minibus is. For the purpose of this blog, at Minibus World our definition is a vehicle that has between 9 and 17 seats (including the driver). That is because anything smaller is typically a people carrier and anything larger requires an additional licence.
The CanDrive Minibus range stands as a testament to innovation, practicality, and a commitment to making your journeys safe and comfortable. Whether a Minibus for School excursions, Community Transport, Care & Nursing Home transport these minibuses are designed to cater to all your needs. What’s more, the CanDrive Minibus range aligns perfectly with UK government regulations that allow you to drive minibuses on a standard B licence.*
Below, we’ll explore the CanDrive Minibus range and how their conformity to UK driving regulations allows you to drive them on a standard car licence.*
The CanDrive Minibus range is a testament to versatility. These vehicles are available in various models, each tailored to answer specific requirements. There’s a CanDrive Minibus to fit most needs, including Wheelchair Accessibility. With a choice of seating capacities and accessibility options, you can accommodate your passengers comfortably while staying well within the bounds of UK driving licence regulations.
You may have heard that to drive a Minibus it has to be under a certain weight. If you’ve seen the term Lightweight Minibus, Maxi, Candrive, they all refer to the weight and set up of the Minibus. So let’s break this down:
These are the weight limits of our Minibus definition, which will make sense when you read the next section.
A standard Category B driving licence enables the holder to drive a vehicle with up to 9 seats and with a weight of less than 3,500kg. A typical example would be a Ford Tourneo or Vauxhall Vivaro.
Now here’s where it gets slightly complicated, so bear with us. To drive a Minibus with 9-17 seats you require a D1 licence. If you passed your driving test before Jan 1st 1997, it’s likely you will automatically have this on your licence (but check). If you passed your test after Jan 1st 1997, in order to drive a minibus without a D1 licence you need to meet the following criteria*:
Most Minibuses are used by schools, charities, social clubs, sports clubs and community transport. Their drivers are part of the staff and as such are not professional drivers.
Number of passengers, purpose of transportation and vehicle weight are the main factors which govern whether you can drive a Minibus.
In most day-to-day non-professional situations you may be able to drive a Minibus without additional qualifications other than a standard driving licence*. So to answer ‘can I drive a Minibus’, yes you can!*
If you intend to drive for profit you will require a PCV and PSV licence and if you intend to recoup your costs from your passengers you will need a Section 19 permit. Many organisations recommend drivers who are not familiar with Minibuses undertake a MIDAS Course (which is optional).
*Please note conditions apply for driving a minibus on a standard B licence. It is the driver’s responsibility to ensure they are legally entitled to drive the vehicle. This is not, and we do not offer legal advice.*