Bus and minibus licence categories

By the end of this topic you can

• You can tell which category covers a minibus and which covers a full-size bus.
• You can state the minimum learner permit age for D1 and D, with and without CPC.
• You can explain when a medical report is needed.
• You can list the steps from car licence to full bus licence.
• You can explain the extra step needed to drive a bus professionally.

What you need to know and understand

• Category D1 covers buses with up to 16 passenger seats plus the driver, no more than 8 metres long, with a trailer of up to 750 kg.
• Category D covers buses with more than 16 passenger seats plus the driver, with a trailer of up to 750 kg.
• D1E and DE allow a trailer over 750 kg behind a D1 or D vehicle.
• Minimum learner permit age: 21 for D1 and D1E; 24 for D and DE, or 21 on the CPC route.
• You must hold a full category B licence before you can get a bus learner permit.
• A medical report form is needed to apply for, renew or add a bus category.
• Bus and truck licences are Group 2 categories and must be renewed every 5 years.
• To drive a bus professionally you also need a Driver CPC card.

Which bus category fits the vehicle?

The line is drawn by the number of passenger seats, not the size of the engine. A vehicle with more than eight passenger seats is a bus; a car licence covers eight or fewer.

• D1 (minibus), from 21: up to 16 passengers plus the driver, maximum length 8 metres, light trailer up to 750 kg.
• D1E, from 21: a D1 minibus towing a trailer over 750 kg.
• D (bus), from 24, or 21 with CPC: more than 16 passengers plus the driver, light trailer up to 750 kg.
• DE, from 24, or 21 with CPC: a category D bus towing a trailer over 750 kg.

Health checks and renewals

Bus drivers carry many lives, so the medical standard is higher. You must send a medical report form, completed by a doctor registered in Ireland and dated within one month, when you apply for, renew or add a bus or truck category.

Bus categories are Group 2 licences, renewed every 5 years rather than up to 10 for a car. Tell the NDLS about any long-term illness or injury that could affect your driving.

From car licence to bus licence

1. Hold a full, valid category B licence.
2. Pass the bus (category D) driver theory test, or the combined truck and bus test.
3. Apply to the NDLS for a D1 or D learner permit, with your medical report.
4. Take lessons with an RSA Approved Driving Instructor. The RSA recommends this for every first-time bus learner.
5. Practise only with an accompanying driver who has held a full licence in the same category for more than two years, and never on a motorway.
6. Pass the bus driving test, then apply for your full licence within two years of passing.
7. For professional driving, also pass the CPC case study and walkaround tests and apply for your Driver CPC card.

Common mistakes

• Thinking a car licence covers a 9 to 16 seat minibus. It does not; you need at least D1.
• Applying for a D learner permit at 21 without following the CPC route. Without CPC the minimum age for D is 24.
• Forgetting the medical report. It is needed for every bus permit, licence and renewal.
• Driving for pay on a licence alone. Professional bus drivers also need a Driver CPC card.
• Letting the licence lapse. Group 2 categories need renewing every 5 years.

Test yourself: Bus and minibus licence categories

Answer each question, then read the explanation. Questions come in a random order each time.

Go deeper

• Irish Driving Licence Categories