What test do I need to take for a 12 seater?

So, as I passed my driving test after 01/01/98, or whenever it was, I am only licensed to drive a vehicle with up to 8 seats, anyone have an idea what test I would have to take so I could drive a 12 seater?

DVLA website is not clear on this.

Isn't the post-1997 restriction 8 passengers if you're towing a trailer, otherwise up to 16 passengers?

https://www.gov.uk/driving-a-minibus

"You got your driving licence after 1 January 1997
You can drive a minibus within the UK as long as the following conditions apply:

you’re 21 or older
the minibus is used for social purposes by a non-commercial body
you’ve had your driving licence for at least 2 years
you meet the ‘Group 2’ medical standards if you’re over 70 - check with your GP if you’re not sure you meet the standards
you’re driving on a voluntary basis and the minibus is used for social purposes by a non-commercial body
the maximum weight of the minibus is not more than 3.5 tonnes (or 4.25 tonnes including specialist equipment for disabled passengers, eg a wheelchair ramp)
you’re not towing a trailer"

where does a 12 seat Defender 110 fit into this??

A minibus license is cat D, that applies for anything with more than 8 seats. For instance I can drive our works Ford Transit Combis with 8 seats (6 in back and 2 passengers up front) but I couldn't drive a minibus

Mr Noisy said:

where does a 12 seat Defender 110 fit into this??

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Errr... It's a vehicle with more than 9 but fewer than 16 passenger seats, thus is defined as a minibus...?

Generally speaking, for this purpose, vehicles are defined by weight and the number of passengers, making a Defender with 12 passenger seats a minibus.

Category B

You can drive vehicles up to 3,500kg Maximum Authorised Mass (MAM) with up to 8 passenger seats (with a trailer up to 750kg).

Minibuses
Category D1

You can drive vehicles with:

no more than 16 passenger seats

Bob1974 said:

Looks like I have answered my own question, you need to have a D1 for over 8 seats.

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My understanding is that D1 is required only to lift the restrictions in my post above. You can drive a vehicle with up to 16 passengers without D1 provided that it's not for profit, business purposes etc.

This should help: D1 Driving Licence Entitlement - Keep Yourself Legal

Thanks Chris, So I can drive a 12 seater If my wallet will let me..

Bob1974 said:

Thanks Chris, So I can drive a 12 seater If my wallet will let me..

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Yep, that's my understanding of the license categories. Enjoy!

Bob1974 said:

So, as I passed my driving test after 01/01/98, or whenever it was, I am only licensed to drive a vehicle with up to 8 seats, anyone have an idea what test I would have to take so I could drive a 12 seater?

DVLA website is not clear on this.

Click to expand...

Do you NEED 12 seats.
couple of things on this.
Do what i did, take one bench out, thus leaving with 8 passenger seats.

Whatever the licence, it needs the "D" bit on it to drive a minibus, pre 97, you got this automatically, then you had to do a "MIDAS" test to drive a minibus not for hire or reward, if you are getting paid as a DRIVER you have to do the PCV test.
Post 97 it is not on there and you have to sit the test.

bleeding stupid half of it, I used to work for a care home, we had 2 long wheelbase Peugeot "minibus" except one wasnt a minibus, cos it only had 8 passenger seats (4 seats, 4 wheelchair spaces) yet the other with 14 seats in it was.

last year I was at a VOSA testing station waiting for a cat1 check,
as we waited, saw a couple of school type minibuses (they had school names on the sides)
being driver tested.
all basic stuff really, driving and reversing through cones, then out on the road for about half hour..
cost ?
not got a clue - sorry.

cost is around £800 for a d1 as its all gone up and you have to also complete cpc training which is around 5 different test in with that and a certain amount of hours you have to complete listening to some bloke dribble about stuff he dont know about whos just here to give someone a job!

One of the tests is walking round with the vosa instuctor telling them where people may hide drugs or were illegal imigrants may hide (on a ford transit) its unreal!

i own a minibus company and have a lot of 16 seaters and its a pain in the ass because nobody really already owns the liscence required and all the guys that come from the public buses are all taught in autos so cant use them unless we run auto buses.

You can hire one from u drive though and other rental companys and rules dont apply. Teachers can also drive school one or you can be a volenteer driver and work under a senction 19 permit or a section 22 permit for larger vehicles.

As stated all our tests are done at vosa and so are all our MOTs

In other words dont get a 12 seater

It costs £66 for a minibus/lorry license (PCV License), and £33 for your theory.

You can drive a vehicle with up to 16 seats if you are over 21, have held a license for at least 2 years and you are not driving it for hire or reward.

I.e if you drove 15 friends to a party, and didn't take any payment for the journey, you are fine.

Dunno were you get 66 quid from? Be interested to know though

mlucas110 said:

cost is around £800 for a d1 as its all gone up and you have to also complete cpc training which is around 5 different test in with that and a certain amount of hours you have to complete listening to some bloke dribble about stuff he dont know about whos just here to give someone a job!

i own a minibus company and have a lot of 16 seaters and its a pain in the ass because nobody really already owns the liscence required and all the guys that come from the public buses are all taught in autos so cant use them unless we run auto buses.

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You only have to do the 5 days CPC in 5 years after you have done your test. If you do the Initial CPC with your test, you do an Multiple choice test with your Theory test and then the Module 4 test which is the workaround.... Which id a load of old bollocks as you walk round the vehicle as part of the driving test

And not anymore! If you have an Auto D license but a manual B license as of 1/1/14 you can apply to have it upgraded to a Manual D license for the very reasonable cost of £25

Mseries3 said:

You only have to do the 5 days CPC in 5 years after you have done your test. If you do the Initial CPC with your test, you do an Multiple choice test with your Theory test and then the Module 4 test which is the workaround.... Which id a load of old bollocks as you walk round the vehicle as part of the driving test

And not anymore! If you have an Auto D license but a manual B license as of 1/1/14 you can apply to have it upgraded to a Manual D license for the very reasonable cost of £25

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Oooooo that's interestingto know thanks! We sent our 1st driver through one the other month and was a total palarver as none of the training companys knew any of the new tests! All in all its a load of fresh dog ****e as all the older drivers can drive them just fine without all this CPC crap that is mainly common sense apart from the tacho stuff

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/changes-to-motorcycle-lorry-and-bus-driving-test-rules

I agree, it is a load of ****. I sat in a CPC Course on Friday (My current one does not run out until 2018 as I only passed my PSV last year... I am only 20 though ) as my company want to keep me up to date. It was about Disabled Bus users..... I was taught sod all as it is all common sense!

I'm only 25! Did my coach licence at 19 and it was half the price and with none of this bollox! Did the CPC when it first come out! Also done all the btecs to keep councils happy and just done my wheelchair course which I ended up telling the guy the best ways as he was useless!

Me and my sister employ 11 pcv drivers and have been lucky to get them all apart from one with the license already. That one was a shock to the system! So expensive! I much prefer local authorities they are only 235! Hence why every tom dick n Harry's got one!