# Can staff drive a minibus abroad? Licences and permits

Source: https://www.roamlytravel.com/guides/driving-a-minibus-abroad  
Publisher: Roamly Travel  
Last reviewed: 2026-10-30  
Audience: Schools, Sports teams, Universities, Event organisers, Corporate groups

## Short answer

Often not. The car licence rules that let some staff drive a 9 to 16 seat minibus, and Section 19 permits, apply in the UK only. Government guidance says those arrangements do not apply abroad. For a trip abroad, the safe starting point is a driver with a full D1 or D entitlement gained by a PCV test, a tachograph and a driver card, and an organisation that holds the right operator licence. Check with the destination country's licensing authority and your insurer before you plan around staff driving.

## Key takeaways

- gov.uk says you might be able to drive a minibus abroad, and tells drivers to contact the licensing authority in the country they will visit.
- The DfE and DfT advice states that the car-licence and Section 19 minibus arrangements apply in the UK, not abroad. gov.uk guidance says permits are not valid outside Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
- The OEAP says that for hire-or-reward trips in Europe, a D1 licence must have been gained by a PCV test, with a Driver Qualification Card and a PSV operator licence.
- A minibus with 9 or more passenger seats on an international journey falls under drivers' hours and tachograph rules, including for private use.
- Hiring a coach or minibus with a driver avoids most of this and is what most groups do.

## Why do the UK rules not carry over?

In the UK, staff with a car licence can drive a minibus with up to 16 passenger seats if they meet a list of conditions. gov.uk's list includes being 21 or over, holding the licence for two years, driving voluntarily for a non-commercial body, not towing a trailer, and keeping the vehicle's maximum authorised mass to 3,500 kg (4,250 kg for electric or hydrogen). A Section 19 permit then lets a not-for-profit organisation such as a school charge for the service without a full PSV operator licence.

Both are UK arrangements. The joint DfE and DfT guidance says: "These arrangements only apply when driving the minibus in the UK not if driving abroad." The same guidance says the permits only apply within the UK, and the gov.uk permit guidance says they are not valid outside Great Britain and Northern Ireland. That guidance dates from 2013, so confirm it with the DVSA or your destination authority.

> **Pre-1997 licences**
> A licence passed before 1 January 1997 shows D1 (101), which means not for hire or reward. The OEAP says such drivers may not drive for hire or reward unless a Section 19 permit applies. Since permits do not work abroad, ask the destination authority before relying on D1 (101) for a trip.

## What does a trip abroad usually need?

The OEAP's minibus guidance (February 2024) sets out what applies in Europe when a minibus is driven for hire or reward, which it says is the case for most educational visits. Its list is a good checklist to take to your operator, insurer and destination authority.

*Requirements for a minibus trip in Europe (OEAP guidance, 2024)*

| Item | What it says |
| --- | --- |
| Driver's licence | D1 or D entitlement gained by passing a PCV driving test (licences obtained since 1 January 1997) |
| Driver qualification | A current Driver Qualification Card |
| Organisation | A PSV operator licence held by the employer or establishment |
| Control document | A waybill, or an Own Account Certificate for non-profit organisations using their own minibus |
| Vehicle papers | Registration document or hire certificate, plus permission to drive from the registered owner |
| Tachograph | Required in Europe, and on UK legs of an international journey |

gov.uk's PSV guidance says only a standard national and international operator licence lets an operator take passengers abroad. gov.uk's driving licence categories page describes D1 as vehicles with no more than 16 passenger seats and a maximum length of 8 metres.

An international driving permit may also be needed. The OEAP notes the 1949 IDP does not recognise the D1 category, so a full category D licence might be required in some countries. gov.uk says you do not need an IDP to drive in the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein with a UK photocard licence. Check the destination on the gov.uk IDP checker.

## Do drivers' hours and tachograph rules apply?

Yes. gov.uk's guidance table puts international journeys in vehicles with 9 or more passenger seats under the assimilated or AETR rules, including private use. Removing seats to get below nine does not take the vehicle out of scope. The UK-only derogation for non-commercial vehicles with 10 to 17 seats does not apply on AETR journeys.

That means a tachograph, a driver card, the daily driving limit of 9 hours (10 hours twice a week) and a 45-minute break after 4.5 hours of driving. A teacher who teaches all day and drives that evening is on the same limits. The OEAP warns that the legal limits assume the driver does no other work that day, so many drivers need more rest than the law requires. See [coach hire in Europe: drivers' hours](https://www.roamlytravel.com/guides/coach-hire-europe-drivers-hours) for the numbers.

## What about insurance, weight and vehicle papers?

- **Insurance.** gov.uk says UK vehicle insurance gives minimum third-party cover in the EU and that you still need valid insurance. The OEAP says to check cover for overseas use, hire or reward use and driver age and experience.
- **Weight.** Never exceed the maximum authorised mass. Luggage for a full minibus adds up fast. The OEAP asks establishments to check the gap between unladen weight and MAM.
- **Papers.** For a vehicle taken abroad less than 12 months, gov.uk says carry the V5C, or a VE103 if hired or leased. A UK identifier is required on UK-registered vehicles, with some exceptions.
- **Local law.** The OEAP advises checking every country's current rules with its embassy.

See documents staff need to drive abroad for the document checklist.

## Is it better to hire a driver?

For most groups, yes. A hired coach or minibus with a driver places the operator licence, tachograph and driver hours with a company that does the work daily. The OEAP says to check the provider's standards and, for a less-known provider, to consider DVSA Earned Recognition, reviews from other establishments and a depot visit. Duty of care for the group does not transfer, so the leaders still check the driver's CPC card if required, the emergency exits and the agreed plan.

## How Roamly can help

Roamly Travel sources coaches and minibuses with drivers for group trips, builds driver rest and borders into the schedule, and flags licence and permit questions for your employer to confirm. See our [logistics service](https://www.roamlytravel.com/services/logistics), our [consulting service](https://www.roamlytravel.com/services/consulting), or [contact us](https://www.roamlytravel.com/contact). This is general information, not legal advice.

## Frequently asked questions

### Can a teacher with a car licence drive a school minibus to France?

gov.uk guidance says the car-licence minibus arrangements apply in the UK, not abroad. Ask your employer, insurer and the DVSA, and expect to need a PCV D1 or D licence and an operator licence.

### Does a Section 19 permit cover a trip to Europe?

No. gov.uk says permits are not valid outside Great Britain and Northern Ireland. For international work, an operator licence covering international operations is needed.

### Do we need an international driving permit?

Not for the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein with a UK photocard licence, according to gov.uk. You may need one for other countries, or with a paper licence.

### Does a 9-seater people carrier count as a minibus?

The drivers' hours rules cover vehicles built to carry more than nine people including the driver. A vehicle with 9 seats in total, driver included, is below that line. A minibus with 9 passenger seats plus the driver is above it. Count the driver's seat, and confirm with the DVSA if you are on the edge.

### Who checks that the licence is valid?

The employer or organiser is responsible for checking, and the OEAP says heads and managers must ensure drivers meet licensing requirements.

## Sources

- [gov.uk: Driving a minibus](https://www.gov.uk/driving-a-minibus)
- [gov.uk: Driving school minibuses, advice for schools and local authorities (DfE and DfT, 2013)](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/driving-school-minibuses-advice-for-schools-and-local-authorities/driving-school-minibuses-advice-for-schools-and-local-authorities)
- [gov.uk: Section 19 and 22 permits guidance](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/section-19-and-22-permits-not-for-profit-passenger-transport/section-19-and-22-permits-not-for-profit-passenger-transport)
- [OEAP National Guidance 4.5b: Transport in minibuses](https://oeapng.info/download/1164/)
- [gov.uk: Drivers' hours and tachographs: buses and coaches, introduction](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/drivers-hours-passenger-vehicles/introduction)
- [gov.uk: PSV operator licences](https://www.gov.uk/psv-operator-licences)
- [gov.uk: International driving permits](https://www.gov.uk/driving-abroad/international-driving-permit)