Bus and Coach Driver Training: How to Get a PCV Licence

To drive a bus or coach professionally you need a PCV licence — Category D — plus Driver CPC. The route is the same shape as an HGV licence, and operators across the South East are consistently short of drivers.

It is a genuinely different job from freight, and it suits a different person. Worth knowing which one you are before you book.

What Category D covers

Any bus or coach with more than 8 passenger seats, plus a trailer up to 750kg. There is no upper size limit, so a full double-decker and a 53-seat touring coach are both included.

Category D1 is the smaller version — 9 to 16 passenger seats. Category D includes everything D1 covers, so unless your employer specifically only runs minibuses, the full licence is usually the better investment.

How to become a bus or coach driver

1. Be old enough. 18 if you hold or are working towards Driver CPC; otherwise 24.

2. Pass a D4 medical. £50 with us, about twenty minutes, and almost nobody fails it.

3. Apply for provisional PCV entitlement with the D2 form, sent to DVLA with the completed D4.

4. Pass the theory test — multiple choice and hazard perception, plus CPC Module 2.

5. Train and pass the practical — off-road manoeuvres and an on-road drive on a full-size vehicle, plus CPC Module 4.

If you already hold an HGV licence, you have done the theory and CPC parts already, and adding PCV is a considerably shorter route.

What PCV training costs

Our PCV Category D training is £1,295 + VAT, or £1,709 all in including the two DVSA practical tests. Add roughly £110 for the medical and theory.

Full breakdown on our training cost page, and funding routes on our funding guide.

What the job is actually like

Service bus work is local, shift-based and home every night. Coach work — private hire, tours, school contracts, rail replacement — covers more distance, has more variety and often pays better.

The skill that separates a good PCV driver from an adequate one is not the driving. It is the passengers: managing a full deck, handling someone who is difficult, and staying calm when the route is blocked and forty people want to know why.

If you like routine, regular hours and being around people, it suits better than freight. If you would rather not talk to anyone for nine hours, Class 1 is your job.

What bus and coach drivers earn

PCV roles in Kent and the South East typically start around £42,000. Coach work with tours and private hire can pay more, particularly seasonally.

Operators are short of drivers and have been for years, which shows up as retention bonuses and paid training deals worth asking about at interview. Our salary guide covers the wider picture.

Frequently asked questions

How do I become a bus driver?

Medical, provisional PCV application, theory test, CPC Module 2, then practical training and test plus Module 4. Around six to ten weeks in total.

What licence do I need to drive a coach?

Category D, the full PCV licence, plus Driver CPC for professional driving.

How much does PCV training cost?

£1,295 + VAT, or £1,709 all in with the DVSA tests.

What is the difference between PCV and PSV?

They describe the same thing. PSV — Public Service Vehicle — is the older term and still appears in operator licensing. PCV is the driving licence category.

Can I drive a minibus on a Category D licence?

Yes. Category D includes everything D1 covers.

How old do you have to be to drive a bus?

18 if you hold or are working towards Driver CPC, otherwise 24.

What to do next

Our PCV bus and coach training runs on full-size vehicles from our Sittingbourne centre with DVSA-approved instructors, and we handle the medical, the paperwork and the test bookings.

Call 01795 667 008 and we will tell you whether Category D or D1 fits what you actually want to drive.