Self Drive Minibus Hire - Minibus Rental & MPV Hire

TOP 10 Minibus Hire Locations

Hiring a minibus is a popular and practical way to transport up to 17 people (including the driver). It saves using more than one car and allows everyone to stay together.

Most people with car licences will find that they are entitled to drive a minibus as long as it is not for 'hire or reward' (i.e. you won't be paid and you won't charge anyone for travelling, apart from costs). Click for more details...

Minibuses are ideal for:

Stag & hen nights

Sports fixtures

Muscial groups

Day trips

Large family outings

...and much more

There are a few restrictions on Minibus hire. Here's an overview:

Drivers who passed their car tests before 01/01/1997

The good news is that you should have a category D1 entitlement on your driver's license.

This means that you can drive minibuses with up to 17 seats (including the driver's) as long as you are over 21 and not driving for hire or reward - no money other than expenses should be involved.

Drivers who passed their test after 01/01/1997 or have renewed their licenses since 01/01/1998

You will probably find that you do not have D1 entitlement on your licence.

However, according to the DVLA, you can still drive a minibus with up to 16 passenger seats so long as:

you are driving for social purposes on behalf of a non-commercial body and not for hire or reward
you are aged 21 or over but under 70
you have held a car (category B) licence for at least 2 years
you are working on a voluntary basis
the minibus has a maximum weight of no greater than 3.5 tonnes (pretty much all rental minibuses)
you do not tow any kind of trailer

Please note this is not a definitive guide. See the Minibus Guide on the DVLA's website for full details.