There are two ways to become a bus driver in the UK. You can join a bus company as a trainee and let it pay for your licence, or you can get your Category D (PCV) licence yourself and then choose where you work. This guide sets out both routes, the age rules, every test and fee, and how to decide which one suits you.
The first route is an operator trainee scheme. Many bus companies recruit trainee drivers with only a car licence, then train them for the Category D licence and Driver CPC. A Stagecoach trainee bus driver advert for its Barking garage in August 2026, for example, said trainees earn from day one, that the company pays for training it values at around £4,000, and that applicants need no more than 6 penalty points on their car licence.
The second route is self-funded. You train for Category D with a driving school, pass your tests, and then apply for jobs as a qualified driver. It costs you money up front, but you are not tied to one operator, and you can look at coach, private hire, school transport and tour work as well as local buses.
You can start learning to drive a bus at 18. Once you hold a full Category D licence and a Driver CPC, GOV.UK says you can drive a bus in the UK from 20, and in the UK or abroad from 21. Without a Driver CPC, you would normally have to wait until you are 24.
The exact rules depend on the kind of route and whether you carry passengers, so check your own age against the GOV.UK vehicles you can drive tool before you book anything.
The route is the same whether an operator pays or you do. You need a full car licence first.
Taking every DVSA test once on a weekday comes to £270 in official fees. On top of that you pay for the medical and the training itself.
When we surveyed published Category D prices from six UK training schools in October 2026, headline prices ran from £1,350 to £2,750, with a median of £1,904. Check what each price includes: some add VAT or the test fees on top, and some include them.
At our Kent centre, PCV Category D starts from £2,190 for training only or £2,490 for the full package over 5 days, with VAT and DVSA practical test fees included. In other areas, your all-in price is confirmed in writing before you pay.
Passing Parts 2 and 4 gives you your first Driver CPC. To keep it, you then need 35 hours of periodic training every five years. One set of training counts for both bus and lorry driving, so if you later add a lorry licence you do not need a second set of hours.
Category D1 covers minibuses with 9 to 16 passenger seats and is a common licence for school transport, community transport and care work. It is not a shortcut to Category D: if you want to drive full-size buses or coaches, train for Category D directly. Our D1 guide explains when a minibus licence on its own makes sense.
Yes. You need a full car licence to apply for provisional bus entitlement. Many bus companies recruit trainees with only a car licence and train them for the Category D licence, or you can train with a school yourself.
Most of the time goes on the stages before practical training: the D4 medical, the provisional licence application and the theory and CPC tests. Practical training itself is usually a few days. At our Kent centre the PCV course is 5 days, 18 hours.
Many do, through trainee driver schemes where you earn while you train. A Stagecoach advert in August 2026 said it pays for training worth around £4,000. Check the contract for any requirement to stay or repay costs if you leave early.
You can start learning at 18. With a full Category D licence and Driver CPC, GOV.UK says you can drive a bus in the UK from 20 and abroad from 21. Without a Driver CPC you would normally need to be 24.
There can be. A bus and coach driver apprenticeship (Passenger transport driver, ST0338) has a funding band of £8,000 and is arranged through an employer. Skills Bootcamps and Jobcentre funding may also cover bus training, depending on where you live. Our free HGV training guide covers each route.
Every booking is one-to-one in a full-size vehicle, with the training centre, test centre, dates and the full all-in price confirmed in writing before you pay anything. Call 01634 907 229 or WhatsApp 07541 093339.
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The PCV licence (Category D) explained · The D1 minibus licence explained · What the Driver CPC actually is · HGV apprenticeships: train as a lorry or bus driver while you earn · What HGV training actually costs in 2026 · How to get your HGV licence — every step · All HGV and PCV guides