This article will explain what a Section 19 Permit is, who needs one and what its requirements are.

To operate 9-16 passenger seat minibuses for ‘hire and reward‘, you will need either a Section 19 Permit or a PSV Operators Licence (O Licence).

• An O Licence requires considerable financial reserves, logistical considerations, a qualified transport manager and professionally trained drivers.
• A Section 19 Permit allows charities and not-for-profit organisations to run minibuses for ‘hire and reward’ without the need for a PSV Operators licence.

The requirements for vehicle roadworthiness and maintenance are nearly identical for the Section 19 Permit and O Licence

What is a Section 19 Permit?

These permits (as you need one per vehicle) can be granted by the DVSA,  CTA (Community Transport Association) or local authority to charitable or not-profit organisations to run their minibuses for hire or reward, they cost around £11 each. The main requirements of the Section 19 Permits are:

• You are not operating minibuses for profit
• You can demonstrate you have systems in place to ensure drivers are trained, and vehicles are roadworthy

When applying for your Section 19 Permits play close attention to the class of passenger you are applying for, consider all the passengers you carry throughout the year. Ensure you apply in good time as it can take upto 6 months to receive a Section 19 Permit and you cannot operate without them. It is also advisable to apply for spares as you need a physical permit to display in each vehicle, so having spares for additional vehicles you may borrow, lease or buy is advisable.

You can transfer permits between vehicles, for example, if you have a rental vehicle to replace one that is off the road, but you will need one for each active minibus.

The Section 19 Permit is a small disk (with details of your organisation) that needs to be displayed in the driver’s side front windscreen of each of your minibuses. They are valid for 5 years, and will need to be replaced when (before) they expire.

Your permits can be taken away if the DVSA’s requirements are not followed. Your organisation must take its obligations and responsibilities under a Section 19 Permit very seriously to not only remain legally compliant but to ensure the safety of your drivers and passengers.

Who needs a Section 19 Permit? 

Any charitable or not-for-profit organisation that is providing a minibus for its members, users or subscribers who have the right to travel on that minibus, whether they exercise that right or not, will need a Section 19 Permit.

Section 19 Permits can not be ‘borrowed’ or transferred between organisations. If you lend your minibus to another organisation, group, club or school, you need to ensure they have their own Section 19 Permit or O Licence – and that the driver has the right licence for your minibus.

Even if you only occasionally ‘borrow’ a minibus, you will need to apply for and display your own Section 19 Permit.

Maintenance requirements under a Section 19 Permits

Under a Section 19 Permits you are required to maintain roadworthy vehicles. This includes:

• Annual MOTs from year 1
• Regular services, as recommended by the manufacturer
• Safety Inspections with brake performance assessments, completed by qualified engineers
• Daily walk-around checks, sometimes called pre-journey checks

You are required to display a 6-month maintenance plan and keep all records of maintenance and repair for at least 15 months.

Driver Training Requirements

All O Licence drivers need the full D1 licence and driver CPC (Driver Certificate of Professional Competence). The licensing requirements for drivers under a Section 19 Permit are less stringent. Those with a standard B car licence or with inherited D1 entitlement can drive 9-16 passenger seat vehicles under certain conditions.

• Drivers who passed their test before 1997 will have inherited D1 entitlement on their car licence. This allows them to drive 9-16 passenger minibuses and be paid to do so
• Drivers who passed their test after 1 Jan 1997 can drive 9-16 seat minibuses, provided
  • The minibus’ GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight) is 350kg or under, or 4250kg for electric vehicles. There is an additional allowance of 750kg for specialist equipment only.
  • They receive no payment (or other consideration) to drive other than out-of-pocket expenses
  • They are over 21
  • They have been driving for 2 years
  • They do not tow a trailer
  • They do not drive abroad
  • If they are over 70 years of age, they meet the medical criteria

You are required to regularly train your drivers, and this can be achieved with a combination of MiDAS, online driver assessments and practical driving assessments.

10 important things to remember with Section 19 Permits

1. Inform your insurer that you operate for hire and reward under a Section 19 Permit
2. A valid permit must be displayed in the driver’s window of every minibus
3. Apply for spares and in good time, at least 6 months in advance
4. You can not carry the general public; only the class of passengers in your application
5. Organisation names must be correctly printed on your permits. Faded or illegible permits must be replaced, not written on.
6. Keep the corresponding paperwork for each permit (you may not be charged for any replacements with it)
7. Permits are valid for five years
8. Permits are not valid outside the UK; you’d need an Operator’s Licence
9. Permits can not be transferred between organisations
10. There are restrictions on drivers without D1 entitlement, including payment, GVW of minibus, age and experience.

A course to help you understand everything you need to know about Section 19 Permits

If you are confused or have concerns about operating under a Section 19 Permit, Rivervale Minibus offers an online and face-to-face course to help you get a better understanding. Learn more about both options here.