Marianne works with Castle on the compliance team as a Coordinator. If you ring Castle you will get to speak to Marianne or one of her colleagues and they will answer any questions you might have about Section 19 permits.
What is a Section 19 Permit?
Updated Post 15th February 2022
A Section 19 Permit replaces the need for a PSV Operator’s Licence. Schools can therefore operate their vehicles without all the additional training a commercial operation would need to have such as a dedicated transport manager, drivers with full D1 licences and CPC driver training.
A Section 19 Permit can be granted to schools or organisations that operate on a not-for-profit basis or have a charitable status provided they do not profit from their minibus operation.
A section 19 permit – a small disk that is displayed in the minibus windscreen
Section 19 Permits are a small paper disk that is displayed in the front windscreen of your minibus. One is required for each minibus you run. Section 19 Permits are inexpensive (around £11 at the time of writing) and are issued by the DVSA. Don’t be misled by the low cost of the permits in terms of your obligations. The permit can be withdrawn by the DVSA and your vehicles can be impounded if you do not comply with the requirements for holding one.
The minibus must only be used by the organisation to whom the permit has been granted. If you are lending your minibus to another school or organisation they will need their own Section 19 Permit.
A school that has multiple minibuses must hold a permit for each vehicle in use. You do not need a permit if the vehicle is ‘off-road’. You need to inform the DVSA or the designated body that issued your permit of any changes. If the school changes name (this includes changing to Academy status) your permit will need to be replaced.
Permits are valid for 5 years, must display accurate information and must not be faded or altered. If this happens the permit needs to be replaced.
What are your obligations under a Section 19 Permit?
There are four basic requirements for holding a Section 19 Permit
- Each one of the school’s minibus services is non-commercial and not-for-profit. A Section 19 Permit holder can not carry members of the general public.
- The vehicle is not driven for ‘hire or reward’
- Vehicles must meet the requirements for initial fitness and be well maintained. This includes regular inspections of the vehicle take place. This includes daily checks and 10-week minibus safety inspections as well as regular services and MOTs
- Drivers must be 21 years old, be properly trained, hold the correct licences, and take appropriate breaks.
Can you charge for minibuses under a Section 19 Permit?
Under a Section 19 Permit, you’re able to cover your costs of the transport, or more indirectly, the trips that you’re using the vehicles for. You’re not able to profit from the activity.
Can you pay your drivers under a Section 19 Permit?
You can pay your drivers under a Section 19 Permit. Paying drivers can form part of your costs which you are allowed to charge to cover, but not profit from.
How do you get a Section 19 Permit?
To get a Section 19 Permit, it’s a simple process. You just need to complete a DVSA application form and submit it online along with the fee of £11. The traffic commissioner generally grants your permit.
Link to Section 19 application form
May 2021 changes to the Section 19 Permit
The application form changed for the Section 19 Permit in May 2021. You now need to evidence your minibus safety inspections and prove that you are having them carried out. The DVSA recommends at least every 10 weeks. You must detail who is carrying out your safety inspections and how regularly and also who is carrying out the maintenance on your vehicles. You also need to submit supporting evidence that you are having this carried out.
Safety inspections are in addition to MOTs and services. More information can be found on the DVSA guide to roadworthiness or our blog on Minibus Safety Inspections
See page 11 of the application form with the maintenance questions below.
For more information on Section 19 Permit and safety inspections visit the gov website or give our compliance team a call on 01869 253744 who will help you.
Follow our Facebook page for more information and videos on minibus safety and compliance, as well as how Castle can help you.
Common Questions Answered
GVW stands for Gross Vehicle Weight, it is also called the MAM) Maximum Authorised Mass) and is the maximum weight a fully laden minibus (passengers, luggage and fuel) can reach. To avoid overloading your minibus be aware of the kerbside or unladen weight and then the payload, the amount of additional weight you’re adding. These combined weights should not exceed the GVW.
Under a Section 19 Permit you don’t need a special licence to drive a minibus provided you are not driving for hire and reward and the minibus’ GVW is 3500kg or under (other conditions apply). Minibuses over 3.5 tonnes require D1 entitlement to drive them – this can be inherited (on licences issued before Jan 1st 1997) or you can take the full D1 test.
D1 entitlement allows you to drive minibuses over 3.5 tonnes in weight (4250kg with the allowance for specialist equipment). You will either have inherited D1 entitlement on your licence if it was issued before 1 January 1997 or you will have to take the full D1 driving test.
Where to find D1 101 entitlement on a driver’s licence.
If you don’t have D1 entitlement, because your licence was issued after Jan 1st 1997, you can drive a minibus with 9-16 seats up to a GVW of 3500kg (4250kg with specialist equipment), as long as you’re not driving for hire or reward. If you have D1 entitlement or a full D1 licence you can drive heavier vehicles, and be paid to do so. Conditions apply, see the .gov website for more details.
Section 19 Permits are in the name of the organisation that applied for them, not a specific minibus so they can be moved from minibus to minibus, but they cannot be shared. They are displayed in the front windscreen of a vehicle like the old-style tax disk.
If a minibus is loaded to a different organisation, they will need their own Section 19 Permit, even if it’s only for a short time.
You can apply for a Section 19 Permit instead of a full PSV Operators Licence if you want to run minibuses for reward or hire but not profit from their operation. Your organisation/school must meet certain criteria, such as being not-for-profit or having charitable status. A Section 19 Permit allows you to charge to cover the costs of running vehicles and allows drivers with standard car licences to drive vehicles under 3500kg provided they meet certain criteria. D1 is the entitlement drivers need on their driving licence to drive a minibus over 3500kg and be paid for doing so under a Section 19 Permit.
The Section 19 Permit replaces the need for a full PSV Operator’s Licence that commercial companies must have. The Section 19 Permit has several requirements. The permit holder still has the responsibility of making sure their transport services are operated within the law, that vehicles are properly maintained, and drivers have the appropriate licences. In the Section 19 Permit application form, you are required to complete details on the providers of maintenance including who is providing your safety inspections and their frequency with proof of this. agreement.
Regardless of whether a minibus is operating under a Section 19 Permit the signage for the bus lanes will indicate whether you can drive a minibus in the bus lane.
A bus is defined as being a vehicle with 9 passenger seats or more and can be driven in most bus lanes unless the bus lane sign says ‘local’ which means that the bus lane is reserved for local services. The sign may also indicate what other vehicles can use the bus lane such as motorcycles or licenced taxis.
If this sign is displayed you can drive a minibus in the bus lane
This sign shows that the bus lane is reserved for local services. You can not drive a minibus in this bus lane.
If you are driving a minibus on a Section 19 Permit you can a vehicle with up to 16 seats on a standard car licence as long as you meet certain conditions; You must not be driving for reward or hire, you must be over 21 and have been driving to two years and the minibus GVW must not exceed 3500kg (4250kg with specialist disabled access equipment). If you have D1 entitlement you can be paid to drive the minibus and drive a vehicle over 3500kg.
There is no CPC requirement under a Section 19 Permit. CPC (Certificate of Professional Competence) is 35 hours of traditional training that is compulsory over 5 years to qualify for your Driver Qualification Card.
A Section 19 small bus permit allows schools and organisations that provide passenger transport for non-commercial purposes to operate transport services for hire or reward without the need for a full public service vehicle (PSV) operator’s licence. The permit holder still has the responsibility of making sure the transport services are operated within the law, that vehicles are properly maintained, and drivers have the appropriate licences.
To apply for a Section 19 Permit visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/application-for-a-standard-or-large-bus-permit-psv372 and follow the link to complete the form. You can then either complete the form in full electronically and submit all supporting documentation to permits@otc.gov.uk or you can print the form and complete with black ink and post with all the required supporting evidence to: Office of the Traffic Commissioner Hillcrest House 386 Harehills Lane Leeds LS9 6NF
You need a Section 19 Permit to operate a minibus if you do not have a PSV Operator’s licence. If you are not-for-profit or charity-status schools or organisation, you can apply to your local the Traffic Commissioner for a Permit provided you are not looking to profit from your vehicles or carry the general public.
The Section 19 Permit ‘scheme’ replaces the need for a full PSV Operator’s Licence that commercial companies must have to run vehicles with a view to profit. Not-for-profit or charity-status schools and organisations apply to the Traffic Commissioner for a Section 19 Permit which allows them to charge to cover the costs of their vehicle and also allows drivers with standard car licences to drive vehicles up to 3500kg provided they meet certain criteria.
A section 19 Permit is a purple and white circular paper disk with serrated edges that resembles the old-style tax disks. One needs to be displayed in the windscreen of each minibus.
A section 19 permit – a small purple disk that is displayed in the minibus windscreen
Please note Section 19 Permit applications are taking about 2 months, due to the amount of incomplete and incorrect applications, if you haven’t included a safety inspection contract (max 13 weeks), please do so now, to prevent further delays.
Also, your fee will be taken earlier, but this does not mean it has been processed, please do not chase sooner as this will cause further delays.
This information was sent from permits@otc.gov.uk on 31st January 2022
A Section 19 Permit is valid for 5 years and then needs to be replaced. You do not need a permit if the vehicle is ‘off-road’. You need to inform the DVSA or the designated body that issued your permit of any changes such as the change of name of your organisation, as your permit will need to be replaced (this includes changing to Academy status). Permits can not be altered by hand and must be replaced if too faded to read clearly.
Each school minibus requires a Section 19 Permit if the school does not operate under a PSV Operators licence, required for commercial passenger vehicles. A Section 19 Permit replaces the PSV Operator’s Licence for schools and not-for-profit organisations who are not looking to profit from their transport.
You need a Section 19 Permit if you are a school or not-for-profit or charitable-status organisation that wishes to charges to cover the costs of your minibuses/vehicles but not profit from them. If you wish to carry the general public or make a profit from your minibuses/vehicles then you need a full PSV Operator’s Licence.
Schools need a Section 19 Permit if they want to operate their vehicles for reward or hire but not profit from them avoiding the need for a full PSV Operators Licence. A Section 19 Permit allows not-for-profit and charitable-status schools and organisations to cover the costs of running their vehicles and allows drivers with standard car licences to drive vehicles under 3500kg provided they meet certain criteria.
D1 is the entitlement you need on your driving licence to drive a minibus over a certain weight. A Section 19 Permit allows not-for-profit or charitable-status schools and organisations to run their minibuses without a full PSV Operators Licence – required for commercial companies looking to profit from their transport services.
Under a Section 19 Permit you can drive a minibus without D1 entitlement provided the vehicle is under 3500kg (or 4250kg with specialist access equipment), you are over 21 and you are not driving for ‘reward or hire’. If you have D1 entitlement, or D1 (101) inherited entitlement you can still drive the vehicle under a Section 19 Permit and be paid for doing so – provided the school/organisation is not profiting from the vehicle. If the organisation does not have a Section 19 Permit drivers require a full D1 licence to drive a minibus as well as CPC training.
If you have a Section 19 Permit you will find it displayed on the windscreen of your minibus or vehicle like the old-style paper-tax disk. They look very similar. There is no list to check whether your school/organisation has a permit already, but you need one for each vehicle. Check with your local traffic commissioner if you are unsure.
A section 19 permit – a small disk that is displayed in the minibus windscreen
A Section 19 Permit is a small paper disk issued by the traffic commissioner to not-for-profit or charity-status schools and organisations that do not seek to profit from their vehicles. The Section 19 Permit replaces the need for a full PSV Operator’s Licence that commercial companies must have. Issued by the traffic commissioner one permit is required for each vehicle and is valid for 5 years.
Schools or organisations that wish to run their minibuses/vehicles for reward or hire but without a full PSV operator’s licence need to have a Section 19 Permit. These permits are issued only to schools and organisations that are not-for-profit or have charitable status and are not looking to profit from any aspect of their minibuses.
