---
title: "PSV operator licence check: bus, coach and minibus operators"
canonical_url: https://haulierscope.co.uk/guides/psv-operator-licence-check
markdown_url: https://haulierscope.co.uk/guides/psv-operator-licence-check.md
publisher: HaulierScope
licence: Open Government Licence v3.0 (https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/)
---

# PSV operator licence check: bus, coach and minibus operators

> To check a bus, coach or minibus operator's PSV licence, search its name or licence number (it starts with P) on GOV.UK's "Find lorry or bus operators" service or on HaulierScope. Confirm the status is valid, the licence is standard if it runs a coach business, and the vehicles authorised cover the coaches you are booking.

_Published 1 October 2026. Updated 2 October 2026. Facts checked against GOV.UK on 2 October 2026._

A PSV (public service vehicle) operator licence is the passenger version of the goods operator licence. Schools, clubs, event organisers and travel firms who book coaches can check one in a couple of minutes. This guide covers Great Britain. Northern Ireland has its own system.

## Check a PSV operator now

[Run a free operator licence check](https://haulierscope.co.uk/) by operator name or P licence number on HaulierScope, or on GOV.UK's [Find lorry or bus operators](https://www.gov.uk/find-vehicle-operators) service, which covers both "heavy goods vehicles (HGVs)" and "public service vehicles (PSVs)".

Steps:

1. **Get the licence number.** Ask the operator, or read it from the disc in the coach. A PSV disc shows "the licence type, the licence holder's name and number, the disc serial number and the date the disc expires", and must be readable from outside the vehicle ([GOV.UK PSV guide](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/public-service-vehicle-operator-licensing-guide)).
2. **Search it.** PSV numbers start with P, then a letter for the traffic area, for example PD for the West Midlands. Example record: [/licence/pd0001760](https://haulierscope.co.uk/licence/pd0001760). See [operator licence numbers](https://haulierscope.co.uk/guides/operator-licence-number).
3. **Match the name** to the company on your booking and invoice.
4. **Read the status.** Valid is what you want. Curtailed or suspended means a traffic commissioner has acted.
5. **Read the type and vehicle count** against the table below.

There are 5,069 PSV operator licences in the DVSA operator licence data, file dated 7 October 2026: 2,183 standard national, 1,688 standard international and 1,198 restricted. The median PSV licence authorises 4 vehicles.

## PSV licence types

GOV.UK says "there are 4 types of PSV operator licences, plus special licensing rules in London" ([GOV.UK](https://www.gov.uk/psv-operator-licences)). The type tells you how big and what kind of business the operator may run.

| Type | What it allows | Vehicle limit | Transport manager | GB licences (DVSA file dated 7 October 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard national | Passenger services in Great Britain | Set by the licence | Required | 2,183 |
| Standard national and international | Services in Great Britain and abroad | Set by the licence | Required | 1,688 |
| Restricted | Vehicles with 8 or fewer passenger seats; 9 to 16 seats only when not used in a passenger transport business, or by someone whose main job is not running PSVs | 2 vehicles maximum | Not required | 1,198 |
| Special restricted | Taxi or private hire licence holders running a registered local bus service | Covers the taxis or PHVs the holder is licensed for | See the GOV.UK guide | Not in the DVSA file |

Sources: [PSV operator licences](https://www.gov.uk/psv-operator-licences) and the [PSV operator licensing guide](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/public-service-vehicle-operator-licensing-guide). "The maximum number of vehicles that may be authorised under a restricted licence is two." Restricted licence holders do not need a transport manager, but "the level of compliance required is no less."

Special restricted licences are not in the DVSA open data file, so they do not appear on HaulierScope.

London has extra rules: "You'll need a London Service Permit to run a private bus or coach service in London" ([GOV.UK](https://www.gov.uk/psv-operator-licences)).

## Who needs a PSV operator licence

You need one to "operate a vehicle for hire or reward (payment or payment in kind) that can carry 9 or more passengers", or to "operate a smaller vehicle carrying passengers and charging separate fares for the journey" ([GOV.UK](https://www.gov.uk/psv-operator-licences)).

"Hire or reward" is wide. It means "any payment in cash or kind which gives a person the right to be carried… regardless of whether or not a profit is made", and includes indirect payment such as club fees, hotel beds, school fees or concert tickets ([PSV guide](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/public-service-vehicle-operator-licensing-guide)).

## Operator licence vs PSV driving licence

A PSV operator licence and a bus driving licence are different things. The operator licence authorises a business to run passenger vehicles. The driving licence category authorises a person to drive them.

| Feature | PSV operator licence | Bus or minibus driving entitlement |
|---|---|---|
| Who holds it | The business (company, partnership or sole trader) | The individual driver |
| Issued by | A traffic commissioner | DVLA, as categories on the driving licence |
| What it covers | Running vehicles for hire or reward | Driving a minibus (D1) or bus (D) |
| Where to check | Find lorry or bus operators, or HaulierScope | The driver's own licence record |

On the driving side, category D1 covers vehicles with "no more than 16 passenger seats" and "a maximum length of 8 metres", and category D covers "any bus with more than 8 passenger seats" ([GOV.UK driving licence categories](https://www.gov.uk/driving-licence-categories)). The operator must make sure its drivers hold the right licence and carry out regular licence checks, "usually every 3 months" ([PSV guide](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/public-service-vehicle-operator-licensing-guide)).

## Checking a coach company before you book

Use this checklist when you book a coach or minibus with a driver.

| Check | What good looks like | Red flag |
|---|---|---|
| Licence found | A P licence in the same legal name as your booking | No licence, or a different company name |
| Status | Valid | Curtailed or suspended |
| Type | Standard national, or standard international for trips abroad | Restricted licence for a full-size coach business |
| Vehicles authorised | At least the number of coaches you need on the day | Fewer than you are booking |
| Disc | Readable from outside the vehicle; name and number match | No disc, or a disc for another operator |
| Insurance | A current insurance certificate in the operator's name | Refuses to show it |

A restricted licence cannot cover more than two vehicles, and 9 to 16 seat vehicles only outside a passenger transport business. A firm running a fleet of 50-seat coaches on a restricted licence is outside it. In the DVSA file dated 7 October 2026, the median standard national PSV licence authorised 5 vehicles and the median standard international licence 8.

The register does not show safety records. DVSA's Operator Compliance Risk Score (OCRS) is not published and is not in the open data. Ask the operator about its maintenance arrangements.

To see whether a traffic commissioner has acted against a PSV operator, read the weekly [PSV Notices and Proceedings](https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/traffic-commissioner-notices-and-proceedings) for its traffic area. For an overview of what statuses mean, read [curtailed, suspended and revoked licences](https://haulierscope.co.uk/guides/curtailed-suspended-revoked). Our [weekly changes report](https://haulierscope.co.uk/changes) lists new and changed licences each time DVSA publishes a file, and our [methodology](https://haulierscope.co.uk/methodology) explains the data source.

## Section 19 and 22 permits

Some community and not-for-profit groups carry passengers without a PSV operator licence. Section 19 and 22 permits are for organisations providing transport "without a view to profit" that meet strict criteria. They "allow the holder to operate transport services for hire or reward without the need for a full public service vehicle (PSV) operator's licence" ([PSV guide](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/public-service-vehicle-operator-licensing-guide)).

Section 19 permits serve "education, religion, social welfare, or recreation"; section 22 permits allow "community bus services for the public" ([STC statutory document summaries](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/senior-traffic-commissioner-statutory-document-summaries)). Permits are not operator licences and are not in the DVSA licence file. Our [section 19 and 22 permits guide](https://haulierscope.co.uk/guides/section-19-permit) explains who can hold one and what it costs. GOV.UK publishes a [weekly-updated list of section 19 and 22 permits](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/section-19-section-19-large-and-section-22-permits-issued-under-the-transport-act-1985).

## PSV licences by traffic area

Every PSV licence number carries its traffic area in the second letter. In the DVSA file dated 7 October 2026, the North Western area (PC) holds the most PSV licences and the Welsh area (PG) the fewest.

| Traffic area | Prefix | PSV licences |
|---|---|---|
| North Eastern | PB | 729 |
| North Western | PC | 798 |
| West Midland | PD | 472 |
| Eastern | PF | 714 |
| Welsh | PG | 458 |
| Western | PH | 593 |
| South Eastern and Metropolitan | PK | 727 |
| Scottish | PM | 578 |

Our guide to [operator licence numbers](https://haulierscope.co.uk/guides/operator-licence-number) links to each area's page. To browse operators near you, start from the [West Midlands](https://haulierscope.co.uk/area/west-midlands) or any other area hub. For how PSV licences compare with goods licences, see [operator licence types](https://haulierscope.co.uk/guides/operator-licence-types).

## Frequently asked questions

### Do I need a PSV operator's licence?

You need a PSV operator licence if you run a vehicle for hire or reward that can carry 9 or more passengers, or a smaller vehicle carrying passengers at separate fares. Hire or reward covers any payment in cash or kind that gives someone the right to be carried, even with no profit. Some not-for-profit groups use section 19 or 22 permits instead.

### How to get a PSV operator's licence?

Apply online through GOV.UK at least nine weeks before you need the licence; GOV.UK says you will usually get a decision within 7 weeks. You must show financial standing, a suitable operating centre and, for a standard licence, a qualified transport manager. Financial standing is £8,000 for the first vehicle and £4,500 for each extra one on a standard licence, or £3,100 and £1,700 on a restricted licence.

### How to check operator license?

Search the operator's name or licence number on GOV.UK's free "Find lorry or bus operators" service, or on HaulierScope. PSV licence numbers start with P and goods licence numbers with O. Check that the holder's name matches your booking, the status is valid, the licence type fits the work and the vehicles authorised cover what you need.

### Can I drive a bus without a PSV licence?

You need the right driving licence category to drive a bus: D1 for minibuses with up to 16 passenger seats and D for buses with more than 8 passenger seats. That is separate from the PSV operator licence, which the business needs to run vehicles for hire or reward. Check both: the operator's licence on the register and the driver's entitlement with the operator.

## Sources

- [PSV (Public Service Vehicle) operator licences (GOV.UK)](https://www.gov.uk/psv-operator-licences)
- [Public service vehicle operator licensing guide (GOV.UK)](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/public-service-vehicle-operator-licensing-guide)
- [PSV operator licences, how to apply and fees (GOV.UK)](https://www.gov.uk/psv-operator-licences/how-to-apply-for-a-psv-licence)
- [Find lorry or bus operators (GOV.UK)](https://www.gov.uk/find-vehicle-operators)
- [Traffic Commissioner PSV Notices and Proceedings (GOV.UK)](https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/traffic-commissioner-notices-and-proceedings)
- [Driving licence categories (GOV.UK)](https://www.gov.uk/driving-licence-categories)
- [Section 19 and 22 permits (GOV.UK)](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/section-19-and-22-permits-not-for-profit-passenger-transport)

## Related

- [The 3 types of operator licence explained](https://haulierscope.co.uk/guides/operator-licence-types)
- [How to check a haulier's operator licence](https://haulierscope.co.uk/guides/how-to-check-a-haulier)
- [Operator licence numbers: format and how to look one up](https://haulierscope.co.uk/guides/operator-licence-number)
- [Operator licence curtailed, suspended or revoked: what it means](https://haulierscope.co.uk/guides/curtailed-suspended-revoked)
- [DVSA earned recognition list](https://haulierscope.co.uk/earned-recognition)
- [Continuation dates by month](https://haulierscope.co.uk/continuations)

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Canonical page: https://haulierscope.co.uk/guides/psv-operator-licence-check

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

HaulierScope is an independent service, not affiliated with DVSA or the Traffic Commissioners. It is updated when DVSA publishes a new file, usually weekly.