Section 19 and section 22 permits for minibuses and community buses

A section 19 or section 22 permit lets a not-for-profit organisation charge passengers without holding a PSV operator licence. Section 19 permits cover minibuses and buses that carry members or the people a group exists to help, never the general public. Section 22 permits cover community bus services open to the public. Traffic commissioners issue both.

This guide covers Great Britain. The rules come from the Transport Act 1985 and GOV.UK's guidance on section 19 and 22 permits, checked on 2 October 2026.

What the permits are

Normally, an organisation that takes any payment for carrying passengers needs a PSV operator licence or a private hire vehicle licence. Section 18 of the 1985 Act makes an exception for an "exempt body" using a vehicle under a permit (s.18). GOV.UK says the permits "allow the holder to operate transport services for hire or reward without the need for a full public service vehicle operator (PSV 'O') licence".

Payment does not have to be a fare. GOV.UK defines hire or reward as "any payment, in cash or kind" that gives a person the right to be carried, including a membership subscription. If no charge is made, directly or indirectly, no permit is needed.

There are three kinds:

• Section 19 standard permit. For vehicles adapted to carry no more than 16 passengers, excluding the driver.
• Section 19 large bus permit. For vehicles adapted to carry 17 or more passengers.
• Section 22 community bus permit. For a local bus service run "without a view to profit" by a body concerned with the social and welfare needs of a community (s.22).

Permits compared with a PSV operator licence

Sources: GOV.UK permit guidance and the schedule of fees. The same legal entity "cannot hold both an 'O' licence and a section 19 or section 22 permit".

Who can get a permit

A section 19 permit is open to a body concerned with education, religion, social welfare, recreation or "other activities of benefit to the community" (s.19(8)). The vehicle must not be used "for the carriage of members of the general public nor with a view to profit nor incidentally to an activity which is itself carried on with a view to profit" (s.19(2)).

The applicant must pass two tests. First, it must fit one of the exemptions from Regulation (EC) 1071/2009: exclusively non-commercial purposes, a main occupation other than passenger transport, or the short-distance exemption. The automatic short distance is a 10-mile radius from a named point, or 10 miles in a straight line from the first pick-up to the last drop-off (s.18(6)). Second, it must meet the not-for-profit rules above.

Charity status helps but does not settle it. GOV.UK says "it is not sufficient for an operator to claim that it is a charitable organisation". Commercial bodies, "including privately owned schools, nursing homes and activity centres", are not eligible.

How to apply

Section 19 applications use form PSV372. You can apply to the traffic commissioner through the Central Licensing Office in Leeds, or to a designated body. Designated bodies include local authorities and national voluntary organisations such as the Scout Association. They can only grant standard section 19 permits. Large bus permits and section 22 permits come only from a traffic commissioner. Section 22 uses form PSV368.

You need one permit for each vehicle you run at the same time. A permit is not tied to one vehicle, so you can move its disc between vehicles, but you "cannot use more than one vehicle at any time under the same permit".

Worked example (our arithmetic). A youth club wants to run three 16-seat minibuses on the same Saturday. It needs three standard permits. At the traffic commissioner's fee of £11 per permit, that is £33. A designated body may charge a different amount, so GOV.UK says to check the fee before you apply.

For a large bus, the commissioner must be satisfied you can keep it roadworthy, and the bus needs a Certificate of Initial Fitness, a Certificate of Conformity or an approval certificate. A section 22 holder must also register each local service, normally at least 28 days before it starts.

Drivers

All drivers of a permit vehicle must be 21 or over. A driver with a full PCV (bus) licence can drive, and be paid to drive, a permit vehicle of any size. A large bus always needs a PCV licence.

For a minibus with 9 to 16 passenger seats, the rules depend on when the driver passed the car test. Drivers who passed before 1 January 1997 usually hold D1 entitlement. Drivers who passed on or after that date can drive a permit minibus on a car licence only if they have held it for at least 2 years, are not paid beyond out-of-pocket expenses, tow no trailer, and the minibus weighs no more than 3.5 tonnes (4.25 tonnes with specialised equipment for disabled passengers). The law is in section 18 of the 1985 Act; GOV.UK's driving a minibus page gives the same conditions in plain terms.

Running under a permit

• Display the permit disc on the inside of the windscreen so it can be seen from outside. The rules for licence discs are in our guide to the operator licence disc.
• Carry only the classes of passenger printed on the permit.
• Tell the issuer about changes. A permit "is not transferable to another organisation". A new legal entity needs a new permit.
• Keep vehicles roadworthy. Permit vehicles "are still public service vehicles" and DVSA examiners can stop them.
• Permits granted on or after 6 April 2009 last "a maximum of 5 years". Permits are valid only for journeys in Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

How to check a permit or a PSV licence

The traffic commissioners publish a list of section 19, section 19 large and section 22 permits. It covers valid, refused and revoked permits they issued "within the last 5 years", and the latest file is dated 30 September 2026. The list leaves out permits issued by local authorities and other designated bodies.

Permit holders are not in the DVSA operator licence file, so HaulierScope cannot look them up. If a group hires a coach firm instead, that firm needs a PSV operator licence. In the DVSA operator licence data, file dated 7 September 2026, there were 5,086 PSV licences. You can run a free operator licence check on any of them. Our PSV operator licence check guide explains what to look for, and the traffic areas guide shows which commissioner covers your region. If you are unsure whether you need a licence at all, start with do I need an operator licence.

Frequently asked questions

Can you drive a minibus without a Section 19 permit?

Yes, if nobody pays for the trip. A permit is needed only when passengers pay, directly or indirectly, for example through a fare or a membership fee. GOV.UK's "Driving a minibus" page says you may drive a minibus with up to 16 passenger seats on a car licence when there is no payment and you meet conditions on age, licence history, voluntary driving and weight.

How do I apply for a section 19?

Fill in form PSV372 and send it to the body you got it from. That is the traffic commissioner, through the Central Licensing Office in Leeds, or a designated body such as a local authority. Designated bodies can grant only standard permits for up to 16 passengers. Large bus permits for 17 or more passengers come only from a traffic commissioner.

How much does a Section 19 minibus permit cost?

The traffic commissioner's fee is £11 for a standard permit and £20 for a large bus permit, according to GOV.UK's schedule of fees. You need one permit for each vehicle used at the same time, so three minibuses on the road together need three permits. Designated bodies may charge differently, so check the fee before you apply.

Why do I need a Section 19 permit?

Without a permit or a PSV operator licence, carrying passengers for any payment is unlawful. GOV.UK warns that you "could be prosecuted and have your vehicle impounded". A section 19 permit lets a not-for-profit group recover its costs from members or the people it helps without the cost and conditions of a full PSV operator licence.

What are Section 22 permits used for?

Section 22 permits are for community bus services. A body concerned with the social and welfare needs of a community can run a local bus service, open to the general public at separate fares, without a view to profit. Only a traffic commissioner can grant one, the fee is £55, and each service must be registered before it starts.