Sarah
Fully-qualified at just 21
“I love the independence it gives me. I get given my jobs list and left to crack on.”
Category D - Bus licence
A people-facing career with work in almost every town.
- Drive buses and coaches carrying 16 or more passengers, from local services and school routes to private coach hire and long-distance travel.
- A career in every town, with roles available almost everywhere in the UK.
- Regular shift patterns for a dependable long-term career and a better work-life balance.
- Opportunities to travel, with coach touring work across the UK and Europe.
16017655497084
Category D Licence Training
1945.00
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- PJEHereford - Herefordshire
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Core
Includes Starter Pack and Initial CPC.
(Deposit unavailable, requires payment in full)
£1,945
£2,744
Save £799
- Course only Only the course is included. No medical, theory test, or paperwork. (Deposit unavailable, requires payment in full) £1,775
- Pay in full
- Deposit onlybalance required 14 days before course start date
Price
You pay
£1,945.00
Compare at price
£2,744.00
Save £799
Spread the cost with flexible payment options
See exactly what you get with each package
How It Works
Step 1
Medical
A medical will be booked on your behalf by our team. You will receive your licence upgrade pack when you come in (or we can help you order this online), including the paperwork that needs to be completed.
Step 2
Theory Revision
While you’re waiting for your licence to be approved by the DVLA, we’ll provide you with both face to face and online revision to help prepare for your theory tests.
Step 3
Theory Test
Once your licence has been returned, you can contact us to book your theory tests. This includes both the multiple choice, hazard perception, and CPC where required, with our team on hand if you need any support.
Step 4
Practical
Our team can now book all practical HGV training, test dates and any other relevant CPC training needed. We can offer convenient training locations across the UK.
Why Choose Category D Licence Training?
A Category D licence turns a standard car licence into a stable, people-facing career behind the wheel of a bus or coach. Here's why drivers choose it:
A People-Facing Career
Serve passengers on local routes, school services and long-distance coach travel.
Strong Employment Demand
Operators across the UK are actively recruiting qualified PCV drivers.
Structured Shift Patterns
Benefit from regular, predictable hours that fit around your life.
Drive Buses & Coaches
One licence covers single-deck, double-deck and coach work.
What Can You Drive With a Category D Licence?
Buses and coaches of every kind: city double deckers, single deck buses on local routes, and the larger touring coaches that take people on holidays, day trips and events. It is a different kind of work to driving lorries, focused more on people than freight, with regular routes, steady shifts and roles that exist in almost every town. For a lot of drivers that routine is the appeal, with predictable hours and the same familiar faces, and it makes the job easier to fit around the rest of your life. If you want a stable role with plenty of contact with people and work close to home, this is the one.
A Category D licence lets you carry more than 16 passengers, with no limit on vehicle size or passenger numbers, plus a trailer up to 750kg. It also covers minibuses, so you are qualified across the full passenger carrying range. That single licence opens the door to local bus operators, private coach firms and tour companies alike, giving you a broad choice of employers from the day you qualify.
Requirements
1
Be at least 18 years old to start your training
2
Have a UK car driving licence
3
Ensure your photo card licence is in date
Real Drivers. Real Career Changes.
See how people from all backgrounds have trained with Lifft and transformed their careers.
Geoff
Now in International Events Logistics
“I always prefer family-run businesses where possible, because you usually get better service and care - and that was absolutely true here.”
Lindy
Horse owner
“The training and test were straightforward and, although an established driver, it has increased my confidence.”
Martin
Upskilled from Cat C
“The training from Clarke was superb he really made me feel confident, relaxed and ready for my reverse test.”
Alex
New Driver
“I looked around a lot...
I am truly glad I went with The HGV School.”
Aimie
Bootcamp Graduate
“I honestly enjoyed the entire experience, from my first interaction with the instructors, it was tons of fun!”
What vehicles can I drive with a Category D licence?
With this licence, you can drive any bus with more than 8 passenger seats with a trailer up to 750kg. We offer a fully automatic bus, as used by Stagecoach, for training. Training and passing your test on an automatic still gives you a full manual bus driver licence provided you already hold a full manual car licence.
How does Lifft differ from other bus driver training?
At Lifft, we have 25 years of history in the transport industry and our team of highly experienced instructors are ready to help you with becoming a fully qualified bus driver within 4 days. Our professional instructors, who hold NVDIR qualifications, provide exceptional guidance and support throughout your journey.
Discover how we've helped others by exploring our success stories and amazing testimonials from our previous trainees.
How much is the Cat D licence training?
If you have already passed your medical test, theory, hazard perception and Initial CPC, all you need is our 'Course only' option, which costs £1,775.
However, if you still need to complete these prerequisites, we can offer them through our 'Core' training package, which includes our PCV Starter Pack.
What’s the difference between the Cat D licence and Cat C?
Category D training is for a bus driver licence, which allows you to drive any bus with more than 8 passenger seats with a trailer up to 750kg. This is different from Category C (Class 2), as this is for rigid-body vehicles over 7.5 tonnes rather than vehicles designed to transport passengers. Category C is the qualification that HGV lorry drivers would take to become licenced for material haulage.
You can also get your Category D1 licence that allows you to legally drive a minibus of up to 16 passengers. This training can be completed separately, or as part of your Category D training, which automatically covers a D1 licence.
How long is the bus driver training?
This licence course spans 4 days and includes 14 hours of on-road driving practice, along with on-site reversing training. With multiple training centres across the UK, we offer flexible scheduling to fit around your availability.
Is there a demand for bus drivers?
Yes, there is a constant high demand for bus drivers in the UK. There are currently high vacancy rates for local bus services and higher for coaches, meaning there is a gap in the industry to explore a long-term career as a bus driver. Many operators offer shifts that can be tailored to suit your lifestyle, so you can have a career that will fit to your specific needs.
Do you offer payment plans?
Yes, we offer payment plans with all of our training courses, including our Cat D licence training. You can pay in instalments directly with us or choose longer-term finance options. You can train now and pay later, breaking down the cost of a new career into manageable payments. To learn more, explore our accessible payment options.
Our Promise to You
Elevate your potential
We are committed to creating and preserving a diverse pipeline of talent for the transport industry. Our promise is to elevate your potential and help you reach new heights.
Train Now,
Pay Later
Spread the cost of your training course with our payment options
Qualified Instructors
100% of our instructors are NVDIR registered & up to date training.
Purpose-Built Vehicles
We have a modern, training vehicle fleet, including mirrorless cabs.
Approved Test Sites
Take your test from where you learn at the majority of our sites.
