9 Seat Mini Bus and License

[paulrockliffe]

Hello,

A quick question about driving mini busses etc. I passed my test after 1997 so don't have category C on my license. I would quite like a Ford Tourneo 9 seater for mountain biking and general adventures. What are my options? What's involved with getting the right category on my license? Is it possible to have the Tourneo reduced to 8 seats in a away that makes it legal for me to drive? It is just a Transit van, which I can drive on my normal license.

Cheers.

[paulrockliffe]

My understanding of the exemption for charitable purposes (I drove mini buses for my University) is that it only applies when driving for charitable purposes, which excludes driving myself to the shops as well as charging people for a lift.

I'm happy to be educated on that though.....?

[paulrockliffe]

Thanks, the following is the key part from that link that supports my understanding of the exemption:

"The vehicle is used for social purposes by a non-commercial body but not for hire or reward" I am not a non-commercial body.

The link also defines the vehicles you can drive on different license categories. They're defined based on weight and the number of seats. So is removing a seat enough? Or would the vehicle need to have it's V5 ammended? Could you argue that a front bench seat only counts as one or two seats?

Cheers.

[paulrockliffe]

Anyone?