Applying for a provisional driving licence to drive larger vehicles, minibuses or buses
- Applying for provisional entitlement
- When to expect your licence
- Plastic wallets
- Further information
If you want to learn to drive larger vehicles, minibuses or buses, you will need to apply for provisional entitlement for these vehicles to be added to your driving licence.
Applying for provisional entitlement
If you currently hold a valid full paper licence and want to add provisional entitlement to drive larger vehicles, minibuses and buses you must complete the application form D2 and the medical report form D4. These are available from the DVLA form ordering service
. The D4 has to be completed by a doctor and you should ensure that all the relevant questions are completed. The doctor will normally charge you for completing the report and those registered for VAT are also required to charge an additional 17.5 per cent on top of their fee.
It is also necessary to return original documentation confirming your identity, a passport style colour photograph and your current paper driving licence. There is no fee required for the application. The address to send this information is The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), Swansea, SA99 1BR or you may be able to use the Post Office checking service. For further information please see Identity documents and photograph criteria.
If you hold a valid full photocard driving licence and want to apply for a provisional driving licence to drive larger vehicles, minibuses and buses all that is needed is the completion of the application form D2 and the medical report form D4. You must also enclose your photocard driving licence (with the D740 paper counterpart) to DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1BR.
When to expect your licence
DVLA aims to deliver your driving licence to you within three weeks of receiving your application. It will take longer if your health or personal details have to be checked.
When your licence is issued it will now have a number of added security features. One of the main differences being a laser engraved black and white photograph.
You will need to wait for your licence to arrive before driving. Please allow at least three weeks for your licence to arrive before contacting DVLA.
Plastic wallets
Please note that DVLA no longer issues plastic wallets with photocard driving licences. This decision was taken primarily to help minimise the costs of issuing licences to the public. The agency has also received numerous complaints from members of the public about the size of the plastic wallet. Consequently many drivers discard the wallet and use a different way of protecting their licence. Old plastic wallets sent in to the agency cannot be returned.
Further information
For information on what vehicles you can drive and how old you must be to drive them please see Vehicles you can drive and how old you must be to drive them.
You must tell the DVLA if you have ever had, or currently suffer from a medical condition that may affect your driving. For further information please see Medical rules.
You must tell DVLA if you have convictions relating to drivers hours, roadworthiness or loading and if applying for a minibus or bus licence any other convictions not relating to driving. For further information please see Driving conduct for larger vehicles, minibuses or buses.
Page last updated: 19/07/2007