Section 19 and Section 22 permits let not-for-profit organisations such as charities, community groups and schools carry passengers for payment without a full PSV operator’s licence. A Section 19 permit covers transport for your own members or beneficiaries, while a Section 22 community bus permit lets you run a local bus service for the general public. Permits issued since 6 April 2009 last a maximum of 5 years, and in 2026 they remain the simplest legal route for community transport in Great Britain.
If your organisation runs a minibus and charges anything at all, even indirectly through membership fees, you are carrying passengers for “hire or reward” and you need either a permit or a PSV operator’s licence. This guide explains which permit fits your situation, who qualifies, what your drivers need, and when a permit is not enough.
What is a Section 19 permit?
A Section 19 permit (issued under Section 19 of the Transport Act 1985) allows a not-for-profit organisation to charge for transport provided to its own members, or to the people the organisation exists to help. It does not allow you to carry the general public.
There are two types:
- Standard permit: for vehicles adapted to carry up to 16 passengers (not counting the driver). This covers the typical school or charity minibus.
- Large bus permit: for vehicles adapted to carry 17 or more passengers. These are only issued by traffic commissioners and carry extra conditions.
Typical Section 19 users include schools transporting pupils, day centres collecting service users, sports clubs taking members to fixtures, and faith groups running transport for their congregation. We cover the school scenario in detail in our guide to school minibuses and Section 19 permits.
What is a Section 22 community bus permit?
A Section 22 permit allows a not-for-profit body to run a local bus service that anyone can use, using vehicles adapted to carry 9 or more passengers. This is the permit behind many rural community bus routes that replaced withdrawn commercial services.
The key differences from Section 19:
- Section 22 services carry the general public, not just members or beneficiaries.
- The service must be registered as a local bus service.
- Only traffic commissioners can issue Section 22 permits. Designated bodies cannot.
- The service must run without a view to profit, though a surplus can be reinvested in the service.
Who qualifies for a permit?
Permits are only available to organisations that operate without a view to profit and whose activities concern education, religion, social welfare, recreation or other benefit to the community. That typically includes:
- Registered charities and voluntary organisations
- Community groups and community transport operators
- Schools, academies and colleges
- Sports clubs, youth groups and faith organisations
Two important caveats. First, being a charity does not automatically qualify you: the transport itself must meet the not-for-profit conditions. Second, a commercial company cannot hold a permit, even if it donates its profits. And the same legal entity cannot hold both a PSV operator’s licence and a Section 19 or 22 permit, so organisations that do both commercial and community work usually need separate entities.
What does “hire or reward” actually mean?
Hire or reward is any payment, in cash or in kind, that gives a person the right to be carried on the vehicle. It is much wider than a fare at the door. It includes contributions to fuel, charges built into membership subscriptions, and payments made by a third party such as a local authority on behalf of passengers. If you make genuinely no charge of any kind, you do not need a permit at all, but in practice most community transport involves some payment and therefore needs one.
What licences do your drivers need?
The permit covers the organisation. Your drivers still need the right entitlement for the vehicle:
- Up to 8 passengers: a full category B car licence held for at least 2 years.
- 9 to 16 passengers (a minibus): drivers who passed their car test before 1 January 1997 usually have D1 entitlement (with a “not for hire or reward” restriction that permit driving generally works within). Drivers who passed on or after that date can drive on category B only under strict volunteer conditions, including being 21 or over and receiving no payment beyond expenses. Otherwise they need to pass the D1 test.
- 17 or more passengers: a full PCV licence (category D) is required.
Driver CPC can also apply where drivers hold D1 or D entitlement and drive professionally, which means 35 hours of periodic training every 5 years. Many volunteer and permit drivers are exempt, but paid drivers frequently are not. The rules on who can drive what are covered in depth in our companion article, Can you drive a minibus on a car licence?, and sector schemes such as MiDAS are widely regarded as good practice for permit drivers.
When do you need a full PSV operator’s licence instead?
A permit is not an option if:
- You operate with a view to profit, or your organisation is a commercial business
- You want to run services beyond what your permit type allows, such as carrying the general public on a Section 19 permit
- You cannot meet one of the exemptions from the EU-derived operator rules (retained in GB law), such as the exclusively non-commercial purposes exemption, the main occupation exemption, or the short distance exemption for services within roughly a 10-mile radius
If any of those apply, you are into full PSV operator licensing, with its requirements for financial standing, maintenance systems and professional competence. If you are unsure which side of the line you sit on, get advice before you carry a single fare-paying passenger, because operating for hire or reward without the right authority is a criminal offence.
How do you apply, and how long do permits last?
- Traffic commissioners (through the DVSA) issue all permit types: Section 19 standard, Section 19 large bus and Section 22.
- Designated bodies, such as some local authorities and national voluntary organisations, can issue Section 19 standard permits to their own member groups, often more quickly.
- Permits issued after 6 April 2009 last a maximum of 5 years. Older permits do not expire but can be revoked.
- A fee is payable per permit; check the current DVSA fee schedule for the rate that applies to your application.
Permit holders must also keep vehicles roadworthy, insured for the use, correctly tested (Class IV, V or VI depending on the vehicle), display the permit disc, and make sure every driver is properly licensed and trained.
Keep your permit drivers compliant
National Compliance Training runs JAUPT-approved periodic Driver CPC courses from £46 per 7-hour module, delivered live over Zoom. Ideal for paid drivers on Section 19 and Section 22 operations who need to keep their 35 hours on track.
Frequently asked questions
Can a school hold a Section 19 permit?
Yes. Schools are education bodies and routinely hold Section 19 standard permits to carry pupils to sports fixtures, trips and off-site lessons, even where parents contribute to costs. See our full guide to school minibuses and Section 19.
Can we charge passengers on a permit?
Yes, that is the point of the permit. You can charge fares or recover costs, but the operation as a whole must run without a view to profit. Any surplus should go back into the service.
Can we carry the general public on a Section 19 permit?
No. Section 19 is limited to your members and the people your organisation exists to help. To carry the general public on a registered route you need a Section 22 community bus permit, and for anything commercial you need a PSV operator’s licence.
Do our volunteer drivers need Driver CPC?
Usually not, because most volunteer permit driving falls within an exemption for non-commercial carriage. Paid drivers of D1 or D category vehicles often do need it, which means 35 hours of periodic training every 5 years. Check each driver’s position individually.
Does one permit cover all our vehicles?
No. A permit relates to the use of a vehicle, and you need enough permits to cover the vehicles you operate at any one time. Each vehicle in use must display a permit disc.
This article was published in August 2026 by National Compliance Training. Regulations change, so always check the latest guidance from GOV.UK for the current position. This article does not constitute legal advice.
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