In one sentence…
You can drive motor vehicles for up to sixteen passengers plus the driver, up to eight metres long, with a trailer up to 750 kg MAM.
The D1 licence lets you drive motor vehicles for up to sixteen passengers plus the driver, up to eight metres long, with a trailer up to 750 kg MAM; the standard minimum age is 21.
| Minimum age | The standard minimum age is 21. From age 18 with the ordinary initial CAP professional qualification; until age 21 these vehicles may only be driven in Spain. |
|---|---|
| What you can drive | motor vehicles for up to sixteen passengers plus the driver, up to eight metres long, with a trailer up to 750 kg MAM. |
| Prerequisites | You need a valid B licence. |
| Tests | Specific theory test. Practical closed-track and road tests. |
| Fee | Fee 2.1: €94.05 · 2 exam sittings. |
| Validity and renewal | 5 years under age 65; 3 years from age 65. Validity may be shortened for medical reasons. Renewal requires continued fitness to drive. |
You must also meet the general requirements in article 7, including fitness to drive and the residence or study-stay requirements for foreign applicants.
Sources:BOE · art. 4BOE · art. 5BOE · art. 7BOE · art. 12BOE · art. 13BOE · art. 54BOE · annex VDGT
The syllabus
On the D1 licence you must master passenger-transport regulations: the scope of the licence, passenger safety, stops, doors, luggage and the extra margin of caution required by the vehicle's size and responsibility. The exam does not separate the regulation from conduct: it asks you to decide how to protect passengers in specific situations.
Master the hierarchy between officers, temporary signalling, traffic lights, vertical signs and road markings, and study the current official catalogue with attention to the most recent updates. On passenger-transport licences, reading a sign late can compromise turns, stops, reserved lanes and access restrictions.
Driving a minibus requires smoothness, wide observation, control of body roll and respect for the swept path in turns. Passengers feel every mistake even before the external hazard appears, which is why correct technique combines anticipation, precision and calm.
Driving and rest times for passenger transport are based on Regulation (EC) 561/2006. The aim is to limit driver fatigue and protect passengers and other road users; in the exam you must know both the figures and the purpose of each break or rest period.
Passenger transport requires technique, regulatory knowledge and safe treatment of passengers: access, luggage, information, attention to vulnerable groups and the correct response to incidents. On the D1 licence, driving is always studied together with the service received by the people being transported.
Preventive maintenance of buses and minibuses is part of road safety: it prevents breakdowns, reduces braking distance, improves stability and cuts down on exam and real-driving errors. On the D1 licence you must treat it as part of your routine as a driver, not as a task left to the garage.
When's your exam?
You can follow the fixed 7-day plan up to that date. Stored only on this device.
This guide covers the D1 licence in English. For the full picture — practice tests, lessons and glossary in one place — see the Spanish driving theory test in English.
The D1 licence allows driving buses up to 17 seats. Specific theory test. Practical closed-track and road tests. Topics include passenger transport regulations, passenger evacuation, accessibility, and bus safety.
Practice with real questions and up-to-date exam simulations.
