Getting your licence
How to move from a category B to a category D licence
Age, requirements, documents and tests for obtaining category D after category B.
After B, obtaining D requires an application, medical fitness, tests and driving practice. For professional passenger transport, you must also consider the CQC for passengers.
Understand the category and the job
A category D licence covers vehicles designed to carry more than eight passengers in addition to the driver, with a trailer up to 750 kg. D1 is limited to vehicles carrying no more than 16 passengers besides the driver and no longer than eight metres. If the service involves buses, hire or professional transport, the licence alone may not be enough: MIT requires the CQC for passengers for certain professional activities.
Before starting the application, identify the vehicle and type of service. If an employer requires both D and the CQC, ask whether you can coordinate the two pathways. Holding B lets you apply, but D is not an extension without tests: you must follow the steps set out by MIT.
Documents and application
Submit the application to the Civil Motorisation Office (UMC) using form TT2112. The ministerial D1-D page lists your existing licence and a copy, ID, tax code, medical receipt and PagoPA payments for the tests. If someone applies on your behalf or the applicant is a non-EU/EEA citizen, additional documents listed by the Motorist Portal are required. Use the current form and fees when you submit.
Arrange the medical before applying: check which doctor can certify your fitness, how long the document is valid and whether you need a local medical commission. Keep a complete copy of the form and receipts, and note how to contact the office. Local notices may set booking steps and opening hours, so general guidance does not replace local instructions.
Age and tests
The ordinary minimum age for D is 24. It can be reduced to 21 through the MIT CQC passenger pathway if you obtain the qualification before the practical test. This age threshold does not mean you can apply without meeting the other requirements: you need the correct pathway and professional qualification.
Obtaining D involves a theory test and a practical test. After passing theory, you receive a learner's permit for authorised practice. The practical exam requires a category D vehicle meeting MIT's minimum specifications; a car or D1 minibus does not automatically qualify. Ask in advance who will provide the vehicle and how the test is arranged at your chosen office.
Plan theory and driving practice
Moving from B to D changes how you judge space, vehicle mass and passenger safety. Combine theory on category-specific rules with lessons from a qualified instructor, and ask to practise the manoeuvres that feel least familiar. If your goal is professional driving, keep separate schedules for the licence, CQC and job applications: completing one step does not complete the others.
Are you preparing for your driving licence? Study and practise with Quiz Patente Ufficiale: exam-style quizzes, topic explanations and review of your mistakes.
Frequently asked questions
Can I drive a bus with category D as soon as I obtain B?
No. You must obtain category D; professional passenger services also require the passenger CQC, except for specific legal exemptions.
Can I obtain D at 21?
Yes, through the required passenger CQC pathway, completing the qualification before the practical test. Without it, the ordinary minimum age for D is 24.