Introduction
If you want to drive a public passenger bus or coach that seats 13 or more people, you need to be authorised.
You can apply for a Bus Driver Authority online.
Eligibility
You need to:
- be aged 20 years or over
- be the holder of an unrestricted Australian driver licence
- have held your unrestricted Australian driver licence for a total of at least 12 months in the 2 years prior to your application
- have passed a medical examination for a commercial driver
- be a fit and proper person.
If you hold an interstate or New Zealand Bus Driver Authority, you may be able to apply for a Bus Driver Authority under Mutual Recognition.
What you need
- a valid email address (you'll need it to receive your confirmation email)
- a certified copy of your Evidence of Training Certificate if you've completed your Bus Driver Authority training
- your proof of identity
- a National Criminal History Record check (scanned as a PDF) issued no more than 3 months prior to this application:
- your criminal check must include all of your current names and all previous names that you have been known by
- if the criminal check does not have a verification code it will need to be certified
- Note: If you cannot arrange a police check, Transport for NSW will send you a one-time link that will enable them to complete the police check on your behalf.
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a medical assessment completed by a medical practitioner, either:
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online NSW Fitness to Drive Medical Assessment, or
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Medical Assessment for Public Passenger Vehicle Drivers – PDF, dated no more than 6 months prior to this application
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a specialist medical assessment (if applicable) completed by a medical practitioner, either:
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online Specialist Medical Assessment, or
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Medical Specialist Assessment Form (Commercial/Public Passenger Vehicle Driver) – PDF
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- a certified copy of your NSW driver licence (scanned as a PDF)
- If you do not hold a valid NSW driver licence, you'll need to upload a digital photo in JPG/JPEG/PNG/BMP/GIF format. Your photo should be a recent, clear photo of your head and neck on a pale background without a hat or sunglasses. The resolution of the photo should be width 246 pixels and height 246 pixels.
- if you hold an interstate driver licence, you'll need:
- a scanned PDF of your Australian driver licence
- a passport or birth certificate/Australian citizenship certificate
- your National Criminal History Record issued within the past 3 months
- interstate traffic record (if applicable)
- your payment, as indicated on the form.
How to apply
- Check the eligibility requirements.
- Gather all the required documents and have them ready for uploading. You cannot save
and resume your application once you have started. - Select the 'Apply online' button.
- Complete the online application form.
- Upload your documentation.
- Enter your payment details (if requested).
- Submit your application.
You'll receive a confirmation email with a PDF copy of your application within 30 minutes of submitting. If you do not receive the email, contact Enrolment Services at busapplications@rms.nsw.gov.au and quote your application reference number, or call (02) 8848 8700.
More information
- Documents can be certified by any of the following:
- accountant (member of a recognised professional accounting body or a Registered Tax Agent)
- person listed on the roll of the Supreme Court of a State or Territory, or the High Court of Australia as a legal practitioner
- barrister, solicitor or patent attorney
- police officer
- postal manager
- principal of an Australian secondary college, high school or primary school
- medical practitioner
- Justice of the Peace (with a registration number in the State in which they are registered)
- minister of religion (registered under Subdivision A of Division 1 of Part IV of the Marriage Act 1961)
- Identification documents not in English must be officially translated.