D1 (categoria de condução)
Published 4 November 2026, 18:37
D1 — driving licence category (minibus)
Under Article 3(2) of the Regulamento da Habilitação Legal para Conduzir (annex to Decreto-Lei n.º 138/2012), category D1 covers vehicles carrying no more than 16 passengers besides the driver and no longer than 8 metres; they may tow a trailer of up to 750 kg. The minimum age is 21 (Article 20). The related D1E covers the same vehicle with a trailer heavier than 750 kg.
Where you come across it. Getting or renewing a driving licence; work driving a school bus, minibus or shuttle.
Do not confuse it with the D1 visa: the letters just happen to be the same. The bus categories (D1, D1E, D, DE) have their own renewal periods and require a medical certificate at every renewal, and since 2026 a non-European's licence has been valid for as long as their residence permit.