If you want to drive a bus or ambulance in Ontario, you need a commercial bus driver's licence. This information will help you understand which bus licence you need and the steps you need to take to get your Class B, C, E or F licence.
Important notices: Effective July 1, 2018 – New Rules for Commercial Drivers:
- Drivers of commercial vehicles will be subject to zero tolerance laws based on the presence of alcohol and/or drugs Penalties include:
- Immediate 3 day roadside licence suspension
- $198 penalty
- Remedial measures and ignition interlock based on the number of applicable suspensions a customer has had within the previous 10 year period
- For the purposes of the new sanctions, commercial vehicles will be defined as any of the following:
- A vehicle that requires the driver to hold a Class A, B, C, D, E or F driver’s licence
- A road-building machine
- A vehicle that requires a Commercial Vehicle Operator’s Registration
- Driving a Bus
- School bus licences - Class B and E
- Bus licences - Class C and F
- Where to apply
- Fees
- Commercial Knowledge and Road Tests
- Booking a Road Test
Driving a bus
The type of bus licence you need depends on:
- the number of passengers
- whether the vehicle is a school bus, regular bus or an ambulance
School bus licences - Class B and E
What you can drive
To drive a school bus in Ontario, you need either a B Class licence or an E Class licence.
A Class B licence lets you drive a school bus with seating for more than 24 passengers. It also allows you to drive vehicles covered by C, D, E, F and G class licences.
A Class E licence lets you drive a school bus with seating for up to 24 passengers. It also allows you to drive vehicles covered by F and G class licences.
Requirements
To obtain a Class B or E licence, you must:
- be at least 21 years old
- hold a valid Ontario licence other than G1, G2, M, M1 or M2
- pass an vision test
- submit a valid medical report
- successfully complete a government-approved School Bus Driver Improvement Course (SBDIC)
- pass a criminal record check
- have fewer than 6 demerit points on your driving record
- pass a knowledge test about operating school buses and trucks (Class B only)
- pass a road test using a vehicle that meets the requirements for a Class B or E
You will not be able to get a Class B or E licence if your driver's licence has been suspended during the past 12 months for any offence outlined in the Official MTO Handbook for busses.
Not all courses are approved by the government as meeting the minimum requirements for School bus Driver Improvement Courses. Here are some tips that will help you find a course:
- Check our list of government-approved School Bus Driver Improvement Course providers.
- Ask someone in the school bus industry to recommend a course provider.
- Visit a course provider's website or call them to make sure their course fits your needs.
Criminal record check
The Ministry of Transportation requires drivers who are applying for a Class B or E licence must obtain a Criminal Record & Judicial Matters (CRJM) Check or equivalent (such as a Police Information Check). The CRJM Check will ensure regulatory standards under the Highway Traffic Act are met.
Applicants can apply for a CRJM Check at their local police service or through an authorized criminal record check provider.
If applying through the police, please contact your local police service to determine the appropriate location to obtain your CRJM Check. Fees may vary between police services. If fingerprinting is required to confirm your identity, this may impact processing times. Please submit the original completed CRJM Check or equivalent (such as a Police Information Check) by mail or courier to the Ministry of Transportation, along with your driver's licence number to:
Ministry of Transportation
Driver Improvement Office, Driver Control Section
Attn: Class B or E CRJM
77 Wellesley Street West Box 671
Toronto, ON M7A 1N3
T: 416-235-1086 or 1-800-303-4993
If applying through an authorized criminal record check provider please contact your association or employer as they may be able to recommend an authorized CRJM Check provider to you.
The Ministry of Transportation will review your CRJM Check to determine your eligibility for this class of licence. The ministry will not be responsible for lost CRJM Checks.
For more information about CRJM Checks, please contact your local police service.
Bus licences - Class C and F
What you can drive
To drive an ambulance or a regular, non-school bus in Ontario, you need either a Class C licence or a Class F licence.
A Class C licence lets you drive a regular, non-school bus with seating for more than 24 passengers. It also allows you to drive vehicles covered by D, F and G class licences.
A Class F licence lets you drive a regular, non-school bus with seating for up to 24 passengers, including a 15-passenger and an ambulance. You can also drive any car or light truck covered under a Class G licence.
A 15-passenger van is considered a bus and requires a Class F licence to drive.
Requirements
To apply for a Class C or F licence, you must:
- be at least 18 years old
- hold a valid Ontario licence other than G1, G2, M, M1 or M2
- pass an vision test
- submit a valid medical report
- pass a knowledge test about operating school buses and trucks (Class C only)
- pass a road test using a vehicle that meets the requirements for a Class C or F
Where to apply
To apply and take the required tests, visit:
- the ServiceOntario College Park location in downtown Toronto
- at a DriveTest centre
You will need to bring valid identification that shows your legal name, date of birth and your signature.
Fees
You will need to pay a fee to apply for a licence and take the knowledge test. See the list of fees.
Study for the knowledge test
Ontario's Official Bus Handbook will help you prepare for your knowledge test. It covers the special regulations and driving skills bus drivers need to know. You can buy the handbook:
- online through ServiceOntario
- at a DriveTest centre
- from many retail stores
Booking a Road Test
To book a road test appointment, you will need to provide:
- your valid Ontario driver's licence number
- a preferred location for taking the test
- a second and third choice of location
- a preferred date and time
You can book, cancel or reschedule a road test appointment:
- online
- at a DriveTest Centre
- by phone at 647-776-0331 or 1-888-570-6110
You must cancel a test at least 48 hours before your appointment to avoid a cancellation fee.
Commercial Knowledge and Road Tests
The knowledge and road tests for all commercial class licences (Class A, B, C, D, E and F) have been updated to ensure that applicants demonstrate the knowledge and skills required to safely operate a commercial vehicle.
For more information and to prepare for these tests, please visit:
You may also buy the Official MTO Handbook at a DriveTest centre or from many retail stores.
The updated commercial road test for all commercial class licences includes:
- Daily Vehicle Inspection tests:
- You will be required to inspect six randomly generated items from the schedule, demonstrate and describe how each item should be inspected, explain any potential defect(s) and describe what actions you would take upon identifying the defect.
- There will also be an in-cab check portion of the test where you must point to or touch all items listed and demonstrate and describe how each item should be inspected.
- For the in-cab portion, you will not be required to explain any potential defect(s) or describe what action you would take upon identifying a minor/major defect.
- Updated on-road and backing tests.
The road test for Class A applicants will also include updated coupling and uncoupling procedures, and your Class A driver's abstract will now indicate if your road test (taken after July 1, 2017) was passed in a vehicle with an automatic or manual transmission.
At the end of the road test, the examiner will review the road test with you and inform you if you were successful in obtaining a commercial driver's licence. You must be successful in all components of the test to successfully pass the road test and obtain a commercial driver's licence.
To determine if you are successful, the driver examiner refers to the following passing scores:
- Daily Inspection Test - You must not accumulate more than 1 error
- Uncoupling and Coupling (Class A) - You must not accumulate more than 2 errors
- On-road and Backing Skills Test - You must not accumulate more than 30 errors
Refer to the back of the scoresheet for further details regarding the scoring of your road test.
Note: For all commercial class road tests, you must provide the driver examiner with a valid daily inspection report as well as the schedule for your vehicle or your road test will be cancelled and you will lose 50% of your pre-paid road test fee. You are encouraged to refer to your schedule as necessary during the daily vehicle inspection component of the test.
