<span style="colorurple">Blott when driving minibus about 20 yrs ago for hospital residents im sure our limit was 12 seats which made me look out of interest at your posting</span id="purple">

1. Driving licences held before 1 January 1997
If you had entitlement to drive cars prior to 1 January 1997 - shown as group A (B for automatics) on an old style green or pink licence or as category B and D1 not for hire or reward on a pink and green or photocard licence - you can drive a minibus provided :
You are 21 or over, the minibus has a maximum of 17 seats including the driver's seat and is not being used for hire or reward


<span style="colorurple">You seem ok if licence held before 1/1/97 but then it goes on to say</span id="purple">

New rules from 1 January 1998
Your minibus entitlement will remain valid in the UK and on temporary visits abroad until your licence is <span style="color:red">next renewed</span id="red">. When your licence is renewed, your minibus entitlement (D1 and D1+E not for hire or reward) can only be issued if you make a special application which will involve meeting higher medical standards.
If your minibus entitlement is renewed you will normally be granted a D1 and D1+E licence for 3 years which will allow you to drive minibuses, not for hire or reward, in the UK and on temporary visits to other <span style="color:red">EC/EEA </span id="red"> countries. See below for more details about driving abroad.

2. Drivers who do not have minibus entitlement (Category D1)
If your driving licence does not allow you to drive minibuses, there are certain circumstances where you still may be able to do so.
You may drive a minibus with up to 16 passenger seats if:
i) you drive on behalf of a non commercial body for social purposes but not for hire or reward, unless operating under a permit;
ii) you are aged 21;
iii) you have held a car (category B) licence for at least 2 years;
iv) you are providing your service on a voluntary basis; and
v) the minibus maximum weight is not more than 3.5 tonnes excluding any specialist equipment for the carriage of disabled passengers. Minibuses up to 4.25 tonnes will be permitted in certain circumstances.
vi)if you are aged 70 and over, you are able to meet the health standards for driving a vehicle (i.e. minibus) which comes within the D1 class;
When driving a minibus under these conditions you may not receive any payment or consideration for doing so other than out of pocket expenses or tow any size trailer; you may only drive minibuses in <span style="color:red">this country.</span id="red">