How to become a bus driver

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The fee waiver for new Bus Driver Authority applications has been extended for a further 12 months, until 31 July 2026.

Eligibility

To be eligible to become a bus driver in NSW you must:

hold a current Australian driver licence
be at least 20 years of age, and
have held a full (unrestricted) Australian driver licence for more than 12 months in the last two years,

Or,

be at least 25 years of age and,
have held a current Australian driver licence (not including a learners licence) or nationally recognised overseas driver licence for at least three years in the last four years.
be a safe driver and have a good driving record. Your traffic offences will be assessed by Transport for NSW (Transport) when processing your application. For more information click here (PDF, 145.89 KB).
be medically fit to drive
be a suitable person to hold a BDA. Transport will assess all relevant documentation when processing your application. For more information click here (PDF, 145.89 KB).

If you hold an interstate bus driver authority, you may be able to:

Holders of a New Zealand (NZ) bus driver authority may be able to apply for a Bus Driver Authority under Mutual Recognition.

An email address
Passed a commercial medical assessment
A Bus Driver Training Certificate
A current Police check issued within the last 3 months
If you have held an interstate or overseas driver licence in the last 5 years, you will need to get a copy of your licence history and traffic record. Documents not in English must be translated.

If you hold an interstate driver licence, you will also need:

Your Transport customer number. You can get this by visiting a Service NSW centre.
A scanned PDF copy of the front and back of your driver licence.
A digital photo of yourself if you do not have a current NSW driver licence.
A secondary proof of identity document.

Provider	Contact
Intertrain	1300 222 776
JKR Training for Business	0490 665 215
Driver Training NSW	0402 081 086
RAISE Training	(02) 8712 4108
Dynamic Learning Services Pty Ltd trading as Into Training NSW	0421 830 306

Once you have everything you need, you must apply online. It only takes 30 minutes to complete. For more, see Frequently asked questions.

Transport will respond within 10 working days of receiving your application.
If you have not had a response after 10 working days, please phone 02 8848 8700 or email: busapplications@transport.nsw.gov.au.
Please note that if your application for a BDA is unsuccessful on the basis that Transport is unable to confirm that you are of good repute and in all other respects a fit and proper person, you will no longer be eligible to drive a taxi or hire car (including rideshare). Find more information on Transport’s Public Passenger Driver Fit and Proper Policy (PDF 373.14KB)or review the Point to Point Transport Commissioner’s website for more information.