How to Get a Category D Driving Licence in Lithuania?

Lithuania lets you skip formal driving school for the Category D theory test if you already hold a Category C; you can prepare independently using online lecture recordings and a dedicated practice-question app. This piece covers what Category D authorizes, exact authorizations, and the useful entitlement chains built into the system.

What Category D covers

Category D authorizes vehicles to carry more than 8 passengers besides the driver, combined with a trailer with a maximum authorized mass of 750 kg.

Minimum age

The standard minimum age is 24. This drops to 21 if you hold an initial professional qualification (code 95) to carry passengers, and in specific legally compliant cases can drop as low as 18.

You need Category B first

Category D requires you to already hold Category B.

Documents you’ll need

• A valid identity document with your personal code
• A first-aid course certificate (PP-014)
• A Group II medical fitness certificate
• Your existing Category B licence
• A driving school course completion certificate, submitted electronically to Regitra

The independent study route if you hold Category C

This is genuinely useful to know. If you already hold Category C, you can prepare for the D theory exam independently (“externu”) rather than attending formal classroom instruction, using online recorded lectures and access to the ARV Testai practice app, which includes over 1,500 questions that match the official exam format.

Category D automatically includes D1.

If you hold a full Category D license, you’re automatically entitled to drive D1-category minibusses too, without a separate application.

The theory and practical exam content

The theory exam covers traffic rules, passenger vehicle-specific technical knowledge, and safety procedures. The practical exam assesses real-world handling of a Category D bus in traffic.

What Category D is genuinely used for

Most Category D holders go on to work in urban public transport, intercity coach services, or tourist bus operations; the license itself is the foundation. Still, real employment almost always requires code 95.

Automatic transmission

A genuine consequence of automatic-transmission testing: your license afterward only covers automatic vehicles.

DE: adding a heavier trailer

DE authorizes Category C combined with a trailer exceeding 750 kg. DE automatically also gives you BE and D1E entitlements once obtained.

CE holders automatically get DE too.o

Genuinely useful: if you hold CE and also hold Category D, you’re automatically entitled to drive DE-category vehicles as well.

What full Category D looks like in practice

Category D covers the same vehicle types as D1, just without the 16-passenger cap: large city buses, intercity coaches, and tourist buses.

Where D sits in Lithuania’s licensing system

Lithuania issues 16 license categories in total. D sits above D1, covering the full range of bus sizes without a passenger limit.

Professional qualification for commercial work

Holding Category D alone doesn’t authorize professional transport. Commercial drivers also need code 95, the professional competence certificate, in addition to the license category itself.

Validity

A Lithuanian driving license, including Category D, is typically valid for 10 years and must be renewed with a new medical assessment.

Tips that actually help

• Check whether holding Category C already qualifies you for the independent study route.
• Confirm your first-aid certificate and Group II medical assessment are current before applying.
• Remember, Category D already includes D1, so you don’t need to apply separately.
• Factor in code 95 separately if you’re planning professional passenger transport work.

The genuine age-18 route, explained in detail.

This is worth understanding precisely, since it’s genuinely more accessible than many candidates realize. At 18, you can obtain the right to drive Category D vehicles by first completing an initial professional qualification for passenger transport, specifically an 8-week course. At 21, you can get the same right through an accelerated 4-week version of that qualification. Both routes require completing the professional qualification before the Category D driving right is granted, rather than treating it as a separate step afterward.

What Category D genuinely costs

Real published prices for full Category D courses in Lithuania typically range from around €339 to around €500, making €400 to €450 a reasonable average to plan for. Your final cost may increase if you need additional driving lessons beyond the standard allocation, if you need a bus rental specifically for your exam, or if you’re also completing a professional qualification (code 95) alongside your license.

How the theory course is structured

You must complete Category D theory instruction in a group setting rather than individually, and the duration depends on the group schedule you choose. Morning groups (starting around 10:00) or day groups (starting around 15:00) typically run 3 to 4 weeks, while evening groups (starting around 18:00) run longer, around 5 to 6 weeks, to accommodate students working full-time during the day. Depending on your specific category combination, you’ll need 15 to 30 academic hours of individual practical driving instruction with an instructor.

What you’ll pay upfront and what you’ll need on day one

When you first attend your course, you’ll typically need your ID, your existing Category B license, and your first payment, usually about one-third of the total course price, with the remainder paid as you progress.

Real training fleets and testing on the vehicle you actually trained on

Lithuanian driving schools training Category D candidates commonly use a mix of real bus models, including Volvo (available with automatic transmission), Scania, and Mercedes-Benz (manual transmission). A genuinely useful practical detail: your official Regitra exam is typically conducted using the same specific vehicle you trained on, removing the uncertainty of testing in an unfamiliar bus on exam day.

Regional price differences within Lithuania

Category D training costs genuinely vary depending on which city you choose. Major cities, including Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipėda, and Panevėžys, tend to charge more than smaller towns, reflecting higher facility rental costs, higher vehicle maintenance and operating expenses, and pricier training ground rentals. Driving schools in larger cities sometimes invest in simulators and interactive training tools, which factor into their final pricing; when comparing quotes, weigh whether those extras matter to you personally.

The independent study route, revisited

As mentioned earlier, holding Category C already lets you skip formal group theory instruction and prepare independently instead. This self-study route pairs remote lectures and recorded sessions with free access to the ARV Testai practice platform, offering more than 1,500 questions that match the official state exam format, plus Category D-specific content, available unlimited for 4 months. If you’re confident studying independently and already have relevant driving background, this route can genuinely simplify your path to the theory exam.

Why Category D genuinely opens doors across Europe

Beyond the domestic Lithuanian job market, Lithuanian driving schools widely frame Category D, combined with a professional qualification, as opening employment opportunities throughout Europe, given the broadly harmonized EU licence framework and genuine, ongoing demand for bus drivers across the continent. If international mobility matters to your career plans, pursuing Category D specifically offers a real, practical advantage.

Documents needed for your Regitra exam

To sit your official Category D exams at Regitra, you’ll need your identity document with personal code (a passport or ID card), a first-aid course certificate (PP-014), a Group II medical health certificate, your existing Category B licence, and your driving school course completion certificate, which is transmitted electronically directly to Regitra by your school.

Specific example: what one regional school includes

To illustrate a real course structure, one driving school in Šiauliai runs a 37-hour theory program and a 15-hour practical program specifically for Category D, using an Irisbus Iveco bus for training. This level of detail- exact hours, a specific vehicle model, and the exact classroom location- is genuinely useful to request from any school you’re considering, since it lets you compare real like-for-like offerings rather than just headline prices.

Where this fits going forward

Category D in Lithuania offers a genuinely flexible route into professional bus driving, with real study-path savings for those who already hold Category C. If your plans extend toward professional driving down the line, take a look at the driver section, browse current vacancies, or see who’s hiring among employers on FastDriver.eu, alongside our broader jobs guides. Our driving license in Lithuania and license eligibility pages provide the broader picture.

Why comparing multiple driving schools genuinely pays off

Given the real price spread from around €339 up to €500 for what is fundamentally the same underlying qualification, requesting quotes from several driving schools in your area, and asking specifically what’s included theory materials, KET test access, bus rental for the exam, and how many practical hours are genuinely included before extra charges apply is a worthwhile step before committing to any single provider.

Declaration

This article is provided for general information only and does not constitute legal or professional advice. Fees, training requirements, and administrative rules can change and may vary by driving school in Lithuania. Always confirm current requirements with the official Lithuanian sources before making decisions: Regitra. FastDriver.eu accepts no liability for decisions made based on this information.