Minibus or Van

[OARJOHN]

Has anyone successfully re-registered a minibus as a van. If so what modifications if any did you do. I have a LWB minibus with 9seats and storage racking at the back. I have been in touch with the DVLA who have agreed to look into this but I thought others may have already had the same experience. The purpose is insurance, currently the quote as a van is £700 cheaper than minibus insurance.
Hope someone can help
John

[douglasmcbeath136]

Is yours a tourneo. If so it's a car as far as Im aware category M1 on reg doc. However I'm having trouble with insurance. My older 13 plate tourneo cost 270 but my newer 68 plate started at 650 but I eventually got it for 470. Not great.

[Altransit]

Is yours a tourneo. If so it's a car as far as Im aware category M1 on reg doc. However I'm having trouble with insurance. My older 13 plate tourneo cost 270 but my newer 68 plate started at 650 but I eventually got it for 470. Not great.

Are they both 9 seaters

[ned]

Is yours a tourneo. If so it's a car as far as Im aware category M1 on reg doc. However I'm having trouble with insurance. My older 13 plate tourneo cost 270 but my newer 68 plate started at 650 but I eventually got it for 470. Not great.

The op has a mk5 minibus with seats removed to make it 9 seats

[douglasmcbeath136]

Hi. Yes both 9 seater LWB. The older one ran through all car comparison sites no probs. 68 plate got zero quotes. Maybe next year it will be accepted.

[MinorMatt]

9 seater is still classed as a minibus for insurance... get it down to 8 and it will help.

My old minibus, I took all the back seats out and painted the inside of the windows with black paint to block them out. DVLA re-classified it as a van with windows. If you paint the windows body colour then its obvious they are blocked and you are more likely to get it reclassified. It will probably also help to get it classified as a windowed van if it only has 3 seats. Get that done then put the seats back?