Bus driver jobs in Romania are open to foreign nationals, but a driver from outside the EU needs three separate things before he or she can legally carry passengers: a lawful right to work and live in Romania, obtained through an employer and the immigration system; a driving licence that Romania accepts for category D (or D1 or DE); and the EU certificate of professional competence for passenger transport, shown as code 95 on the licence or on a driver qualification card. These three tracks run through different authorities. The General Inspectorate for Immigration (IGI) and the WorkinRomania platform handle the immigration side, the driving licence service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs handles licence exchange, and the Romanian Road Authority (ARR) handles professional certification. Missing any one of them stops the job, even if the other two are in order. Citizens of the EU, the European Economic Area and Switzerland skip the immigration track but still need the licence and code 95.

Bus driver jobs in Romania at a glance

A foreign bus driver hired by a Romanian passenger transport operator will usually need:

• A right to work. For people from outside the EU this now runs through the Government Emergency Ordinance on foreigners' access to the Romanian labour market, the WorkinRomania platform, which has replaced the old IGI aviz de muncă, a long stay employment visa (usually D/AM2 for drivers) and then a single permit (permis unic) issued in Romania.
• A valid licence for the right category. Either an EU or EEA licence, which Romania recognises, or a Romanian licence obtained by exchanging a foreign one (preschimbare permis de conducere) or by training and passing the Romanian exams.
• Professional qualification. The initial qualification (CPI) and then periodic training (CPC) under the EU rules on professional drivers, proved by code 95.
• Fitness to drive. Medical checks for the licence and the medical and psychological examinations Romania requires for transport staff with safety responsibilities.
• Job specific extras. A driver card for the tachograph where the vehicle requires one, and for trolleybus work a separate ARR attestation certificate.

Demand for drivers does not change these requirements. Our separate guide on labour shortages in Romania looks at where demand sits.

Who needs what depending on your nationality

The single most important question is where your citizenship and your driving licence come from, because the two do not always match.

Citizens of the EU, EEA and Switzerland

EU, EEA and Swiss citizens can work in Romania without a work authorisation, although they register their residence if they stay. A driving licence issued by an EU country is valid in Romania and usually does not need to be exchanged when you move, according to the EU's Your Europe guidance on licence recognition. The ARR's page on regulated professions confirms that professional certificates issued to nationals of EU member states, the EEA and Switzerland are recognised in Romania. If your licence already shows code 95 for category D, you can usually start work once the employer has completed its own formalities, provided your periodic training is in date.

Citizens of countries outside the EU

Third-country nationals need the full immigration process, a licence Romania accepts and code 95 obtained under Romanian or other EU rules. A national licence from your home country is not enough on its own to drive a bus professionally for a Romanian operator. Holding an EU licence or EU code 95 does not give you a right to work either: if you are a third-country national already living in another EU country, you still need a Romanian right to work unless a specific exemption applies to you.

The work permit route for bus drivers from outside the EU

Romania has overhauled the way employers bring in workers from outside the EU. The Government Emergency Ordinance on foreigners' access to the Romanian labour market, which entered into force on publication in the Official Gazette, created the WorkinRomania platform and new conditions for employers and recruitment agencies. The text of the ordinance published by IGI is the reference point. Emergency ordinances must also be approved by Parliament, which can amend them, so always check the consolidated text on the official legislation portal.

The employer registers on WorkinRomania

Under the ordinance, an employer must register on the WorkinRomania.gov.ro platform before hiring foreigners. Registration conditions include having no tax arrears and at least one year of activity in a compatible field, and the authority has up to 30 working days to verify a registration. Employers hiring without an agency must also be authorised, which requires a longer activity record, a minimum headcount and a financial guarantee per foreign worker.

On the WorkinRomania platform, employers upload job offers and submit a single application (cerere unică) for each worker, placement agencies submit applications for the workers they place, and workers can see which agencies are authorised and report abuse.

The deficit occupations list and the annual quota

Two filters decide whether a non-EU bus driver can be hired at all. First, the ordinance states that employment of a foreigner can start only if the occupation appears on the list of deficit occupations (lista ocupațiilor deficitare), which the Ministry of Labour approves by order and updates every six months or as needed. According to a county employment agency press release on the platform launch, this condition applies to permanent, seasonal and cross-border workers, while highly qualified workers are not subject to it. Whether a particular bus or coach driver occupation is on the list in force is something you or your employer must check on the platform's deficit occupations section, because the list changes.

Second, the government sets an annual quota (contingent) of newly admitted foreign workers, which can be increased if reached. It is a national ceiling, not places reserved for drivers.

Platform suspension you need to know about

The new system has hit a legal obstacle. The WorkinRomania platform states that, after the Bucharest Court of Appeal granted a request by an employers' organisation to suspend the order approving the deficit occupations list, employer registration, employer authorisation and the submission of single applications for D/AM2 long stay visas were disabled, without a date for resumption. IGI has published a notice on residence extensions when changing employer explaining that such applications cannot currently be filed on the platform and that it will assess them case by case once filing is possible again, taking into account whether the employer was objectively unable to complete the procedure. In practice this means new hires of non-EU bus drivers may be delayed until the platform flows are restored. Any recruiter who promises otherwise should be treated with caution.

From the old aviz de muncă to D/AM1 and D/AM2 visas

Under the previous system, the employer first obtained a separate work authorisation (aviz de muncă) from IGI and the worker then applied for a visa. That system has been replaced. Applications now go through the WorkinRomania platform as a single application leading to one of two long stay employment visas. The D/AM1 visa covers highly qualified workers and certain listed categories, and is filed by the employer. The D/AM2 visa covers permanent, seasonal and cross-border workers in occupations on the shortage list, and is filed by a placement agency authorised by the National Agency for Employment (ANOFM) or by an authorised employer. A bus driver is normally hired as a permanent worker, so the D/AM2 route, and therefore the shortage list and its current suspension, is the one that usually applies. After entering Romania on the visa, the worker applies to IGI for the single permit for residence and work. Verify the current steps on WorkinRomania and with IGI, because the platform is being rolled out in stages. The detailed documents, fees and timings are covered in our separate guide on applying for a work permit in Romania, and changes of job in our separate guides on changing employers and on job loss on a work permit.

Your rights as a foreign driver under the new rules

The ordinance does not only add duties for employers. It also gives foreign workers concrete protections that are useful to know before signing anything:

• No recruitment fees for workers. Recruitment agencies may charge fees only to the employer, and charging workers commissions, fees or deposits is prohibited. A request for money to "secure" a bus driver job is a warning sign.
• A detailed written offer. The job offer must state gross and net pay, the hourly rate and payment dates, and must refer to the national minimum gross wage and any applicable collective agreement. Ask which figure is gross and which is net; they differ substantially after contributions and income tax.
• Information in advance. An authorised employer must give you the required information at least 10 days before arrival, in your language or one you understand.
• A contract you can read. The individual employment contract must be in Romanian and in your language or a widely understood language.
• Pay into a bank account. Wages must be paid into the worker's bank account.
• Housing cost limit. Where the employer provides accommodation, rent may not exceed 25 percent of the net salary.
• Help if the contract ends early. The employer must try to connect you with another employer through an agency, and if that fails it covers the cost of return.

Use the platform to check that any placement agency is authorised.

Category D licence Romania requirements

Bus work means driving vehicles in the D family of licence categories, which are harmonised across the EU:

• D1 covers minibuses designed for up to 16 passengers in addition to the driver, with a maximum length limit.
• D covers buses and coaches carrying more than eight passengers in addition to the driver, which is what most city bus, intercity and coach jobs require.
• D1E and DE add a heavier trailer to the D1 or D vehicle.

Romanian licences show the categories held, any restrictions and, once you qualify professionally, code 95 next to the category. When you exchange a foreign licence, Romania records only the categories that are equivalent to Romanian ones, so check that your D entitlement transfers, not just your car category.

Minimum ages for bus drivers

Minimum ages depend on the licence rules and on the professional qualification you hold. The EU directive on the initial qualification and periodic training of professional drivers, available on EUR-Lex, allows drivers with the full initial qualification to drive categories D and DE from 21. With the accelerated initial qualification, D1 and D1E are possible from 21 and D and DE from 23, or from 21 on regular passenger services where the route does not exceed 50 kilometres. Member states may set certain lower ages in specific cases. Romania's own minimum ages are set in the Road Traffic Code, and the Romanian licence exchange rules state that if you have not yet reached the minimum age for a category, it will be exchanged only once you reach it. Confirm the age that applies to your situation with the driving licence service and the ARR.

Exchanging a foreign driving licence in Romania

For most drivers from outside the EU, the practical gateway is the exchange of the national licence for a Romanian one, known in Romanian as preschimbare permis de conducere. The procedure is set by the order of the Minister of Internal Affairs on the exchange of national driving licences issued by other states. The consolidated text published by a prefecture, available here, sets out the main rules described below. Annexes can be amended, so ask the licence service to confirm the current list before relying on it.

Which countries qualify for exchange without an exam

Romania exchanges licences without a test or exam when they come from EU member states, from the states party to the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic that are listed in an annex to the order, and from a small group of other states listed in a further annex. In the version we read, the Vienna Convention annex included, among others, Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Moldova, Morocco, Pakistan, the Philippines, Serbia, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, Uzbekistan and Vietnam. India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh did not appear in either annex. The second annex listed Australia, Canada, China, Egypt, Japan, Jordan, Lebanon, South Korea, Syria and the United States.

Two points matter for bus drivers. First, there can be category limits: the order states that Chinese licences are exchanged only for category B until a bilateral agreement is concluded, which means no D entitlement. Second, exchanges with states that have a bilateral or multilateral recognition agreement with Romania follow the terms of that agreement, which may differ from the general rule.

Documents and verification

To exchange, you must have, or be establishing, domicile or residence in Romania, and as a foreigner you must show a document confirming your lawful right to stay at the time of application. The order lists:

• the original foreign licence, with a certified (legalised) translation into Romanian for licences from the annexed states;
• your identity document and proof of residence;
• the application form, completed in capital letters and signed;
• proof of payment of the licence fee;
• a medical certificate from an authorised medical unit where the new licence will have a new administrative validity.

The exchange can go ahead only after the authority of the issuing state confirms that your licence is authentic and valid, category by category. You hand in the original licence, which is later returned to the issuing authority, and receive a substitute document. If your licence is still valid, that document may allow you to drive for up to 30 days, but not beyond the licence's own validity. The order provides for the Romanian licence to be issued within 30 days of filing, or within 15 days after any verification is complete, and for the substitute document to be reissued if checks take longer. Exchanged licences from the annexed states carry an EU harmonised code recording the exchange.

Some licences cannot be exchanged at all, including international driving permits, provisional or learner licences, licences that are lost, stolen or expired (other than EU licences), licences that have been suspended or withdrawn, and cases where the holder already holds another national licence.

Booking an appointment

In Bucharest, foreign licence exchange applications are accepted only with an online appointment, and cannot be filed with a walk-in queue ticket, according to the Bucharest Prefecture's licence service page. Appointments are free and made through the national booking system of the driving licence directorate (DGPCI, the directorate that grew out of the former DRPCIV). Bookings for the wrong county cannot be honoured.

If your country is not on the list

The order does not provide an exam free exchange for licences from states that are neither annexed nor covered by an agreement. Drivers from such countries should expect to obtain a Romanian licence by training with an authorised driving school and passing the Romanian theory and practical exams, normally category by category, before starting the professional qualification. This adds considerable time and cost, so ask the driving licence service early whether your licence can be exchanged, and do not rely on informal assurances.

Code 95 Romania and the atestat for bus drivers

Holding a D licence is not enough to drive a bus for a living. Under the EU rules on professional drivers, which Romania applies through its road transport legislation and ARR procedures, you also need the certificate of professional competence. The ARR's page on regulated professions states that it is required for holders of D1, D1E, D and DE licences carrying passengers, and that a driver proves initial qualification or periodic training either by code 95 on the driving licence next to the relevant category or by a driver qualification card carrying code 95. Romanian drivers often call the documents an atestat profesional; for bus work the key terms are CPI and CPC.

Initial qualification (CPI)

The initial qualification exists in two forms under the EU directive: the full version, built around 280 hours of training, and the accelerated version, built around 140 hours, followed in both cases by an examination. In Romania, training is delivered by authorised training centres and the theory examination is organised by the ARR. For third-country nationals, the EU directive states that initial qualification is obtained in the member state where the employing undertaking is established or where the work permit was issued. For a driver hired by a Romanian operator, that normally means Romania.

Periodic training (CPC)

The qualification must be kept up to date with periodic training of 35 hours every five years, delivered in sessions of at least seven hours. Periodic training can be completed in the member state where you reside or where you work. If you let the five year cycle lapse, code 95 is no longer valid and you cannot drive professionally until you complete the training.

The ARR exam and question banks

The ARR page on certificates lists the examination calendar, exam locations, results, payment options and the appeal procedure. Candidates who fail can appeal in writing within two working days of the exam, and must submit the appeal personally. The same page publishes question banks for passenger drivers, including English versions for passenger initial qualification and periodic training. That is useful for preparation, but the page does not state which languages the exam itself can be taken in, so confirm with the ARR or your training centre before you enrol. The page also provides a declaration form concerning a driver's residence in Romania, which shows that residence status matters for issuing documents.

Getting the card or code 95 on your licence

The ARR instructions for certification explain that the professional qualification certificate for drivers of D and DE vehicles, and the tachograph driver card, are requested from an ARR territorial agency with an application form, a copy of your identity document, a copy of a valid driving licence (or the substitute document confirming that your licence has been submitted for exchange), a recent colour photo and proof of payment. The certificate is valid only together with a licence for the corresponding category, so when the licence changes the certificate must be changed too. The ARR states that it issues the new document within five days of such a request or gives a reasoned refusal. Fees are set in the ARR's tariff list.

Tachograph driver card

Coaches and many buses used outside short urban routes must be fitted with a tachograph, and the driver needs a personal driver card. In Romania the ARR issues these cards through the same process. Plan for it at the same time as your code 95 rather than after, because an operator cannot put you on a tachograph vehicle without one.

Driver attestation applies to lorries, not buses

Foreign drivers often hear about the "driver attestation" and assume they need it. That document belongs to international goods haulage. Romania's rules implementing the EU haulage regulation, set out in an order published by the ARR, describe it as a document issued to haulage operators for third-country drivers of C1, C1E, C or CE vehicles, with documents such as the residence permit, the immigration work authorisation for a lorry driver occupation and a REVISAL register extract. It does not apply to bus and coach drivers, whose proof is code 95 on the licence or a driver qualification card. Our separate guide on foreign truck driving licences in Romania covers the haulage side.

Medical and psychological fitness

Two layers of health checks apply. For the licence itself, a medical certificate from an authorised medical unit is required when a licence is issued with a new administrative validity, including on exchange. For the job, Romania has a joint order of the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Health approving methodological norms for the medical and psychological examination of transport personnel with safety responsibilities and setting how often the examination must be repeated; the ARR publishes it on its legislation page. Ask your employer which unit will examine you and who pays. If you have a condition that might affect fitness, find out before you travel.

City buses, trolleybuses and coaches

Not all bus jobs are the same, and the paperwork differs slightly:

• City and suburban buses. Usually category D with code 95. Routes up to 50 kilometres can matter for the minimum age with accelerated qualification. Local public transport operators are often municipal companies and publish vacancies through public recruitment notices, which can include Romanian language expectations.
• Trolleybuses. The ARR lists the trolleybus driver as a separate regulated profession requiring an attestation certificate under the Road Traffic Code and the transport ministry's order on professional certificates. If you are offered trolleybus work, ask whether the employer will arrange this certificate.
• Intercity and coach services. Category D with code 95, a tachograph card and close attention to driving and rest time rules. International coach trips mean driving in other countries; a Romanian single permit and Schengen membership help with travel, but they do not give you a right to work for an employer based in another country.
• Minibuses. D1 with code 95 for vehicles carrying more than eight passengers. Car based passenger transport such as taxis follows a different route: the ARR lists a separate taxi and rental driver certificate requiring a category B licence held for at least two years and a minimum age of 21.

A realistic sequence of steps for a driver from outside the EU

Every case differs, but the following order avoids the most common dead ends. Steps can overlap, and your employer may handle some of them.

1. Check your licence. Confirm whether your country appears in the exchange annexes or has an agreement with Romania, and that your D category will transfer. Make sure your licence is valid and that you hold only one national licence.
2. Check the employer. Confirm on WorkinRomania that the employer or the placement agency is registered or authorised, and that the platform flows needed for your hire are working. You can also check a company in the official trade register.
3. Get a written offer. It should name the job, the licence category, gross and net pay, working pattern, accommodation and transport, and who pays for code 95 training, the tachograph card and medical checks.
4. Prepare documents at home. Passport, licence, any professional driving records and the documents your employer and the consulate request, with certified translations into Romanian where required.
5. Complete the immigration steps. The single application on WorkinRomania by the employer or an authorised agency, then your D/AM2 visa (or D/AM1 if you qualify), entry to Romania and the single permit application to IGI.
6. Exchange your licence. Book an appointment with the licence service in your county, submit the original licence and wait for the issuing state's confirmation.
7. Complete medical and psychological checks. For the licence where required and for the transport job.
8. Qualify for code 95. Complete the initial qualification at an authorised training centre, pass the ARR exam and apply for the certificate or card.
9. Obtain the tachograph card where your vehicles need it, and any trolleybus attestation.
10. Start work only when all documents are in place. Driving passengers professionally without code 95 or a valid licence exposes you and the operator to sanctions and can affect your residence.

Steps 6 to 8 can overlap: the ARR accepts the substitute document issued during the exchange when you apply for the professional certificate.

Costs, timing and what nobody can promise

There is no single price for becoming a bus driver in Romania. The main costs are licence fees, ARR fees for exams, certificates and tachograph cards, training centre fees, medical and psychological checks, certified translations and the visa and single permit fees. Each authority publishes its own fees, which can change, so check official tariff pages rather than figures quoted by intermediaries. Some operators pay for training in exchange for a commitment to stay; read any such clause and ask what happens if you leave early.

Timing is equally variable. Confirmation from your home country's licence authority, consular appointments, training schedules and the current suspension of platform flows can all add time. No employer, agency or adviser can guarantee a visa, a permit, an exchange or an exam pass. Pay is set in your contract and is subject to Romanian contributions and income tax; compare gross and net figures and check that gross pay is at least the national minimum gross wage, which is set by government decision and changes over time.

Mistakes that cost bus drivers time

• Arriving with only a car category. If your home licence does not show D, or China style limits apply to your country, the exchange will not give you a bus entitlement.
• Relying on an international driving permit. It cannot be exchanged and does not replace the national licence.
• Assuming home country bus experience counts as code 95. Qualification from outside the EU is not automatically recognised.
• Paying a recruiter. Charging workers placement fees is prohibited. Report attempts through WorkinRomania or the Labour Inspectorate.
• Leaving code 95 to expire. Track the five year periodic training cycle.
• Ignoring Romanian. We found no general Romanian language test for bus drivers, but passengers, dispatch and exams all go more smoothly with basic Romanian. See our separate guide on the Romanian language for work.

Where to check before you sign

For immigration, use WorkinRomania and IGI, including its legislation page. For the licence, use your county licence service; for code 95 and tachograph cards, the ARR; for working conditions, the Labour Inspectorate. Keep copies of everything you submit. If an offer conflicts with what an authority tells you, the authority's answer prevails.

Sources and References

• Emergency Ordinance on foreigners' access to the labour market, General Inspectorate for Immigration
• WorkinRomania platform and suspension notice, Government of Romania
• Press release on the WorkinRomania launch, Timiș County Employment Agency
• Notice on residence extensions when changing employer, General Inspectorate for Immigration
• Legislation on foreigners, General Inspectorate for Immigration
• Order on the exchange of foreign driving licences, consolidated text, Buzău Prefecture
• Licence service appointments, Bucharest Prefecture
• Online appointment booking, Directorate for Driving Licences and Registration
• Regulated professions for drivers, Romanian Road Authority
• Certificates, exams and question banks, Romanian Road Authority
• Instructions for certificates and tachograph cards, Romanian Road Authority
• Order on road transport norms including driver attestation, Romanian Road Authority
• Joint order on medical and psychological examination of transport staff, Romanian Road Authority
• Directive on initial qualification and periodic training of drivers, EUR-Lex
• Driving licence exchange and recognition, Your Europe