What Is a Skoolie? The Converted School Bus Guide

What is a skoolie?

A skoolie is a retired school bus converted into a home on wheels, part tiny house and part RV. Builders strip out the seats, fix rust, insulate the shell, lay a new floor, then build in beds, a kitchen, storage, power and water. Some skoolies are full-time homes, some are weekend campers, and some, like ours, are campsites you can book.

The name comes from "school" plus the surfer and van-life habit of adding "-ie" to everything. You'll also hear bus conversion, converted school bus, bus RV and bus home. They all mean the same thing.

Why school buses?

• Built to protect people. School buses have heavy steel frames and roll cages designed around passenger safety.
• Cheap to buy used. Districts retire buses on a schedule, so there's a steady supply at auction, often well below the price of a used motorhome.
• Commercial engines and chassis. Diesel drivetrains made for stop-and-go routes are built to run for hundreds of thousands of miles with regular maintenance.
• A blank canvas. Once the seats are out, you have a long open box you can lay out any way you like, which is why every skoolie looks different.

Skoolie vs RV vs camper van

Converted RVs come in many shapes. Here's how a skoolie compares with a factory motorhome and a converted van.

The short version: a skoolie trades build time for a stronger shell, more space per dollar and a home that's entirely yours.

Bus sizes: shorty, mid-size and full-size

• Short bus ("shorty"): roughly 20 to 25 feet. Easier to drive and park, fits more campsites, best for one or two people.
• Mid-size: roughly 25 to 32 feet. Room for a real bed, kitchen and bathroom without the length of a full bus.
• Full-size: roughly 35 to 40 feet. Space for families, separate bedrooms and big water and battery systems, but some parks and roads are off-limits.

You'll also see "flat-nose" (transit-style, engine in the rear or under the front) and "dog-nose" (conventional hood out front) buses. Flat-nose buses give more interior length for the same overall length; dog-noses are often easier to work on.

How a school bus conversion works

1. Buy the bus. Check the engine, transmission, frame and floor for rust before anything else. Government surplus auctions and bus dealers are the usual sources.
2. Gut it. Pull the seats, rubber floor, and often the ceiling and wall panels.
3. Fix rust and seal the floor. Treat rust, patch holes and seal the floor before covering it.
4. Raise the roof (optional). Many builders cut and raise the roof to gain headroom and storage. It's the biggest single job in most conversions.
5. Insulate. Buses are thin metal boxes; insulation is what makes them livable in summer and winter.
6. Windows and ventilation. Skin over some windows, keep others, and add roof vents or fans.
7. Electrical and solar. Batteries, an inverter, solar panels on the roof and shore power for campgrounds.
8. Water and plumbing. Fresh and grey water tanks, a pump, a sink, and a shower if there's room.
9. Interior build. Subfloor, walls, bed, kitchen, seating and storage. This is where your bus becomes yours.
10. Register, insure and go. See the next section.

A first-time builder usually spends months to a couple of years working weekends. Many people hire out the hardest parts, like the roof raise, electrical or plumbing.

How much does a skoolie cost?

Costs vary widely, so treat these as rough ranges, not quotes:

• The bus: retired school buses often sell for a few thousand to around fifteen thousand dollars depending on size, engine and condition.
• A DIY build: commonly somewhere between ten and fifty thousand dollars in materials, with solar, batteries and a roof raise being the biggest line items.
• A professional build: can run well past that, depending on the builder and finishes.

Budget for tires, brakes and engine service too. A bus that has sat in a lot for years usually needs mechanical work before a long trip.

Registration, licensing and insurance

The rules depend on your state, so check with your DMV before you buy. In general:

• Re-titling: many owners re-title their bus as a motorhome or RV once it has the required living features. Each state sets its own checklist.
• Driver's license: in many states, a converted bus under 26,001 pounds gross vehicle weight rating that's used privately can be driven on a regular license, but some states have different rules for heavier vehicles. Verify yours.
• Paint: school bus yellow with "School Bus" markings is reserved for actual school buses, so you'll need to repaint or remove the markings.
• Insurance: insurers that cover RVs and specialty vehicles are the place to start. Expect to document the build with photos.

Where to camp in a skoolie

Skoolies can stay most places RVs can, as long as the site fits the length:

• RV parks and campgrounds: check maximum site length before booking a full-size bus.
• Public lands: many national forests and Bureau of Land Management areas allow dispersed camping, which is where a solar setup pays off.
• Private land and host sites: farms, wineries and private landowners list sites for self-contained rigs.
• Skoolie stays: or skip the build and book a skoolie someone else has already finished. See our unique camping guide.

Join the skoolie community

Skoolie people share everything: floor plans, wiring diagrams, mistakes. Our CampSkoolie Facebook group has about five thousand members swapping build tips and road stories, and you can follow builds on Instagram @CampSkoolie. Already built one? Enter it in Skoolie Badges, our Best of Style awards for converted school buses, and let the community vote.

Frequently asked questions