Periodic Driver CPC Legal Requirements
Driver Certificate of Professional Competence Periodic Training
Professional HGV and bus / coach drivers must complete 35-hours of DVSA-approved training every five years to keep their qualification valid
A driver is always in a five year training window, attending courses, to get qualified for the five years beyond that training window
Training courses, conducted by a DVSA approved trainer, can be face-to-face in a classroom environment, or since April of 2020 online.
The legally required 35-hours of driver CPC training is most typically attended over five days within the five-year training window, each training day being made up of 7-hours DVSA-approved training material and one hour of breaks.
A driver attending 35-hours training as five 7-hour courses will be issued with an International driver CPC qualification card, allowing the driver to drive both within the UK and also throughout the European Union, Switzerland, Norway and Turkey.
DVSA now permit a driver to attend ten 3½ hour sessions, so still a total of 35-hours training, but a driver doing so will only receive a UK National driver CPC qualification and as a result of which will not legally be permitted to drive a vehicle on a journey outside of the UK.
hgvCPC.com only conduct international driver CPC courses
learn about the five year training window
Driver Certificate of Professional Competence Initial Training
UK initial Driver CPC is a mandatory qualification for new professional lorry, bus, or coach drivers who did not hold a full category B (car) driving licence entitlement before 1st January 1997, or a category C1 (goods vehicle not exceeding 7.5 tonnes MAM) entitlement before 10th September 2009, or a category D1 (minibus no more than 8 metres long, with 9 - 16 passenger seats) entitlement before 10th September 2008
Gaining the initial driver CPC qualification involves passing Module 2 (Case Studies) and Module 4 (Practical Demonstration), in addition to also passing Module 1 and Module 3
Module 1 : Theory Test
100-question multiple-choice test and a 19-video hazard perception test, both of which must be passed.
Module 2 : Case Study Theory Test
A 1 hour 15 minute computer-based test with 50 multiple-choice questions based on real-life scenarios, conducted at a test centre.
Module 3 : Practical Driving Test
The official DVSA driving test, for either a rigid goods vehicle (category C - class 2), articulated goods vehicle (category CE - class 1), or a passenger carrying vehicle (category D - bus / coach with more than 8 passenger seats, category DE - needed to tow a trailer over 750kg)
Module 1 (Theory) must be passed before Module 3 (Practical Driving Test) can be taken and both parts must be passed within 2 years.
Module 4 : Practical Demonstration Test
A 30-minute test involving walk-around vehicle safety checks, such as loading / securing loads, emergency situations, and illegal immigrant prevention.
After passing all four modules and gaining their initial driver CPC qualification card (DQC) a driver must then complete 35-hours of periodic driver CPC training, before the end of the five-year validity of their initial DQC
hgvCPC.com do NOT offer initial driver CPC training, we only offer periodic driver CPC training
It's a full day's training
If attending an international Driver CPC periodic course please be aware that the training day will last for 8 hours (from when we get everyone registered, identified and are then able to start the course)
The law states that international DCPC MUST be 7 hours of approved material (2 x 3½ hour modules), plus 1 hour of breaks
Driver CPC "under instruction" is legally classed as work
Please be aware that attending a Driver CPC course "under instruction" from an employer is considered, in law, to be a job of work
Delegates attending "under instruction" need to be mindful of the impact that this attendance could potentially have on their ability to remain legally compliant with regulatory daily or weekly rest requirements
Attendance on a Driver CPC course "under instruction" from an employer needs to be recorded onto the driver card as work, by way of manual entries, when next the driver inserts their driver card into a digital or smart tachograph after attending the course
Certificate of Attendance
We send certificates of attendance to delegates as PDF's, attached to an email, within 5 working days of attending a course
If a delegate is booked on a course by an employer then the certificate of attendance will be sent via email to the employer, who should then distribute it to the delegate
HGV and PCV licence holders
Attending any of our approved course modules earns driver CPC hours accreditation for goods vehicle drivers holding category C1 (3.5 to 7.5t) entitlement, category C (class 2) entitlement and category C+E (class 1) entitlement, and also passenger carrying vehicle drivers holding category D1, D or D+E
Do NOT attend the same Driver CPC course, or module twice
DVSA have changed the rules around Driver CPC attendance in recent years
You are hereby advised to check the Driver CPC hours that you've completed to date, to ensure that you do NOT attend a course or module that you have previously attended, during your current five year training window
DVSA have made it clear that a driver attending the same course or module a second time will NOT receive any accreditation of Driver CPC hours for that days' attendance
We are led to believe that DVSA will make an exception to this rule, if a driver genuinely feels that they would benefit from attending the same course a second time
For example, you attended a tachograph course but have since discovered that Smart Tachographs (they're the latest thing) were not covered in the depth you needed, or you attended Drivers' Hours and Working Time Regs, but it's all still vague and you're still getting infringements
If this is the case please contact us, prior to booking a course, and we'll contact DVSA to try and get you pre-approval for that repeat attendance
hgvCPC.com cannot accept any liability, or issue any refunds, due to the DVSA's refusal to award Driver CPC accreditation hours for a delegate who has failed to check their official training record prior to course attendance and as a result of which repeats a course or module
Exemptions from driver CPC
A driver does NOT need a Driver CPC qualification if they are using a vehicle for :
non-commercial carriage of passengers or goods
carrying materials or equipment for use in your job, as long as driving is less than 30% of your monthly work
driving lessons for the purpose of acquiring a driving licence or a driver CPC qualification
Nor does a driver need a Driver CPC qualification if :
driving within 62 miles (100 kilometres) of base (not carrying passengers or goods) and driving a lorry, bus or coach is not their main job
the vehicle is being road tested to diagnose a reported defect, for repair, maintenance or technical development purposes
the vehicle is either new or rebuilt and has not yet been put into service
the vehicle is limited to a top speed of 28mph
the vehicle is being used or controlled by the armed forces, police, fire and rescue service, emergency ambulance service, prison service or people running a prison or young offender institution