What does driver CPC training involve?
When you sign up for a CPC training course, you can expect to be instructed in an area that is related to the carrying out of your day-to-day work. This may be related to the safe operation of your vehicle, dealing with customers, heavy lifting and much more. Please see our blog for the complete syllabus, which is set by JAUPT.
Who needs driver CPC training?
Driver CPC training is an absolute must for anyone who wants to be a professional coach, lorry or bus driver. The qualification is a legal requirement and assures the safety of your passengers and other members of the public.
Is the CPC exam hard?
The Driver CPC is not a test. Attendance only is required. However, the content is very useful and informative, so do participate and keep an open mind!
How can I check my Driver CPC hours?
You can keep track of your CPC training hours – how many you’ve done so far and how many left to go – on this UK Government website: https://www.gov.uk/check-your-driver-cpc-periodic-training-hours
Do van drivers need CPC?
If your van is 3.5 tonnes or over and you’re a professional driver by trade, you’ll need a Driver CPC.
Do I need a CPC to drive a minibus?
You will not need a CPC to drive a minibus if it is capable of carrying less than 19 passengers or if you’re not transporting passengers in a professional capacity. Otherwise, you must have a current driver qualification card.
How long does a CPC last?
Your Driver CPC card (a.k.a. driver qualification card) lasts for 5 years, and then you will need to renew it with another round of training.
How do I change between EU and UK when it comes to CPC card?
If you did some or all of your training in another EU country but you have a UK driving licence, you’ll need to apply in writing to get a UK CPC card. You can do this by collecting your UK licence number, phone number, dates you lived abroad and your EU address, the names and addresses of your employers during that time or your tax reference or national insurance number for the countries you worked in, plus a £25 payment. Send all of this information in its original form to the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency at Driver CPC, DVSA, PO Box 280, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE99 1FP.
How do I check my CPC status?
How to register
You need your:
driving licence number
home postcode
A password will be sent by post to the address on your driving licence. Go to this web page: https://dsa.dft.gov.uk/cpcode/flow/user?execution=e1s1
Get in touch
Driver CPC Syllabus
If you think the driver CPC is not relelvant to you, think again. All courses must be approved by JAUPT and must cover specific aspects of being a professional driver.
The driver CPC syllabus covers all the important aspects of professional driving and is split up into the following categories:
• safe and legal driving
• economic and environmentally-friendly driving
• health and safety
• threat awareness
• customer care
• passenger safety
• dealing with challenging situations
• safeguarding and disability awareness
• looking after yourself and your vehicle
• loading and the carriage of goods
PSV Driver and Operators
Make sure your drivers have a valid driver qualification card.
Ensure that the training they receive is relevant to the work they do.
Receive training from passenger transport professionals who have actually done the job.
Get assistance (free of charge) with keeping your CPC training schedule up-to-date.
Have training sessions at your depot, or give your drivers a day out and send them to one of our lovely location on the outskirts of Swindon.
Who Needs a Driver Qualification Card
CPC certification is now legally required for almost all professional drivers holding Category C or Category D licences. There are some exceptions. However, the government recommends all professional lorry, bus, and coach drivers assume they must have the CPC certification in order to drive legally.
The simple answer for professional lorry, bus, and coach drivers is 'everyone'. The key word here is 'professional'.
If you drive any of the following as a means of your principal source of income,
you must be CPC certified:
• Articulated lorries
• Tipper trucks
• Bin lorries
• Heavy construction equipment
• Buses - both regional and local
• Coaches - both regional and continental.
Furthermore, all operators (i.e., haulage and transport businesses) of HGV and PCV vehicles must also be CPC certified. Their training is slightly different due to their status as operators rather than drivers. However, the differences are minimal for practical purposes.
You can check your driver CPC training hours on this government website:
https://www.gov.uk/check-your-driver-cpc-periodic-training-hours
Remedial training, also known as periodic CPC training, is required in order to renew an expiring card every five years. This training is intended to be both professional development and competency training that keeps the professional at the top of his/her game. It involves 35 hours of classroom work offered through an approved training provider such as the Specialised Training Services (HGV Training).
Remedial training does not have to be orientated to a limited list of just a few topics. Companies like ours that develop CPC courses are given the flexibility and latitude to custom design training courses to meet the needs of each of our clients. One client may want drivers to be trained in emergency road safety while another may prefer training in the safe transport of petroleum products.
You can check your periodic training on-line at the governement website. Check this page for more details.
Driver CPC Exceptions
You may be a professional driver operating a qualifying vehicle under the control of the armed forces, a police agency, a fire service, a civil defence organisation, or another entity tasked with maintaining public order. Such uses of commercial vehicles do not always require CPC certification.
• You are driving a minibus with a seating capacity of less than 19, for which you do not need a category C1+ E licence, and for which you receive no remuneration in exchange for your driving
• You are driving the vehicle for the non-commercial carriage of passengers or goods for your own personal use
• You are driving a vehicle for the purposes of rescue during states of emergency
• Your vehicle is being used to transport material or equipment necessary for your work in a job in which driving is not your principal activity
• You are driving for the purposes of testing a newly developed vehicle or a vehicle under repair
• You are driving for the purposes of taking lessons or being tested
• Your vehicle is being driven within 50 km of your base and carries no passengers or goods.
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International Driver CPC will be the new name for how Driver CPC currently works.
You will need to take 35 hours of International Driver CPC training every 5 years to be allowed to drive in the EU and the UK.
The will be no changes to how it works. This means that:
- courses must be at least 7 hours long
- if a course is split over a day, it has to be completed on 2 consecutive days
- e-learning in a trainer-led course is limited to 2 hours
- you’re allowed to do a total of 12 hours e-learning towards your overall 35 hours of training
National Driver CPC will be a more flexible version of the existing Driver CPC.
If you only want to drive in the UK, you’ll be able to take either:
- 35 hours of National Driver CPC training every 5 years
- a combination of 35 hours of National Driver CPC and International Driver CPC training every 5 years
The new flexibility means that with National Driver CPC courses:
- the courses must be at least 3 hours 30 minutes long - training providers will still be able to offer longer courses if they want to
- split courses will not need to be completed on 2 consecutive days - course providers will be free to set their own time limits
- you will be able to take e-learning only courses - for example, you could take an approved 3 hours 30 minutes long e-learning course at your workplace or home
- you’ll be allowed to do a total of 12 hours e-learning towards your overall 35 hours of training
Drivers and hauliers are in even greater demand. There may also be changes to the operater licence requirements coming soon, so driver and manager training are more important than ever. If you already work in a transport operation, or are thinking about setting up as an operator in haulage or PSV, you will need to get plenty of help and advice. We are always happy to speak to people who need some information, so please contact us and we will do what we can to help. We do not charge for any services until we agree with the client. Advice is free!
Drivers must have a Driver Qualification Card, or DQC. If you are a professional large goods vehicle driver (C, C1, C+E or C1+E).
Each CPC card is valid for five years from the date of issue. This means that – unlike the 2014 deadline set when Driver CPC was introduced – each driver’s renewal date is unique to them.
All drivers must undertake 35 hours’ periodic training before the end of the five years following the issue date on their DQC. If the training is not undertaken during that time, they will not be permitted to drive professionally until they have completed their 35 hours.
The best way to ensure that a DQC doesn’t lapse is to carry out at least one day’s mandatory periodic training every year.
The consequences
If a driver is caught driving commercially without their Driver Qualification Card:
Both driver and operator face fines of up to £1000
Driver suspended from driving commercially until training is completed
Possible reduction in driving workforce, and operations adversely affected
If operations are affected, your reputation with customers could be damaged
If convicted, operator’s OCRS rating will drop to red
Likely increase in insurance premiums
From 1 October 2022 the Joint Approvals Unit for Periodic Training (JAUPT) became part of DVSA.
JAUPT processed applications from training providers for centre and course approvals for Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (DCPC) and drink-drive rehabilitation (DDR).
JAUPT offered these services exclusively to DVSA so it was decided to bring the functions JAUPT offered in-house to DVSA. The existing staff have joined DVSA so the service to DCPC training providers and drink-drive rehabilitation providers stays the same.
Services staying the same in the short term
So, the change does not affect the services to DCPC and DDR providers a lot of the services will remain the same to begin with, including:
the current process for approving training courses and centres
uploading new courses
auditing process for training courses and centres
keeping the existing find your nearest service
The phone number for enquiries will continue to be 01908 787 000 and the email for general enquiries is JAUPT-Enquiries@dvsa.gov.uk
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Driver CPC Training Online
We understand that a course via the internet is never the same as face-to-face but we guarantee that we will make it the best
experience we possibly can - informative and fun too.
You will still:
• get a full day of training.
• get the information you need.
• be able to participate and ask questions.
• get a valid CPC certificate.
• get the support we offer all our customers.
• get a very competitive price.
See our Driver CPC page for more info and booking courses
Driver CPC consultation results published
On 11 December 2023, the Department for Transport (DfT) has published its response to the consultation on proposed changes to the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (DCPC).
The consultation ran earlier in the year to gather views on measures to make it simpler to become and remain a professional driver in the UK. The recommendations from the government include:
- introducing a National DCPC (N-DCPC) that will cover driving a lorry, bus or coach in the UK
- allowing training courses to be done in blocks of 3.5 hours rather than the current 7 hours to allow greater flexibility
- Increasing the amount of e-learning that can be done to 12 hours.
These changes will only apply to the N-DCPC for driving a lorry, bus or coach solely within the UK.
The intention is to introduce these changes in summer 2024. The full response has been published on GOV.UK.
Those wanting to drive a lorry, bus or coach outside of the UK will need to complete the training within the existing rules which will not change from 35 hours of training every 5 years.
Making it easier to return to driving
The government is also looking to speed up the process for drivers whose DCPC has run out to return to driving a lorry, bus or coach in the UK.
This would be by allowing them to take 7 hours of training before returning to the sector and making the remaining 28 hours up within the first year.
This would only be for NDCPC and is not expected to be introduced until 2025.
Further consultation
The consultation also asked about the introduction of a periodic test to take the place of training. Further consultation is needed on this option which will be launched in the new year.
Understanding Driver CPC
The Driver CPC (Certificate of Professional Competence) was introduced in 2008 for PCV Drivers and 2009 for Lorry Drivers. It represents a pivotal step in enhancing road safety and compliance within the transport industry. But what exactly is Driver CPC, and how does it affect you?
Choosing the Right CPC Training Course
Driver CPC Training comes in two forms: Periodic and Initial Driver CPC Training. The choice depends on your specific circumstances. Periodic training is for those with acquired rights. This may include holding a 7.5-tonne, class 2, or class 1 license before September 9th, 2009. Or a PCV license, this would be before September 9th, 2008. For these individuals, a 35-hour (five-day) Periodic Training session is required every five years.
If you passed your car test before January 1997, you may be entitled to drive 7.5-tonne vehicles (Cat C1). Candidates with a C1 entitlement pre-September 9th, 2009, attend Periodic Training on acquired rights, even if they have never passed a vocational driving test. If you hold both bus and coach, as well as lorry vocational licenses, you need only complete one set of Periodic Training.
CPC Training for Lorry Drivers.
If you operate a vehicle over 3.5 tonnes for work purposes, you must hold a Driver Qualification Card. Drivers who had a lorry entitlement of C1 (7.5 Tonne) or higher on September 9th, 2009, needed to complete 35 hours of Periodic CPC Training. This needs to be done by September 9th, 2014, to obtain a Driver Qualification Card valid for five years. During this period, they completed another 35 hours of periodic training to drive beyond 2019.
Each new five-year period begins from the expiry date of the current Driver CPC qualification. If you did not have a lorry entitlement of C1 (7.5 Tonne) or higher on September 9th, 2009, you must obtain your first Driver Qualification Card by completing Initial CPC.
CPC Training for PCV Drivers
If you drive vehicles requiring D1 (minibus) or D (bus) licenses for work, a Driver Qualification Card is essential. Drivers with a lorry entitlement of D1 (minibus) or higher on September 9th, 2008, had to complete 35 hours of Periodic CPC Training by September 9th, 2013, to obtain a five-year valid Driver Qualification Card. During this period, they completed another 35 hours of periodic training to drive beyond 2018.
As with lorry drivers, each new five-year period begins from the expiry date of the current Driver CPC qualification. If you did not have an entitlement of D1 or higher on September 9th, 2008, you must obtain your first Driver Qualification Card by completing Initial CPC.
CPC Training for Dual Entitlement (Lorry & PCV) Drivers
If you held a PCV License on September 9th, 2008, and a lorry license on September 9th, 2009, your 35 hours of Periodic Training will cover both. However, if you held only one license at the cut-off dates and gained the other later, you require an Initial CPC for your new entitlement (and Periodic for your old entitlement). The benefit is that once you’ve completed your Initial CPC, any subsequent Periodic Training will count toward both categories.
If you have 'acquired rights' on your driving licence, it may be possible to drive another catoegory professionally, but you will have to make sure you have completed the right CPC courses. To be able to sit a standard Driver CPC course, you need to be able to answer yes to one of the following 3 statements:
A) I passed my car test before 1997
B) I passed a vocational driving qualification before 2008(PCV) or 2009(HGV)
C) I currently hold or have held a driver CPC card
If a driver held a Cat C or CE licence prior to the introduction of CPC on 10 September 2009, they were granted acquired rights for the first 5 years. These acquired rights expired on 9 September 2014.
If the driver holds these acquired rights, 35 hours of periodic training should renew the entitlement.
You can still drive professionally while waiting for your card if both of the following apply:
• you’ve done your periodic training
• your training provider has recorded the training (they must do this within 5 working days of the training ending)
For drivers who passed their test while in the Armed Forces, you will need to complete modules 2 and 4 of the current driving test.
How much does a CPC course cost?
The cost of a CPC course can vary, depending on where and how you do it. It is usually cheaper per person if a company runs a course because they often pay a group fee, instead of for each person, but generally a CPC course is between £50 and £70 per day's course.
For drivers of companies in Swindon, Royal Wootton Bassett, Marlborough, Chippenham, Corsham, Newbury, Hungerford, Cirencester, Stroud, Wantage, Didcot, Witney, Abingdon, Oxford and Reading, we offer classroom CPC courses at exceptionally reasonable rates that suit the client's needs.
For companies we have a sliding scale of pricing, so you pay as little as necessary to get your drivers CPC trained.
Driver CPC courses in the workplace for as little as £35 per driver - 10 to 15 drivers.
For 5 still only £55 per driver, and for fewer than 5, it is 175+18 per driver.
For 15 to 20 drivers it is just 30 per driver!
Email: contact@swindontraining.com or use the contact form and we will get back to you right away.
The CPC Scheme Explained
The CPC (Certificate of Professional Competence) scheme was developed in order to standardise professional levels of competency across Europe in the transport sector, which is subject to detailed and comprehensive legislation. The scheme applies to drivers and transport managers.
The idea is that a professional driver will undertake 35 hours of periodic training within a 5-year period. This may be taken all at once – 5 modules of 7 hours each during a week of training, or it may be spread over the 5-year period, for instance, the individual undertaking a CPC module once or twice a year until he or she has ‘banked’ the requisite number of CPC training hours.
A transport manager will complete an initial Transport Manager CPC course and will then undertake periodic refresher courses in order to stay abreast of current legislation.
Staying up to date with changes in legislation, keeping key information fresh and to the forefront of our thinking and ensuring that we all understand the importance of the role we play in compliancy and customer care are some of the mainstays of the CPC scheme, each clearly laid out in the CPC syllabus (see JAUPT).
A solid CPC course will look at specific factors that affect the transport industry, legislation and driver behaviours. It will provide ample learning opportunities for the attendees and, like any vocational training course, a driver CPC module will involve the recycling and refreshing of knowledge that the participants already have, with opportunities to build on that knowledge and apply it to their own specific context.
Another extremely important part of the CPC training scheme is to increase the learner’s confidence in their own ability to carry out their daily tasks effectively and address any issues or concerns they may have. This is why it is essential for the trainer to create an environment that permits and encourages the participants to be open and frank about their own experiences and (professional) opinions. As a trainer, I have found that I learn something new every time I deliver a course, so I too gain from the process and always aim to use the experience to develop professionally.
Operating Light Goods Vehicles in Europe? – Apply for your International Operators’ Licence TODAY
From 21 May 2022, new EU rules mean that if you are intending to use a Light Goods Vehicle weighing more than 2.5 tonnes to transport goods for hire or reward into or through the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein, you will need an International Operators’ Licence.
With less than a month until these rules come into effect, if you want to continue to operate in the EU without interruption, you need to apply for an operators’ licence and select the interim option.
To avoid delays in processing your application, please visit GOV.UK for a full list of the information required.
When completing your application, remember:
- You’ll need to have a qualified transport manager. If you do not have the qualification, you might be able to be temporarily recognised as a transport manager if you have enough experience. You can make the process easier by using the service on GOV.UK.
- You’ll need to show documents such as bank statements, to prove that you have access to a set amount of finance to run your business. See which documents you can use.
Do you already hold an International Operators’ Licence?
If you already hold an International Operators' Licence for Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) you can add extra LGVs to your existing licence.
You may also need to make posting declarations for journeys to the EU
Don’t forget that if you’re transporting goods between two points in the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway for commercial purposes, (known as cabotage or cross trade), you must now make a “posting declaration”, which means registering the operator, driver, driver employment details, dates of travel, and the vehicle used.
This could be using HGVs, vans or other light goods vehicles of any size, or cars, whether or not you’re towing a trailer. It’ll apply if you’re moving the goods for hire or reward, or for your own business’ use.