What is Driver CPC?

When it comes to the Driver CPC Certification, things can seem a little confusing, but we are here to take the mystery out of it. If you are looking into professional lorry (LGV – Large Goods Vehicle), bus or coach (PCV – Passenger Carrying Vehicle) driving, then we have everything covered below!

What exactly is Driver CPC and who needs it?

Before we break it down into the nitty gritty, essentially the Driver CPC Certification is now a legal requirement for professional drivers of LGV’s and PCV’s. This certification has been established by the European Union to ensure all professional drivers are both competent and proficient. Though we have left the EU, these are still a legal requirement in the UK.

While there are some exceptions, generally this certification is legally required for all drivers working for hire or reward and holding one of the following licences:

Large Goods Vehicles (LGVs):

Category C1
Category C
Category C+E

Passenger Carrying Vehicles (PCV):

Category D1
Category D
Category D+E

Find out more about the different licences here!

The UK government recommends that ALL professional lorry, bus and coach drivers assume that they need the Driver CPC Certification.

These standards are applied to initial driver training and involve a continuing career-long education.

What is CPC?

CPC stands for ‘Certificate of Professional Competence’ and spans across many industries. To avoid confusion, in the haulage and transport industries we will refer to this specific certification as Driver CPC.

To get started, you will first need to go through Initial Training!

What is Initial Training?

When looking into professional driving, you will likely want to obtain your Category C or Category D licence, depending on the type of vehicle you want to drive. Along with CPC training, you will be required to prepare for the appropriate Module 1 theory & hazard perception test and Module 3 practical skills instruction to pass the driver’s final two DVSA tests. This entire process combined, including all the tests, is known as the ‘initial CPC qualification’.

This initial qualification is REQUIRED to obtain a commercial driving licence and drive for hire or reward. Within UK law, you are allowed to take up to two years to pass all modules and complete this qualification. If that time expires you will need to start again.

At SP Training, we have three programmes that you can take to follow attain your Driver CPC, either a 5-day DCPC course, or as part of an apprenticeship which also allows you to gain your licence. Both have pros and cons depending on the learner and circumstances – we recommend you look into which one would suit you or your business! Most initial driver CPC would be gained through doing Mod 2 (Case Study exam) & Mod 4 (‘Show me, Tell me’ practical assessment)

Once you have completed your Driver CPC, this qualification will be good for five years. The great thing about the apprenticeship route is that you get 10 years of Driver CPC included!

What is Periodic CPC Training?

Once you have completed your Initial Training, you will be required to undertake Periodic CPC Training to ensure that your DQC (Driver Qualification Card) does not expire. This carries on throughout your professional career, no matter how often or how long you drive for.

To maintain your qualification, you are required to do 35 hours of training before the five-year deadline. All JAUPT (the national quality assurance body) approved Driver CPC courses count towards periodic training.

The minimum length of a training course is 7 hours. It can be taken over 2 consecutive days and can include up to 2 hours of online training before you start.

Some non-Driver CPC courses can also count towards your 35 hours, including Dangerous Goods ADR. If you are uncertain, please contact us or check with DVSA to ensure each course is applicable.

Please note that you cannot repeat the same course more than once in a five-year period, unless you have good reason (i.e., you need to maintain your dangerous good qualification).

What do we do?

If you want to make a start on your Driver CPC, we are here to help!

At SP Training we offer a huge variety of Driver CPC courses to meet your needs, meaning you can focus on what is most important to you when you undertake your Driver CPC Training.

If you are a company, we can work together with you to build training programmes that can be intelligently applied to your business. This is designed for cost savings, enhanced compliance, and increased business productivity.

For individuals, we have a huge variety of courses that are interesting and packed with knowledge. With over 20 years of experience and highly qualified Trainers, we have developed a range of courses that address specific business objectives and needs.