Driver CPC - Driver Certificate of Professional Competence

European law now requires that in order to keep their entitlement to drive professionally, all category C and D licence holders must take part in 35 hours retraining every five years, to obtain a Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (Driver CPC) this known as Periodic Training.

Periodic training is continuing professional development for bus, coach and lorry drivers. It carries on throughout the professional driver's career - no matter how infrequently they drive.

If you are an existing driver you will have 'acquired rights', sometimes referred to as 'grandfather' rights and you are deemed to already hold a Driver CPC. Bus and coach drivers will have acquired rights up until September 2013 and lorry drivers until September 2014. To keep your Driver CPC and continue driving professionally beyond this date, you will need to undertake 35 hours of periodic training.

Only approved courses taken at an approved training centre will count towards periodic training. You must attend an approved training centre when undergoing training but you do not have to do all 35 hours at once. Logically it would make sense to complete one day (7 hours) every year. Once you have completed your 35 hours you will be issued with a Driver Qualification Card (DQC). Once issued, this must be carried at all times whilst driving professionally.

* Failure to produce a valid DQC at the roadside can result in a fine of up to £1,000.

Acquired rights means that your driving licence will be accepted as proof of your Driver CPC status until you have completed your 35 hours training within the first 5 year cycle at which point you will be issued with a DQC.

New drivers will be automatically issued with a DQC on successfully passing the initial qualification. Existing drivers (holding a GB photo card licence) will be automatically issued with the card on completion of the 35th hour of periodic training.

An ADR training course now counts towards the 35 hours Periodic Training that you must do to obtain a Driver CPC. An Initial Training course can count as up to 21 hours and a Refresher Course can count as 7 hours.

Contact one of our Team for more information.