Driver CPC training for qualified drivers
When to take training
Your Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) qualification lasts for 5 years. To keep your Driver CPC you need to do 35 hours of training before your 5-year deadline.
The deadline to do your training is shown on your card.
If you have 2 deadlines on your Driver CPC card
If your card has 2 deadlines (one for lorries, one for buses), complete your training by the earliest deadline.
The next card you get will have the same deadline for both.
If you miss your training deadline
It’s illegal to drive professionally if your training is not complete by your deadline. Find out what to do if you missed the deadline.
You can be fined up to £1,000 for driving professionally without Driver CPC.
Drivers with ‘acquired rights’
Having ‘acquired rights’ means that you did not have to take the Driver CPC initial qualification because of your existing driving experience.
You have acquired rights if you got your vocational licence before the dates shown in the table.
| Vehicle categories included | When you got your vocational licence | |
|---|---|---|
| Lorry | C, C1, C+E and C1+E | Before 10 September 2009 |
| Bus or coach | D, D1, D+E, D1+E | Before 10 September 2008 |
| Bus or coach (not for hire or reward) | D(101) | After 1991 |
| Minibus (not for hire or reward) | D1(101) | Before 1997 |
If you held only a D(101) or D1(101) licence before 10 September 2008
You’ll need to contact DVSA if you want to add your acquired rights for buses to your Driver CPC records.
If you want to drive a large vehicle for profit you’ll need to apply for a provisional HGV or bus licence. This is known as using your vehicle for ‘hire or reward’.
If you have acquired rights and missed your training
The training deadlines for drivers with acquired rights have passed. Find out what to do if you missed the deadline.