What is CPC Training and Do You Need It?
If you’re new to HGV driving, you might be wondering, “What is CPC?” This page is here to answer all your questions, such as “What is CPC?”, “Do I need CPC?”, and “What is a CPC Card?”
What is CPC?
The Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) is a mandatory qualification for anyone looking to drive HGVs, buses, or coaches professionally. If you drive an HGV, LGV, bus, or coach for a living, you are required to hold a Driver CPC. To keep your qualification valid, you must complete 35 hours of periodic training every five years.
CPC training was introduced to enhance driving standards and improve road safety, ensuring that drivers remain up to date with health, safety, and legal requirements.
While CPC is a legal requirement for most Category C or D licence holders, there are some exceptions, which we’ll cover later.
New drivers who successfully pass the initial CPC qualification receive a Driver Qualification Card (DQC), often referred to as a CPC Card. There are two types of Driver CPC: Initial Driver CPC and Periodic CPC Training.
It’s illegal to drive professionally without a CPC, and the penalties for doing so can be severe, with fines of up to £1,000.
Driver CPC Initial Qualification Glasgow
If you’re driving for personal use, you’re not required to complete the Initial CPC Qualification.
Drivers who passed their car test before January 1997 and have ‘Grandfather’ rights for a C1 vehicle, or who passed their Category C1, C, or C+E test before September 2009, are exempt from this requirement. However, all other drivers must complete the Initial Qualification. Failing to do so can result in driving illegally, which could lead to licence revocation, fines, or even imprisonment.
Periodic CPC Training Glasgow
After completing the Initial Qualification, it’s the driver’s responsibility to ensure they keep their CPC up to date. Periodic CPC Training involves 35 hours of classroom-based retraining every five years (roughly 7 hours per year). Failing to complete this training within the five-year period will render your licence invalid until the required hours are completed.
For drivers who passed their Category C, C1, or C+E test before September 2009, the deadline to complete this training was September 2014. Other drivers must complete it within five years of passing their Module 4 test.
What is Initial CPC?
Initial Driver CPC is mandatory for new drivers and optional for those with ‘acquired rights’. It’s the first step towards obtaining your Driver Qualification Card (DQC) and consists of two parts, both of which must be passed to earn your CPC card.
If you’re new to HGV driving, you’ll undergo a comprehensive training program divided into four parts, covering both the theory and practical aspects of HGV driving. These parts include the Initial CPC modules. If you plan to drive professionally, you’ll need to complete all four parts.
If you’re only driving for personal reasons, such as horsebox driving, you may not need the CPC qualification and will only need to complete parts 1 and 3. There are additional exemptions that we’ll discuss later.
By completing all four sections, you’ll earn your full Driver CPC alongside your HGV driving licence.
What is Periodic CPC?
Periodic CPC Training is designed for experienced HGV drivers. After obtaining your Initial Driver CPC, you’re legally required to maintain it by completing 35 hours of Periodic Training every five years.
Introduced in 2008 as a form of Continual Professional Development, Periodic CPC Training ensures that your skills and knowledge stay current and relevant to the type of work you do as a professional HGV driver.
To maintain your DQC or CPC card, you must complete these 35 hours of training over a five-year period. This training can be done in one go or spread out over several days.
Driver CPC Periodic Training covers various aspects of commercial HGV driving. The training modules must be approved by the Joint Approvals Unit for Periodic Training (JAUPT) and the DVSA, so it’s essential to choose a JAUPT-approved provider.
When is My Driver CPC Due?
If you qualified as an HGV driver before 2009, you must complete your periodic training within a defined five-year cycle. The current cycle began in 2019 and will end on September 9th, 2024.
For those who completed their Initial CPC qualification after September 10th, 2009, you must complete your training within five years of your initial qualification date.
It’s crucial to schedule your Driver CPC training within the five-year period, as driving without a valid CPC is an offence that can lead to fines of up to £1,000 for both the driver and the operator.
