Driver CPC Training

An introduction to Driver Certificate of Professional Competence

How much training is required?
All drivers must undertake 35 hours of training in every five-year period. The minimum length of a training course that contributes to the Periodic Training requirement is seven hours.

What is 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.

How is it delivered?
Courses and training centres must be approved by JAUPT on behalf of the Competent Authority for the delivery of periodic training. The content, title and method of delivery of each training course are looked at during the approval process.

A course is a coherent programme of learning of at least seven hours. The seven hours excludes any breaks; only direct training and contact time (time with a trainer) count towards the Periodic Training requirement. Periodic Training is designed to improve the knowledge of the driver and it could include courses in subjects such as Disability Awareness, Tachograph Regulations and Safe and Fuel-Efficient Driving. There are no tests or exams involved but training centres will be required to evaluate each course to ensure that those attending have benefited from the training that they have received.

Who is affected by the requirements for Periodic Training?

Who does Driver CPC apply to?
Driver CPC applies to all new and existing drivers who wish to drive professionally and who require an LGV or PCV licence in order to do their job.

New Drivers
New drivers who gain their initial Driver CPC after 10 September 2008 (PCV) or 10 September 2009 (LGV) will immediately begin their cycle of periodic training upon receipt of their Driver Qualification Card (DQC) and will need to complete 35 hours of training within five years of attaining their initial Driver CPC and then complete 35 hours of training every subsequent five years. Periodic Training could include courses in subjects such as Disability Awareness, Tachograph Regulations and Safe and Fuel-Efficient Driving.

Drivers who hold both a PCV and LGV licence
Drivers with both PCV and LGV licences will have to complete only one course of 35 hours of Periodic Training every five years; they will not have to undertake 35 hours of training for each licence category.

Drivers with LGV/PCV licences from other countries
Periodic Training must be completed in the country of employment or residence. Drivers from other countries, who are based in the UK, can undertake Periodic Training in the UK if residing here for longer than six months in a calendar year.

Training completed in another EU state, where employed or resident, will count towards Periodic Training in the UK.

Exemptions
The Driver CPC directive will not apply to the drivers of

• Vehicles with a maximum authorised speed not exceeding 45 km/h
• Vehicles used by or under the control of the armed forces, civil defence, the fire service and forces responsible for maintaining public order
• Vehicles undergoing road tests for technical development, repair or maintenance purposes, or of new or rebuilt
• Vehicles which have not yet been put into service
• Vehicles used in states of emergency or assigned to rescue missions
• Vehicles used in the course of driving lessons for any person wishing to obtain a driving licence or Driver CPC
• Vehicles used for non-commercial carriage of passengers or goods for personal use
• Vehicles carrying material or equipment to be used by the driver in the course of his or her work, provided that driving the vehicle is not the driver’s principal activity

Further details can be obtained from;

Joint Approvals Unit for Periodic Training
12 Warren Yard
Warren Farm Office Village
Milton Keynes
MK12 5NW

T 0844 800 4184

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.                          www.drivercpc-periodictraining.org

The role of IVR Training Services - IVR (TS)

The Institute of Vehicle Recovery looked closely at the requirements of the Driver CPC and came to the conclusion that there was a close link between the requirements of the DCPC and the National Training Scheme. The Institute invested time and funds in writing lesson plans which were submitted to JAUPT with an application to become a Training Provider.

Following the successful application, and the recruitment of instructors to deliver the training, IVR (TS) Limited was able to offer Driver CPC training at a great saving to the roadside assistance and recovery sector.  The saving is due to the Driver CPC lesson plans being directly linked to the National Training Scheme, this enables a customer to add National Training Scheme requirements to the Driver CPC requirements - the end result being their staff achieve both the DCPC and National Training Scheme qualification simultaneously, which reduces the cost to the employer. 

What DCPC courses are IVR (TS) able to offer?

IVR (TS) Limited is currently able to offer five DCPC Training courses, these are;

The above enables a driver to achieve the 35 hours required for Driver CPC through IVR training.

Instructors approved to deliver DCPC are listed on this website and can be contacted for a quotation in the usual way.

For further details contact IVR (TS) Limited on 01895 436426 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

13/7/15