Changes to Driver CPC in 2024 and 2025
Find out about changes that will be made to the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) for heavy goods vehicle (HGV), bus and coach drivers.
Introduction of changes
This page explains how the changes to Driver CPC will affect drivers.
The exact dates the changes will be introduced have not yet been confirmed.
More guidance will be published before the changes are introduced.
Overview
To be a heavy goods vehicle (HGV), bus or coach driver, you need a professional driving qualification called the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (Driver CPC).
There will be changes to Driver CPC to make it more flexible for people who only drive professionally in the UK.
The first changes will affect:
- how you can stay qualified
- how you can return to professional driving
Staying qualified
You will be able to choose to stay qualified using either:
- International Driver CPC
- National Driver CPC
International Driver CPC
International Driver CPC will be the new name for the current Driver CPC.
There will be no changes to how it works.
You will need to take 35 hours of International Driver CPC periodic training every five years to be allowed to drive in the UK and EU.
This means that:
- courses must be at least seven hours long
- if a course is split over a day, it has to be completed on two consecutive days
- e-learning in a trainer-led course is limited to two hours and a maximum total of 12 of your 35 hours periodic training can be completed through e-learning
National Driver CPC
National Driver CPC will be a more flexible version of the International Driver CPC.
If you only want to drive professionally in the UK, you’ll be able to take either:
- 35 hours of National Driver CPC training every five years
- a combination of 35 hours of National Driver CPC and International Driver CPC training every five years
The new flexibility means that with National Driver CPC courses:
- courses must be at least three and a half hours long and training providers will still be able to offer longer courses if they want to
- split courses will not need to be completed on two consecutive days as training providers will be free to set their own time limits
- you will be able to take e-learning only courses and a maximum total of 12 of your 35 hours periodic training can be completed through e-learning.
Summary of options to stay qualified
You will have two options to help you stay qualified:
- take 35 hours of International Driver CPC training every five years to be able to drive professionally in the EU and UK.
- take 35 hours of National Driver CPC training every five years (or a combination of 35 hours of National and International Driver CPC training) every five years to be able to drive professionally in the UK.
If your training deadline is approaching
If your training deadline is before the changes are introduced, you must stay qualified using the options available to you at the time.
You can be fined up to £1,000 for driving professionally without Driver CPC.
- Find Driver CPC training courses - (DVSA Training Accreditation)
- Check your Driver CPC periodic training hours
Getting qualified
When you pass the qualifying tests, you will automatically have International Driver CPC for the first five years.
This means you will be able to drive in the UK and the EU.
The type of periodic training you then take to stay qualified will then affect which type of Driver CPC you have from that point on.
Returning to professional driving
Currently, if your Driver CPC has expired and you want to return to driving, you need to complete 35 hours of training before you’re allowed to start driving again.
This is set to change.
If your International or National Driver CPC expired up to two years ago
Pending the changes being approved, from 2025, if your International or National Driver CPC has been expired between 60 days and two years, you will have three options:
Option 1: International Driver CPC training
The first option is the current process that’s available:
- take 35 hours of International Driver CPC training
- start driving professionally again in the UK and EU
Option 2: International Driver CPC training with a ‘return to driving’ module
- take a new seven-hour ‘return to driving’ training module
- start driving professionally again in the UK
- take 28 hours of other International Driver CPC training within 12 months of finishing the ‘return to driving’ module
- start driving professionally again in the EU
Option 3: National Driver CPC training with a ‘return to driving’ module
- take a new seven-hour ‘return to driving’ training module
- start driving professionally again in the UK
- take a further 28 hours of National Driver CPC or International Driver CPC training within 12 months of finishing the ‘return to driving’ module
You’ll need to stay qualified using the options available at the time.
If your International or National Driver CPC expired more than two years ago
The changes in 2025 will not affect what you need to do if your International or National Driver CPC expired more than two years ago.
This means you will still need to either:
- take 35 hours of International Driver CPC training before you can drive again in the UK and EU
- take 35 hours of National Driver CPC (or a combination of 35 hours of National and International CPC training) before you can drive again in the UK
Further potential changes
Proposals to introduce a new National Driver CPC periodic theory test are also being considered.
This has not yet been agreed and there is no planned date for when this test will be available.
More information will be published before any proposals are agreed.