Vehicle Drivers (Certificates of Professional Competence) Regulations 2007
What this means for your business
- Enforced by
- DVSA
- Applies to
- United Kingdom
- On this page
- 14 compliance obligations, 6 practical guides
What you must do
14 compliance obligations under this legislation — 1 can result in imprisonment.
Notifications 1
Notify competent authority and pay fee when trainees complete CPC courses
If your business is approved to provide professional competence training for vehicle drivers, you must tell the competent authority each time one of your trainees finishes a periodic, national periodic, or national return‑to‑driving course, and you must pay a fee of £1.25 for every hour (or part‑hour) of the course. The authority will keep a record of these notifications.
Other requirements 3
Present a valid licence and suitable vehicle before your initial CPC test
If you (or one of your drivers) is taking the initial Certificate of Professional Competence test, you must show a licence that covers the vehicle class you’re being tested on and prove your identity before the test starts. For the practical part you also need to supply a vehicle that meets the power, size, load‑carrying and equipment specifications set out in the regulations. If the licence is not accepted you must hand it over to the test examiner.
Refuse to conduct CPC test when requirements are not met
If you run CPC (Certificate of Professional Competence) tests, you must turn down any practical or theoretical test when the vehicle, candidate or trainer does not meet the required rules – for example, the vehicle is the wrong category, the candidate’s identity cannot be verified, or the trainer has broken their undertaking. This ensures only eligible candidates take the test.
Take the initial CPC test before driving a relevant vehicle
Fine up to £1,000If you or your drivers want to operate a large goods or passenger vehicle (categories C, C+E, D or D+E) on UK roads after the dates 10 Sept 2008 (D‑type) or 10 Sept 2009 (C‑type), you must have successfully passed the appropriate initial CPC test (or hold an exempting document). Without this you are not allowed to drive the vehicle.
Offences and prohibitions 4
Fail to carry or produce CPC evidence while driving
Fine up to £1,000If a driver who must hold a Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) or has completed a return‑to‑driving course does not have the appropriate document in the vehicle, or cannot show it when a police officer or vehicle examiner asks, they commit an offence. A conviction results in a fine of up to £1,000 on summary conviction.
Fail to report or return a lost/damaged driver qualification card
Fine up to £1,000If a driver does not promptly tell the DVSA in writing that their driver qualification card, national driver qualification card or NVT certificate is damaged, lost or stolen, or does not return the card to the authority when it is later found, they commit an offence. On summary conviction the driver faces a fine of up to £1,000. No prison term is attached.
Fail to surrender or replace CPC card when required
Fine up to £1,000If the DVSA tells you to return a National Vehicle Testing (NVT) certificate or driver qualification card because it was issued in error, contains a mistake, or your name has changed, you must surrender it promptly. Not doing so (or failing to provide a new card) without a reasonable excuse is an offence. On conviction you face a fine up to £1,000 (level 3 on the standard scale).
Forge or falsify driver qualification documents
2 years imprisonmentIf you create, alter, use or lend a forged or false driver qualification document (or a document that looks so like the genuine one it could deceive) with the intention to trick the regulator, or if you knowingly give a false statement to obtain a driver qualification card or NVT certificate, you commit an offence. On conviction you can be sentenced to up to two years in prison, an unlimited fine, or both. The offence can be tried either in the magistrates' court (summary) or in the Crown Court (indictable).
Registration and licensing 4
Apply for a driver qualification card
If you are a professional driver who has passed the initial CPC test and hold a qualifying licence (or have completed the required training or a return‑to‑driving course), you must apply for a driver qualification card. You need to submit an application to the competent authority, pay the £25 fee (unless waived) and provide any requested documents such as a photo or proof of training.
Apply for a national driver qualification card
If you (or a driver you employ) hold a qualifying licence and have completed the required training or a national return‑to‑driving course, you must apply for a national driver qualification card. The application costs £25 (unless the authority waives it) and must include any requested photo and proof of the training you have done.
Exchange foreign driver qualification card for a UK card
If you or any of your drivers hold a valid EU or Swiss driver qualification card and also have a UK driving licence, you must apply to the UK authority to swap it for a UK driver qualification card. You need to submit an application, pay the £25 fee (unless the authority waives it), and include your personal details and the foreign card. The new UK card will be issued for the same period as the original foreign card.
Obtain approval to provide CPC training courses
If you want to run any periodic, national periodic or national return‑to‑driving training for commercial vehicle drivers, you must first get written approval from the competent authority. This means submitting an application with the required documents, paying the prescribed fees and securing separate approval for each course you intend to run. The approval lasts five years for you as a provider and one year for each individual course, after which it must be renewed.
Training 2
Complete a national return to driving course when required
If a driver’s CPC card has expired, they must take a 7‑hour national return to driving course (up to 2 hours can be e‑learning) in the UK. This is only allowed if they held a valid driver qualification card within the previous two years, the card expired at least 60 days ago, and they have not done a return course in the past five years. After the course they have one year to add extra training if they want a periodic CPC.
Provide CPC periodic training that meets UK requirements
If you employ drivers who hold a Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC), you must arrange a national periodic training course that follows the prescribed rules. The course must be at least three and a half hours per session, can be split over non‑consecutive days, and must be delivered in the United Kingdom.
Penalties for non-compliance
5 penalties under this legislation. 1 can result in imprisonment. 1 carry an unlimited fine.
Forge or falsify driver qualification documents
Unlimited fine and/or 2 years imprisonment
Drive a vehicle without a CPC
Fine up to £1,000
Fail to carry or produce CPC evidence while driving
Fine up to £1,000
Fail to report or return a lost/damaged driver qualification card
Fine up to £1,000
Fail to surrender or replace CPC card when required
Fine up to £1,000
Practical guidance
Our guides explain how to comply with the requirements above.
Get an operator's licence for goods vehicles
How to apply for an O-licence to operate goods vehicles for business. Covers Standard and Restricted licences, financial standing, transport …
Goods Vehicle Operator Licensing
Understand O-licence requirements for operating goods vehicles over 3.5 tonnes.
Driver CPC Requirements
Understand Driver Certificate of Professional Competence requirements for HGV and bus drivers.
Tachographs and Drivers' Hours
Understand tachograph requirements and drivers' hours rules for goods vehicle operations.
Transporting Dangerous Goods (ADR)
Comply with ADR regulations for transporting dangerous goods by road.
Goods Vehicle Operator Compliance Checklist
A yes/no audit checklist covering all key goods vehicle operator obligations including O-licence conditions, vehicle maintenance, drivers, tachographs, and load …
Sections and provisions
28 classified provisions from this legislation.
Duties 12
- s.4 Persons who must take initial CPC test
- s.6 Persons providing training courses
- s.7 Record to be kept by competent authority of periodic training courses, national periodic training courses and national return to driving courses time a person
- Application for driver qualification card Application for driver qualification card
- Application for national driver qualification card Application for national driver qualification card
- Eligibility for, and requirements of, national ret Eligibility for, and requirements of, national return to driving courses
- Examiner’s right to refuse to conduct test Examiner’s right to refuse to conduct test fee paid pursuant
- Exchange of a driver qualification card issued out Exchange of a driver qualification card issued outside the United Kingdom or of a Swiss CPC
- Further requirements at tests: initial CPC test Further requirements at tests: initial CPC test
- Issue of driver qualification card Issue of driver qualification card
- Issue of national driver qualification card Issue of national driver qualification card
- Requirements of national periodic training courses Requirements of national periodic training courses