The Government has announced that reforms to the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) will take effect on 3 December.
The changes, set out a year ago following a consultation and approved by Parliament in October, deliver added flexibility on certification and training in a move to tackle the driver shortage.
From 3 December 2024, drivers can choose to stay qualified using either an International Driver CPC route or National Driver CPC option.
International Driver CPC is the new name for how Driver CPC previously worked. Drivers need to take 35 hours of International Driver CPC training every five years to be allowed to drive in the EU and the UK.
There are no changes to the former scheme structure and drivers must still take courses that are at least seven hours long. If a course is split over a day, it must completed on two consecutive days. Drivers can also carry out a total of 12 hours of e-learning towards the overall 35 hours of training.
Drivers who only want to drive in the UK can take the National Driver CPC as a more flexible version of the previous Driver CPC. They’re now able to choose from either 35 hours of National Driver CPC training every five years or a combination of 35 hours of National Driver CPC and International Driver CPC training every five years.
The new flexibility means that National Driver CPC courses only need to be three hours 30 minutes long – compared to seven hours before. But training providers can still offer longer courses if they want to. Drivers don’t need to be complete training on two consecutive days if it’s a split course and course providers are free to set their own time limits. Courses can also be e-learning only – enabling drivers to take an approved three hours 30 minutes long e-learning course at their workplace or home. Drivers are also allowed to do a total of 12 hours of e-learning towards their overall 35 hours of training.
Under the changes, drivers taking the qualifying tests for the first time will automatically have an International Driver CPC for the first five years, enabling them to drive in the UK and the EU. The type of periodic training they then take to stay qualified will then affect which type of Driver CPC they have from that point on.
There are also reforms for those returning to professional training after their Driver CPC has lapsed. Currently such drivers have to take 35 hours of training before they’re allowed to start driving again. This will change from 1 February 2025.
From this date, drivers whose International or National Driver CPC has lapse for between 60 days and two years will have four options.
These include the current International Driver CPC training with 35 hours of required training, and National Driver CPC training with 35 hours of training for professional driving in the UK.
But drivers can also take International Driver CPC training with a new seven-hour ‘return to driving’ training module that enables them to start driving professionally again in the UK and then take the 28 hours of other International Driver CPC training within 12 months of finishing the ‘return to driving’ module in order to start driving professionally again in the EU.
A final option is a National Driver CPC training with a ‘return to driving’ module. Drivers can take the new seven-hour ‘return to driving’ training module to start driving professionally again in the UK and take a further 28 hours of National Driver CPC or International Driver CPC training within 12 months of finishing the ‘return to driving’ module.
The changes in 2025 will not affect what drivers need to do if their International or National Driver CPC expired more than two years ago. They will still need to either take 35 hours of International Driver CPC training before they can drive again in the UK and EU, or take 35 hours of National Driver CPC (or a combination of 35 hours of National and International CPC training) before they can drive again in the UK.
Drivers will still be required to their Driver CPC cards but from 3 December 2024, drivers may get a different Driver CPC card (sometimes called a ‘driver qualification card’ or ‘DQC’) depending on which option they choose to stay qualified with.
The Driver CPC card for the International Driver CPC will look the same as the current Driver CPC card.
The card for the National Driver CPC will look similar to the current Driver CPC card but will include the text ‘DOMESTIC UK USE ONLY’.
