Are your drivers up to date with their Driver CPC?

15 May 2024

The approaching deadline for professional drivers to complete their Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) training is September 9, 2024.

To ensure that their drivers can find suitable training in time, operators are urged to encourage drivers whose Driver CPC expires this September to confirm that they have fulfilled the required 35 hours well before the September 9 deadline.

Why is there such a high demand for training every five years?

2024 marks the 15-year milestone of Driver CPC for lorry drivers. Initially introduced, all lorry drivers were mandated to obtain their driver qualification card by September 9, 2014.

Consequently, many current cards are set to expire simultaneously, resulting in a surge of drivers seeking to complete their 35 hours of training every five years. Data indicates that a significant number of drivers postpone their training until the final six months. In 2019, the monthly average of training hours increased fivefold compared to the previous year’s equivalent timeframe.

What are the consequences if drivers miss their training deadline?

They are unable to drive professionally until they complete their training, and they may face fines of up to £1,000 for engaging in professional driving without a valid Driver CPC.

For detailed information on what drivers should do if they miss their training deadline, they can refer to GOV.UK. To monitor their training progress, drivers can check their accumulated hours towards their Driver CPC and ascertain the deadline for completion. While drivers can share this information with operators, direct access is not feasible as the information is owned by the driver.

For further insights into Driver CPC training, visit GOV.UK.