Coronavirus (COVID-19): Driver CPC card validity for lorry, bus and coach drivers

Changes to the validity of Driver CPC cards held by lorry, bus and coach drivers.

Extension of expiry dates
Periodic training – DQC with an expiry date from 1 February 2020 to 31 August 2020
Enforcement arrangements
Where this applies
Remote training
Check your training record
Never held a Driver CPC but has acquired rights, or Driver CPC expired before 1 February 2020
Further information

Extension of expiry dates

Most professional lorry and bus drivers must complete 35 hours of periodic training every 5 years to maintain their Driver Certificate of Professional Competence qualification. This is evidenced by a Driver CPC card.

The card is sometimes called a ‘driver qualification card’ or ‘DQC’.

The validity of DQCs with expiry dates from 1 February 2020 to 31 August 2020 has been extended by 7 months. If the expiry date on your card is in this period, you should add 7 months to that date to calculate the new expiry date.

Examples

A DQC with an expiry date of 1 February 2020 is now valid until 1 September 2020.

A DQC with an expiry date of 1 July 2020 is now valid until 1 February 2021.

You will not be issued with a new card to reflect the new expiry date.

You must continue to carry your DQC.

Periodic training – DQC with an expiry date from 1 February 2020 to 31 August 2020

The 7 month extension to the validity of your DQC gives you an extra 7 months to complete your 35 hours of periodic training. You have 5 years and 7 months from the date your current CPC became valid to undertake this training.

Example

Your DQC validity has been extended from 30 June 2020 to 31 January 2021. This means periodic training undertaken from 1 July 2015 counts towards the 35 hours of training you must complete by 31 January 2021 to renew your DQC.

Enforcement arrangements

DQC with an expiry date from 1 September 2020 to 30 September 2020

On 31 March 2020 DVSA gave notice that, subject to review, it did not intend to carry out enforcement action against drivers from 1 September 2020 to 30 September 2020 if their DQC expired during this period.

This gave these drivers up to 29 extra days to complete their periodic CPC training, if this was disrupted due to COVID19.

This notice has been rescinded and enforcement action will be carried out from September in relation to DQCs expiring after 31 August, as there are now enough periodic training courses available for drivers whose DQC expires in September 2020 to renew their DQC before then.

If your DQC expires from September 2020, you must not drive until it is renewed. You could face a £1000 fine if you drive without a valid DQC.

Where this applies

All EU countries are obliged to recognise the extension of your DQC. You must carry your DQC when carrying out international road transport.

Remote training

Training is available remotely from commercial providers, via online video platforms. The department encourages drivers to continue to undertake training wherever possible, but not as an activity that needs extra travel and only in compliance with general government advice.

Details of all approved periodic training are on the JAUPT website.

Check your training record

You can find out here how much periodic training you’ve already completed.

Never held a Driver CPC but has acquired rights, or Driver CPC expired before 1 February 2020

If you have never held a Driver CPC and have ‘acquired rights’, or your Driver CPC expired before 1 February 2020, you can complete 35 hours of periodic CPC training to get your Driver CPC.

Some periodic CPC training is currently being delivered remotely.