Changes to Driver CPC: what you need to know for 2024 and 2025

By Zed Aziz, Transport Consultant

Exciting changes are coming your way regarding the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC). First, let's clear the air — Driver CPC is not being scrapped. But from December 2024 and February 2025 there are new, flexible options designed especially for drivers who operate only within the UK. The government's aim is to improve the quality and relevance of training and make it more flexible for UK drivers. Here is how it all works.

Two ways to stay qualified

From 3 December 2024 you have two options to stay qualified as a professional driver, both requiring 35 hours of periodic training every five years:

• International Driver CPC — the classic version, valid for driving in both the EU and the UK.
• National Driver CPC — a more flexible route for drivers who stick to UK roads.

International Driver CPC

The International Driver CPC is the version you are used to. It still requires 35 hours of training every five years to keep you on the road in both the EU and the UK, and the rules have not changed:

• Courses must be at least seven hours long.
• Split courses must be completed on consecutive days.
• You can do up to 12 hours of your training online.

National Driver CPC

If you are sticking to UK roads, the National Driver CPC offers far more flexibility:

• Courses can be as short as 3 hours and 30 minutes (longer if you prefer).
• Split courses do not have to be on consecutive days.
• You can complete the entire course online, from home or your workplace.

When you first pass your qualifying tests you will automatically receive the International Driver CPC for the first five years, so you can drive anywhere in the UK and EU. After that, it is up to you to choose the periodic training that suits your driving needs.

Returning to professional driving

If you have taken a break and your CPC has expired, there is good news. From 1 February 2025 there are new routes back. If your CPC expired between 60 days and two years ago, you have four options:

1. Take 35 hours of International Driver CPC training to drive in the UK and EU.
2. Take 35 hours of National Driver CPC training to drive in the UK.
3. Take a new seven-hour 'return to driving' module to start driving in the UK, then complete 28 hours of additional training within 12 months to drive in the EU.
4. Take the seven-hour 'return to driving' module to start driving in the UK, then complete 28 hours of additional National or International training within 12 months.

If your CPC expired more than two years ago, the requirements are unchanged: 35 hours of International training to drive in the UK and EU, or 35 hours of National (or a combination) to drive in the UK.

Your Driver CPC card

You still need to carry your Driver CPC card while driving professionally. From 3 December 2024 you will receive a different card depending on the CPC type you choose — after passing the initial tests you will get an International Driver CPC card. You can hold both cards if you are qualified to drive both HGVs and buses or coaches. Keeping the right card current is one reason regular driver licence and card checks matter, and it is one of the three essential cards every professional driver must carry.

Will the changes deliver?

The government hopes to improve quality and relevance through more tailored, focused training, and to give UK drivers convenient scheduling and e-learning options. There are challenges, too: shorter, more flexible courses put a premium on consistent quality between providers, and online modules need to stay genuinely engaging rather than a box-ticking exercise. Either way, the changes give you more choice — pick the route that fits how and where you drive. If you have questions or need advice on training your drivers, get in touch, or explore our training programmes.