Whether you need a Driver CPC comes down to the vehicle you drive and whether you're driving it professionally. For a standard 3.5t van, you don't. Drive a 7.5-tonne lorry as the main part of your job, and you do. Here's the plain-English version.
What is the Driver CPC?
The Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) is the qualification professional lorry, bus and coach drivers need on top of the right licence category. Once qualified, you carry a Driver Qualification Card (DQC) and keep it valid by doing periodic training.
Licence categories: van vs 7.5t
First, the licence itself — separate from CPC:
- Category B — your standard car/van licence. Covers vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes. This is what most multi-drop and courier van work needs.
- Category C1 — vehicles between 3.5 and 7.5 tonnes. Needed for 7.5t work. Some older licences have C1 from "grandfather rights"; many newer drivers take a separate test.
- Category C — rigid lorries over 7.5 tonnes.
When you need a CPC
You generally need a Driver CPC when you drive a vehicle that requires a C1, C, D1 or D licence (or their +E variants) as the main part of your job. In day-to-day terms for delivery work:
| Vehicle | Licence | CPC needed? |
|---|---|---|
| Car / van up to 3.5t | Category B | No |
| 7.5t (3.5–7.5t) | Category C1 | Yes (for professional driving) |
The 35 hours of periodic training
To keep a Driver CPC valid you complete 35 hours of approved periodic training every 5 years — often done as five 7-hour courses. Let it lapse and you can't drive professionally until you catch up.
Who's exempt?
There are exemptions. The ones drivers hit most: you don't need a CPC if driving isn't the main part of your job (broadly, under about 30% of your rolling monthly working time), if you're driving to or from a booked CPC test, or if you stay within 100km (62 miles) of base in a vehicle that isn't commercially carrying goods or passengers. Always check the current gov.uk guidance for your exact situation.
What this means with FlexiDriver
Plenty of well-paid work needs nothing more than a category B licence — 3.5t van and multi-drop shifts. If you have C1 and a valid CPC, you unlock 7.5-tonne shifts, which typically pay more. When you set up your profile we tell you exactly what each vehicle type needs.
Ready to start? See how to become a self-employed driver or create your driver account with FlexiDriver.