Free · Validity guide · England, Scotland & Wales
How long is a Driver CPC valid?
5 years
Driver CPC lasts five years. To keep driving a lorry, bus or coach professionally, you must complete 35 hours of periodic training before the deadline shown on your Driver CPC card. Driving professionally without it can mean a fine of up to £1,000.
Work out your driver CPC expiry date
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If you have your card, use the deadline printed on it and count back 5 years, or track the printed date directly.
Enter a date to see when it expires, how many days are left, when to book the renewal, and to add reminders to your calendar.
Who needs a driver CPC
Professional drivers of lorries (categories C, C1, C+E, C1+E) and buses or coaches (D, D1, D+E, D1+E) in Great Britain. Drivers who drive both lorries and buses professionally only need one set of 35 hours every 5 years. Northern Ireland has a different process.
What happens if it expires
- It is illegal to drive professionally once the deadline passes without the training completed. You cannot drive professionally again until the training is finished.
- You can be fined up to £1,000 for driving professionally without Driver CPC.
- Training already done still counts for 5 years from the date of each course, even after the deadline has passed.
- Your next deadline is set 5 years from the date you finish the missing training.
How to renew
Check your hours
Use the GOV.UK “check your Driver CPC periodic training hours” service to see what counts in your current 5-year period.
Choose National or International courses
To drive in the UK and Europe you need 35 hours of International courses only. Any National course gives you a National card, valid in the UK only.
Book approved courses
International courses are at least 7 hours; National courses at least 3 hours 30 minutes. No more than 12 hours can be e-learning, and you cannot repeat the same course without a good reason.
Take ID and check the upload
Bring a photocard licence, passport, digital tachograph card or Driver CPC card. The training centre must record the hours within 5 working days; contact them if they do not appear.
Wait for the new card
If you finish within 12 months of your deadline the card is sent straight away. You can keep driving while you wait, as long as the training is done and recorded.
When to book
26
weeks
Aim to have all 35 hours recorded about 6 months before the deadline, so a cancelled course does not leave you off the road. This is our suggestion. Finishing more than a year early means the new card is not sent until nearer the expiry.
A simple reminder plan: 365 days, 180 days, 90 days, 30 days before the expiry date. The calculator above puts these in your calendar.
Evidence to keep
- Each driver’s Driver CPC deadline and card type (National or International).
- Certificates of attendance. They belong to the driver: the employer is not allowed to keep the original.
- A print or screenshot of the training record from the DVSA service.
Common mistakes
- Mixing in a National course when the driver needs an International card for European work.
- Counting training older than 5 years, which no longer counts towards the total.
- Using more than 12 hours of e-learning.
- Keeping the driver’s certificate of attendance. It belongs to the driver.
- Leaving the last 7 hours until the final weeks before the deadline.
Elsewhere in the UK
Northern Ireland
Drivers who live in Northern Ireland follow a different process. Check with the Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA).[1]
When you would rather not remember
What this looks like when it runs itself
Add the date once and give it an owner. ExpiryEdge reminds them before it lapses, on the channel they actually read, and keeps the certificate and a record of who did what.
Try it with your own dates, free for 14 days, no cardExpiryEdge · Tracked item
Driver CPC · Class 1 driver, night trunking
ValidOwner
Transport manager
Expires
5 years after issue
Reminders before expiry
365d
180d
90d
30d
Due
Driver CPC questions, answered
35 hours of periodic training every 5 years to keep your Driver CPC for driving a lorry, bus or coach professionally.
You cannot drive professionally until you have finished your training. Driving professionally without Driver CPC can lead to a fine of up to £1,000. Your next deadline is set 5 years from the date you finish the training.
Partly. Up to 12 of the 35 hours can be e-learning, meaning online courses with interactive videos or presentations.
A National card is valid in the UK only and says “Domestic UK use only”. An International card is valid in the UK and Europe and needs 35 hours of International courses. All cards issued before 3 December 2024 are International.
Yes, while driving a lorry, bus or coach professionally. You can get a £50 fixed penalty for driving professionally without it.
Sources
Every rule on this page comes from these official sources.
1.
Driver CPC training for qualified drivers (full guide)GOV.UK (DVSA) · gov.uk · checked 28 Sep 2026
2.
The Vehicle Drivers (Certificates of Professional Competence) Regulations 2007legislation.gov.uk · checked 28 Sep 2026
Guidance, not legal advice. This covers England, Scotland & Wales and reflects the sources as checked on 28 Sep 2026. Check the official source or take professional advice for your situation.