Driver CPC exemptions take effect today

As of today (November 13) driver CPC exemptions come into effect. They affect people who occasionally drive lorries, buses or coaches as part of their work but never carry passengers or goods, for hire or reward.

The exemptions apply mainly to mechanics, valets and fitters (around 76,000 people). The driving they do is exempt from Driver CPC as long as all of the following apply:

• no goods or passengers are being carried
• the vehicle isn’t being used for hire or reward
• driving lorries or buses isn’t the driver’s main job
• the vehicle is being used within a 50 kilometre radius of the driver’s base

There’s also an exemption for drivers of vehicles driving to or from a pre-arranged appointment at a VOSA test centre or authorised testing facility.

With these regulations now in force VOSA will not pursue or issue fines or penalties to these drivers for Driver CPC infringements.

You don’t need to have Driver CPC if you are:

1) road testing vehicles:

• after they’ve been repaired or serviced
• for technical development purposes

2) driving a vehicle to or from a pre-booked appointment at an official testing centre (This includes driving vehicles carrying a load that is needed for a laden braking test. A load may not be carried when driving to or from official testing centres in any other circumstances.)

3) driving a vehicle as part of an official response to a state of emergency or an officially-recognised rescue mission.

4) driving a vehicle in order to prepare for or take:

• a driving licence acquisition test
• Driver CPC tests

5) driving a vehicle that is either new or rebuilt and has not yet been taxed.

6) driving vehicles carrying goods, materials or passengers on a non-commercial basis (including your own personal use). ‘Non-commercial’ generally means that what you’re doing isn’t intended to generate a profit.

7) carrying equipment or material that you’ll use in the course of your work, provided that driving the vehicle is not the main part of your job.

This includes:

• trade tools
• goods such as building materials or cables to be used by the driver in the course of their work
• extra crew like a mechanics mate or any other person needed for the job

You must have Driver CPC if you need a driving licence shown in the table to drive a relevant vehicle.

Type of vehicle	Licence categories
Medium-sized vehicles	C1 and C1+E
Large vehicles	C and C+E
Minibuses	D1 and D1+E
Buses and coaches	D and D+E

This applies if you are either:

• a national of any EU country
• a national of a country outside the EU, but you work for an organisation that is based in the EU

You don’t need to have Driver CPC if the vehicle is not allowed to exceed 45 kilometres per hour (km/h) on any road. This doesn’t mean speed limiters, though – you can’t drive a bus that’s been limited to 40km/h because the law still states that it can be driven at more than 45km/h.

Read more about Driver CPC exemptions examples