Driver CPC initial qualification: the tests from part 1 to part 4

The five tests at a glance

Total DVSA fees on weekdays: £270; £304 with the two practical tests at evenings or weekends. The provisional licence is free. Training is priced by the school; the HGV training centre directory lists the schools.

Before you can book

You need a full car licence, to be over 18, and a provisional HGV licence, applied for on form D2 with a D4 medical report (the medical is on the D4 page). Applying for category C or C1+E gives provisional C1, C1+E, C and C+E together, so you can train straight for an artic. The whole route is summarised on the HGV licence page; this page is the detail of each test.

Part 1: theory

Two separate bookings, which can be taken on the same day in either order; both must be passed within two years of each other. The multiple-choice part: "You have 1 hour and 55 minutes to answer 100 multiple-choice questions", based on The Highway Code, Know Your Traffic Signs and The Official DVSA Guide to Driving Goods Vehicles, with a pass mark of 85. You can flag questions and change answers before finishing. The hazard perception part: 19 clips of everyday road scenes, each with at least one developing hazard and one clip with two, scored up to 5 points per hazard for clicking as the hazard starts to develop; clicking continuously or in a pattern scores nothing. Pass mark 67 out of 100. A fail can be rebooked at once but not taken for three clear working days. The HGV theory practice test on this site follows the same topics.

The theory test certificate "is valid for 2 years from when you passed the first part of the test", and parts 3a and 3b must be passed inside that window or the theory is retaken.

Part 2: case studies

Booked online as soon as you hold the provisional licence; you do not need part 1 first. "The test is made up of 7 case studies you work through on a computer. The case studies are short stories based on situations that you’re likely to come across in your working life. You’ll be asked between 5 and 10 multiple-choice questions on each case study. The test lasts for 1 hour and 15 minutes, and the pass mark is 40 out of 50." The pass letter is valid for two years and its reference number is needed to book part 4. Drivers with acquired rights taking only parts 2 and 4 book by phone (DVSA, 0300 200 1122).

Part 3a: off-road exercises

Requires a part 1 pass. Booked with DVSA or an approved private test provider; if the provider also trained you, the assessor must not have been involved in your training. Bring a vehicle in the category you want, an artic for C+E, and your theory certificate. The test "will last up to 30 minutes, and includes an ‘S’ shaped reverse into a bay" and, with a trailer, the uncoupling and recoupling procedure. The certificate is valid for six months for part 3b. A retake needs at least 24 hours.

Part 3b: on-road driving

Requires parts 1 and 3a, in the same vehicle category as 3a. The test has vehicle safety questions (the published lists for vehicles with and without trailers) and "1 hour of practical road driving", in which the examiner watches control, moving away at an angle, uphill and downhill, a controlled stop, mirrors, signals, awareness, progress and speed, hazards and choosing a safe stop, with "10 minutes of independent driving". You pass with "12 or fewer driving faults" and "no serious or dangerous faults". A retake needs three working days. Test locations are in the lorry driving test centre directory; theory and case-study tests are at the theory test centres.

Part 4: practical demonstration

Requires a part 2 pass. You are tested on loading the vehicle safely and keeping it secure, preventing the trafficking of illegal immigrants, assessing emergency situations, reducing physical risks, and doing a walkaround vehicle safety check. "The test is made up of 5 topics from the Driver CPC syllabus. You can score up to 20 points for each topic. To pass you have to score at least 15 out of 20 in each topic area and have an overall score of at least 80 out of 100." The examiner tells you the result at the end. The walkaround topic is the same daily check DVSA publishes for working drivers; the printable checklist on the HGV MOT page is built from it.

After the last test

Your Driver CPC card is posted to the address on your driving licence, normally within 20 days; you may drive professionally while waiting. Apply for a digital tachograph card from DVLA. Then keep the qualification alive with 35 hours of periodic training every five years, on the Driver CPC page. To move from rigid to artic later, you take parts 3a and 3b again in a C+E vehicle; no new provisional or theory test is needed.

Shortcuts and exemptions

• NVT concession. On an approved National Vocational Training course you can drive professionally for up to 12 months without parts 2 and 4; the concession card costs £25.
• Acquired rights. Drivers who held a lorry licence before 10 September 2009 need only parts 2 and 4, or 35 hours of training, to get a first Driver CPC card.
• Not the main part of your job. Only parts 1, 3a and 3b are needed if driving is not your main work or the vehicle is exempt: the list of exemptions is on the Driver CPC page.

Common mistakes

• Letting the theory certificate lapse: parts 3a and 3b must be passed within two years of the first theory pass.
• Letting the part 3a certificate lapse: six months to pass 3b.
• Taking 3a in a rigid and turning up to 3b in an artic. Same category for both.
• Skipping part 2 because it can be taken any time. Part 4 cannot be booked without it.
• Booking through an unofficial site that charges more than the DVSA fee.