I'm 28, and have worked full-time for my current employer for just over 3 years. My wife is expecting our first child in a few months, and I intend to claim paid Paternity Leave when the baby is born. How much notice am I required to give my employer with regards to the starting date of my leave period?

At least 15 weeks before the baby is due, tell your employer:

Paternity pay and leave

Overview

When you take time off because your partner’s having a baby, adopting a child or having a baby through a surrogacy arrangement you might be eligible for:

1 or 2 weeks’ paid Paternity Leave

Paternity Pay

Shared Parental Leave and Pay

You may not get both leave and pay, and there are rules on how to claim and when your leave can start.

Employment rights when on leave

Your employment rights are protected while on paternity leave. This includes your right to:

pay rises

build up (accrue) holiday

return to work

You can get time off to accompany your partner (or the surrogate mother) to 2 antenatal appointments.

If you’re adopting a child, you can get time off to attend 2 adoption appointments after you’ve been matched with a child.

Leave

Paternity leave

You can choose to take either 1 or 2 weeks. You get the same amount of leave if your partner has a multiple birth (such as twins).

You must take your leave in one go. A week is the same amount of days that you normally work in a week - for example, a week is 2 days if you only work on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Start and end dates

Leave cannot start before the birth. It must end within 56 days of the birth (or due date if the baby is early).

You must give your employer 28 days’ notice if you want to change your start date.

You do not have to give a precise date when you want to take leave (for example 1 February). Instead you can give a general time, such as the day of the birth or 1 week after the birth.

The rules are different if you adopt.

Shared Parental Leave

You may also be eligible for Shared Parental Leave (SPL). You cannot take Paternity Leave after you take SPL.

Leave for antenatal appointments

You can take unpaid leave to accompany a pregnant woman to 2 antenatal appointments if you’re:

the baby’s father

the expectant mother’s spouse or civil partner

in a long-term relationship with the expectant mother

the intended parent (if you’re having a baby through a surrogacy arrangement)

You can take up to 6 and a half hours per appointment. Your employer can choose to give you longer.

You can apply for leave immediately if you’re a permanent employee. You’ll need to have been doing a job for 12 weeks before you qualify if you’re an agency worker.

Pay

The statutory weekly rate of Paternity Pay is £151.97, or 90% of your average weekly earnings (whichever is lower).

Any money you get is paid in the same way as your wages, for example monthly or weekly. Tax and National Insurance will be deducted.

Start and end dates

The money is usually paid while you’re on leave. Your employer must confirm the start and end dates for your Paternity Pay when you claim it.

To change the start date you must give your employer 28 days’ notice.

You could get more pay if your employer has a company paternity scheme - they cannot offer you less than the statutory amounts.

Eligibility

You must be taking time off to look after the child and be one of the following:

the father

the husband or partner of the mother (or adopter) - this includes same-sex partners

the child’s adopter

There are extra conditions you need to meet to qualify for leave and pay.

You cannot get Paternity Pay and Leave if you’ve taken paid time off to attend adoption appointments.

Paternity Leave

You must:

be an employee

give the correct notice

have been continuously employed by your employer for at least 26 weeks up to any day in the ‘qualifying week’

The ‘qualifying week’ is the 15th week before the baby is due. This is different if you adopt.

Paternity Pay

You must:

be employed by your employer up to the date of birth

earn at least £120 a week (before tax)

give the correct notice

If you usually earn an average of £120 or more a week, and you only earned less in some weeks because you were paid but not working (‘on furlough’) under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, you may still be eligible.

If you lose your baby

You can still get Paternity Leave or Pay if your baby is:

stillborn from 24 weeks of pregnancy

born alive at any point during the pregnancy

If you’re not eligible

Your employer must tell you within 28 days if you do not qualify and why using form SPP1.

How to claim

Claim Paternity Leave and Pay through your employer. You do not need to give proof of the pregnancy or birth.

The rules and forms are different if you adopt.

Paternity Leave

the due date

when you want your leave to start, for example the day of the birth or the week after the birth

if you want 1 or 2 weeks’ leave

Your employer can ask for this in writing. You can ask for Paternity Pay at the same time, if you use form SC3 (or your employer’s own version).

Use the paternity planner to find out when you need to claim Paternity Leave by.

Paternity Pay

At least 15 weeks before the baby is due, give your employer form SC3 (or their own version).

Adoption and surrogacy

Eligibility

You must have been continuously employed by your employer for at least 26 weeks by the ‘matching week’. For adoption this is either:

the end of the week you’re matched with the child (UK adoptions)

the date the child enters the UK or when you want your pay to start (overseas adoptions)

You must also meet the other eligibility conditions for paternity leave or pay.

Start and end dates - Paternity Leave

Your period of Paternity Leave can start:

on the date of placement

an agreed number of days after the date of placement

on the date the child arrives in the UK or an agreed number of days after this (overseas adoptions only)

the day the child’s born or the day after if you’re working that day (surrogate parents)

Leave must be taken within 56 days of the date of placement or the child’s arrival in the UK (overseas adoptions).

How to claim - Paternity Leave or Pay

You must use form SC4 (or your employer’s own version) for:

leave - within 7 days of your co-adopter or partner being matched with a child

pay - 28 days before you want your pay to start

For overseas adoptions the form and notice period is different. The process is explained on form SC5.

Proof of adoption

You must give your employer proof of adoption to qualify for Paternity Pay. Proof is not needed for Paternity Leave unless your employer asks for it.

Proof can be a letter from your adoption agency or the matching certificate.

You’ll need to provide this information within 28 days.

Surrogacy arrangements

To be eligible for Paternity Pay and Leave if you use a surrogate to have a baby, you must:

be in a couple

be responsible for the child (with your partner)

have worked for your employer continuously for at least 26 weeks by the end of the ‘qualifying week’ (the 15th week before the baby is due)

At least 15 weeks before the due date, tell your employer when the baby is due and when you want to start your leave  - they may ask for this in writing.

Your employer may ask for a written statement to confirm you intend to apply for a parental order in the 6 months after the child’s birth. You must sign this in the presence of a legal professional.

You cannot get Paternity Leave if you take Shared Parental Leave.


I have applied for a certificate of entitlement outside the UK in Guyana for the rights to abode in the UK but it has been refused. Will my application fee be refunded?

Your application fee will not be refunded if your application is refused because you do not qualify for right of abode or you do not send in enough evidence to support your claim.

Prove you have right of abode in the UK

Overview

Having right of abode means you’re allowed to live or work in the UK without any immigration restrictions, which means:

you will not need a visa to come to the UK

there’s no limit on the length of time you can spend in the country

All British citizens automatically have right of abode in the UK.

Some Commonwealth citizens may also have right of abode.

You can prove you have right of abode if you have a UK passport describing you as a British citizen or British subject with right of abode.

Otherwise you need to apply for a ‘certificate of entitlement’.

If you’re an EU citizen and you were living in the UK by 31 December 2020, you can apply to the EU Settlement Scheme to continue living here after 30 June 2021. If you want to move to the UK from 1 January 2021, you may need to apply for a visa.

Commonwealth citizens

If you’re part of the ‘Windrush generation’ (also known as ‘Windrush cases’), there’s a different way to prove your right to live in the UK.

You may have right of abode in the UK either because of your parents or because you are or were married to someone with right of abode.

Parents

You have right of abode if all the following apply:

one of your parents was born in the UK and a citizen of the United Kingdom and colonies when you were born or adopted

you were a Commonwealth citizen on 31 December 1982

you did not stop being a Commonwealth citizen (even temporarily) at any point after 31 December 1982

Marriage

You can only get right to abode through marriage if you’re a female Commonwealth citizen.

You must have:

been married to someone with right of abode before 1 January 1983

not stopped being a Commonwealth citizen (even temporarily) at any point after 31 December 1982

You usually will not have right of abode if the person you were married to has another living wife or widow who:

is in the UK, or has been in the UK at any time since her marriage (unless they entered the country illegally, came as a visitor or only have temporary permission to stay)

has a certificate of entitlement to right of abode or permission to enter the UK because of her marriage

However, you may still have right of abode if:

you entered the UK while married and before 1 August 1988, even if your husband has other wives in the UK

you’ve been in the UK since your marriage and at that time were your husband’s only wife to have legally entered the UK or been given permission to do so

Apply for a certificate of entitlement

You can apply for a certificate of entitlement to prove you have right of abode in the UK. It goes in your passport.

You need to apply for a new certificate when your passport expires.

How you apply for a certificate of entitlement depends on whether you’re inside or outside the UK.

You cannot get a certificate if you already have a British passport or a valid certificate of entitlement in another foreign passport.

Apply in the UK, Channel Islands or the Isle of Man

A certificate of entitlement costs £372 in the UK.

Read the guidance to check you can apply.

Fill in the form online. You’ll usually be able to keep your documents while your application is being processed.

You can also apply in other ways.

Get help to apply online

You can get help with completing the online form if you:

do not feel confident using a computer or mobile device

do not have internet access

You can only use this service if you’re applying in the UK.

You cannot get immigration advice through this service.

Apply from outside the UK or from a British overseas territory

If you are not in the UK, or you live in a British overseas territory, you must apply online.

A certificate of entitlement costs £388 outside the UK.

North Korea

You cannot apply online if you’re living in North Korea.

To apply from North Korea you must:

download the application form and guidance - read the guidance if you need help filling in the form

read the instructions to find out where to take your completed form

If your application is refused

Appeals

You’ll be told how you can appeal if your application is rejected.

You will not have a right of appeal if your rejected application was received on or after 6 April 2015.

If you made your application in the UK, you can apply to have your application reconsidered if you think UKVI did not make the decision in line with the law or their policy.


I am a 52 year old living in Bradford and I am qualified to drive lorries in my home country Belize, with a code 95 entitlement on my licence. How can I be eligible to drive lorries in the UK?

You can be fined up to £1,000 for driving professionally without Driver CPC.

Driver CPC training for qualified drivers

How much training you need to do

You must do 35 hours of periodic training every 5 years to keep your Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) to drive a lorry, bus or coach.

You can check how many hours of training you’ve done in the current 5-year period.

You only need to complete one set of training every 5 years if you drive both lorries and buses professionally.

There’s a different process if you live in Northern Ireland.

You have to do the training in the country where you work or normally live.

When to take training

Your Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) qualification lasts for 5 years. To keep your Driver CPC you need to do 35 hours of training before your 5-year deadline.

The deadline to do your training is shown on your card.

It’s up to you when you take the training courses, as long as you do them within the 5-year period.

If you miss your training deadline

It’s illegal to drive professionally if you have not done your training by your deadline.

Drivers with ‘acquired rights’

Having ‘acquired rights’ means that you did not have to take the Driver CPC initial qualification because of your existing driving experience.

You have acquired rights if you got your vocational licence before the dates shown in the table.

| Vehicle categories included | When you got your vocational licence

Lorry | C, C1, C+E and C1+E | Before 10 September 2009

Bus or coach | D, D1, D+E, D1+E | Before 10 September 2008

Bus or coach (not for hire or reward) | D(101) | After 1991

Minibus (not for hire or reward) | D1(101) | Before 1997

Training deadlines for drivers with acquired rights

You still need to take periodic training, but there are set deadlines.

| Lorry driver | Bus or coach driver | Dual-category driver (lorry, bus and coach)

First block of training | 9 September 2014 | 9 September 2013 | 9 September 2013

Second block of training | 9 September 2019 | 9 September 2018 | 9 September 2019

Third block of training | 9 September 2024 | 9 September 2023 | 9 September 2024

If you did not do your first block of training

You can finish your training or take extra tests if you have acquired rights and did not finish your first block of training by the deadline.

Finding training courses

All approved Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) courses count towards periodic training. Different courses cover different parts of the Driver CPC syllabus.

Find CPC courses to attend.

The minimum length of a training course is 7 hours. It can be taken over 2 consecutive days and can include up to 2 hours of online training before you start.

Taking a non-Driver CPC course

Some non-Driver CPC courses count towards your 35 hours. For example, you can take up to 14 hours of training for transport-related EU Directives, such as ADR (transporting dangerous goods).

Contact DVSA if you want to check whether a course counts towards your training.

Taking the same course more than once

You can only take the same course more than once in each 5-year period if you have a good reason to repeat it - for example, maintaining a dangerous goods qualification.

If you do not have a good reason, DVSA can cancel the hours you got from the course. You might lose your Driver CPC card if cancelling the hours takes your total back under 35 hours.

Repeating a non-Driver CPC course

You cannot repeat non-Driver CPC courses during your training period.

The only exception is training in ADR. You can take 2 7-hour ADR courses during the 5-year training period. If you do this, you cannot count any other non-Driver CPC courses towards your training.

Driver CPC course costs

Training providers set their own prices for courses - there’s no maximum price.

Taking a training course

You must take one of these to your Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) training course:

a photocard driving licence

a valid passport

a digital tachograph card

a Driver CPC card

You’re required to attend courses, but there are no tests or exams to pass at the end of them. Instead, you’ll get a certificate of attendance. It belongs to you - your employer is not allowed to keep it.

Your Driver CPC training record

The training centre will put your training on your Driver CPC training record.

Contact the centre where you did your training if it is not showing on your record 5 days after the course.

If you took a non-Driver CPC course

If you took a non-Driver CPC course, the provider will not upload your records. Email DVSA with the details. Include:

your name

your driving licence number

your date of birth

your address

the date you completed the training

proof you completed the training - for example, a copy of a training certificate

Problems with a training course

You can email the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) if you think the training provided was not to the right standard, for example the course did not last as long as it should have.

Getting your Driver CPC card

You’ll get your Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) card when you’ve done 35 hours of periodic training. The card is sometimes called a ‘driver qualification card’ or ‘DQC’.

You must carry this card while driving a lorry, bus or coach professionally.

You can get a £50 fixed penalty for driving professionally without your card.

You must replace your card if it’s lost or stolen.

When you’ll be sent your card

You’ll get your new Driver CPC card straight away if you complete your training in the 12 months before your deadline.

If you complete your training more than a year early

You will not get your new Driver CPC card until nearer the time your current card expires.

You can check when you’ll get your new card.

How the card is sent to you

Your Driver CPC card will be sent automatically to the address on your driving licence. You need to change this address first if it’s wrong.

You only need to apply for your card if you did some of your periodic training in an EU country.

The Driver CPC card does not have your address on it, so you do not have to get a new one if your address changes.

The photo and signature on your photocard driving licence will be used on your Driver CPC card.

Waiting for your card

You can still drive professionally while waiting for your card if both of the following apply:

you’ve done your periodic training

your training provider has recorded the training (they must do this within 5 working days of the training ending)

If your card does not arrive

Contact the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) if you do not receive your new card within 20 days of the date you’re due to get it.

You’ll have to pay £25 if:

you take longer than 3 months to tell DVSA it has not arrived

it’s sent to an old address because you have not updated your licence

If you miss your training deadline

If you miss your deadline, you cannot drive professionally until you’ve finished your training.

You can be fined up to £1,000 for driving professionally without Driver CPC.

Your next deadline will be set for 5 years after the date you finish your training.

How long training counts for

Any training you’ve already done counts for 5 years from the date you took the course. You do not lose it because you’ve passed your deadline.

The training will not count towards the 35 hours total if you took it more than 5 years ago.

If you have acquired rights

If you have acquired rights you can either:

complete 35 hours of Driver CPC periodic training by finding and taking training courses

take and pass the Driver CPC part 2 (case studies) and part 4 (practical demonstration) tests

You can only choose the test option once. After that, you must take periodic training to keep your qualification in the future.

Booking the tests

You have to book the tests by phone - you cannot book online.

Training in EU countries and Switzerland

You need to apply for your Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) card in writing if you:

have a UK or Great Britain (GB) driving licence

took some of your periodic training in an EU country or Switzerland

did the final 7 hours of your periodic training in England, Scotland or Wales

What you need to send

You need to include:

your driving licence number

your name and address

your phone number

your training certificates from an EU country or Switzerland

a £25 fee to add training taken abroad to your Driver CPC card

You must include the original documents - photocopies are not accepted.

Where to send the documents

Send all the documents to the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) if you live in England, Scotland or Wales.

There’s a different process if you live in Northern Ireland.

Documents that are not in English

You need to send documents with an English translation on headed paper from an educational organisation or embassy.

How to pay your fee

You can either:

pay over the phone using a credit or debit card - DVSA will phone you to take the payment

pay by cheque or postal order - send your payment to DVSA with your documents

If you have a licence from another country

If you have a licence from another country, there are 2 ways to get a Great Britain (GB) Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) card. You should either:

complete your periodic training in England, Scotland or Wales

exchange your driver’s licence for a GB licence - you must have a code 95 entitlement on your non-GB licence to do this

Complete your training in England, Scotland or Wales

You can get a GB Driver CPC card if you’ve done the final 7 hours of your periodic training in England, Scotland or Wales.

You must also live or work in England, Scotland or Wales and have a driving licence from any of these countries:

an EU country

Gibraltar

Guernsey

Iceland

Isle of Man

Jersey

Liechtenstein

Norway

Switzerland

To apply for a GB Driver CPC card, send an email to the Driving and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) asking for form DQC1.

If you live in Northern Ireland, contact the Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA).

Exchange your driving licence for a GB licence

If you have a code 95 entitlement on your licence, you can get a GB Driver CPC card by exchanging your licence for a GB licence.

Your Driver CPC qualification will still last until the date it was due to run out when you first got it.

When you exchange your licence, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) will tell DVSA for you.

If you already have an EU Driver CPC card

You’ll need to send your EU Driver CPC card to DVSA if you want to exchange it for a GB Driver CPC card. Send it with a short letter which includes your:

driving licence number

name and address

phone number

DVSA will send you a new Driver CPC card with the same number as your driving licence.

From then on, after doing 35 hours of periodic training in England, Scotland or Wales, you’ll get your Driver CPC qualification for 5 years.

If you live in Northern Ireland, contact DVA.

It’s illegal to drive professionally if you have not done your training by your deadline.

How much training you need to do

You must do 35 hours of periodic training every 5 years to keep your Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) to drive a lorry, bus or coach.

You can be fined up to £1,000 for driving professionally without Driver CPC.

You can check how many hours of training you’ve done in the current 5-year period.

You only need to complete one set of training every 5 years if you drive both lorries and buses professionally.

There’s a different process if you live in Northern Ireland.

You have to do the training in the country where you work or normally live.

When to take training

The deadline to do your training is shown on your card.

It’s up to you when you take the training courses, as long as you do them within the 5-year period.

If you miss your training deadline

Drivers with ‘acquired rights’

Having ‘acquired rights’ means that you did not have to take the Driver CPC initial qualification because of your existing driving experience.

You have acquired rights if you got your vocational licence before the dates shown in the table.

| Vehicle categories included | When you got your vocational licence

Lorry | C, C1, C+E and C1+E | Before 10 September 2009

Bus or coach | D, D1, D+E, D1+E | Before 10 September 2008

Bus or coach (not for hire or reward) | D(101) | After 1991

Minibus (not for hire or reward) | D1(101) | Before 1997

Training deadlines for drivers with acquired rights

You still need to take periodic training, but there are set deadlines.

| Lorry driver | Bus or coach driver | Dual-category driver (lorry, bus and coach)

First block of training | 9 September 2014 | 9 September 2013 | 9 September 2013

Second block of training | 9 September 2019 | 9 September 2018 | 9 September 2019

Third block of training | 9 September 2024 | 9 September 2023 | 9 September 2024

If you did not do your first block of training

You can finish your training or take extra tests if you have acquired rights and did not finish your first block of training by the deadline.

Finding training courses

Find CPC courses to attend.

Taking a non-Driver CPC course

Contact DVSA if you want to check whether a course counts towards your training.

Taking the same course more than once

Repeating a non-Driver CPC course

You cannot repeat non-Driver CPC courses during your training period.

Driver CPC course costs

Training providers set their own prices for courses - there’s no maximum price.

Taking a training course

You must take one of these to your Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) training course:

a photocard driving licence

a valid passport

a digital tachograph card

a Driver CPC card

Your Driver CPC training record

The training centre will put your training on your Driver CPC training record.

Contact the centre where you did your training if it is not showing on your record 5 days after the course.

If you took a non-Driver CPC course

If you took a non-Driver CPC course, the provider will not upload your records. Email DVSA with the details. Include:

your name

your driving licence number

your date of birth

your address

the date you completed the training

proof you completed the training - for example, a copy of a training certificate

Problems with a training course

Getting your Driver CPC card

You must carry this card while driving a lorry, bus or coach professionally.

You can get a £50 fixed penalty for driving professionally without your card.

You must replace your card if it’s lost or stolen.

When you’ll be sent your card

You’ll get your new Driver CPC card straight away if you complete your training in the 12 months before your deadline.

If you complete your training more than a year early

You will not get your new Driver CPC card until nearer the time your current card expires.

You can check when you’ll get your new card.

How the card is sent to you

Your Driver CPC card will be sent automatically to the address on your driving licence. You need to change this address first if it’s wrong.

You only need to apply for your card if you did some of your periodic training in an EU country.

The Driver CPC card does not have your address on it, so you do not have to get a new one if your address changes.

The photo and signature on your photocard driving licence will be used on your Driver CPC card.

Waiting for your card

You can still drive professionally while waiting for your card if both of the following apply:

you’ve done your periodic training

your training provider has recorded the training (they must do this within 5 working days of the training ending)

If your card does not arrive

Contact the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) if you do not receive your new card within 20 days of the date you’re due to get it.

You’ll have to pay £25 if:

you take longer than 3 months to tell DVSA it has not arrived

it’s sent to an old address because you have not updated your licence

If you miss your training deadline

If you miss your deadline, you cannot drive professionally until you’ve finished your training.

You can be fined up to £1,000 for driving professionally without Driver CPC.

Your next deadline will be set for 5 years after the date you finish your training.

How long training counts for

Any training you’ve already done counts for 5 years from the date you took the course. You do not lose it because you’ve passed your deadline.

The training will not count towards the 35 hours total if you took it more than 5 years ago.

If you have acquired rights

If you have acquired rights you can either:

complete 35 hours of Driver CPC periodic training by finding and taking training courses

take and pass the Driver CPC part 2 (case studies) and part 4 (practical demonstration) tests

You can only choose the test option once. After that, you must take periodic training to keep your qualification in the future.

Booking the tests

You have to book the tests by phone - you cannot book online.

Training in EU countries and Switzerland

You need to apply for your Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) card in writing if you:

have a UK or Great Britain (GB) driving licence

took some of your periodic training in an EU country or Switzerland

did the final 7 hours of your periodic training in England, Scotland or Wales

What you need to send

You need to include:

your driving licence number

your name and address

your phone number

your training certificates from an EU country or Switzerland

a £25 fee to add training taken abroad to your Driver CPC card

You must include the original documents - photocopies are not accepted.

Where to send the documents

Send all the documents to the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) if you live in England, Scotland or Wales.

There’s a different process if you live in Northern Ireland.

Documents that are not in English

You need to send documents with an English translation on headed paper from an educational organisation or embassy.

How to pay your fee

You can either:

pay over the phone using a credit or debit card - DVSA will phone you to take the payment

pay by cheque or postal order - send your payment to DVSA with your documents

If you have a licence from another country

complete your periodic training in England, Scotland or Wales

exchange your driver’s licence for a GB licence - you must have a code 95 entitlement on your non-GB licence to do this

Complete your training in England, Scotland or Wales

You can get a GB Driver CPC card if you’ve done the final 7 hours of your periodic training in England, Scotland or Wales.

You must also live or work in England, Scotland or Wales and have a driving licence from any of these countries:

an EU country

Gibraltar

Guernsey

Iceland

Isle of Man

Jersey

Liechtenstein

Norway

Switzerland

To apply for a GB Driver CPC card, send an email to the Driving and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) asking for form DQC1.

If you live in Northern Ireland, contact the Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA).

Exchange your driving licence for a GB licence

If you have a code 95 entitlement on your licence, you can get a GB Driver CPC card by exchanging your licence for a GB licence.

Your Driver CPC qualification will still last until the date it was due to run out when you first got it.

When you exchange your licence, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) will tell DVSA for you.

If you already have an EU Driver CPC card

You’ll need to send your EU Driver CPC card to DVSA if you want to exchange it for a GB Driver CPC card. Send it with a short letter which includes your:

driving licence number

name and address

phone number

DVSA will send you a new Driver CPC card with the same number as your driving licence.

From then on, after doing 35 hours of periodic training in England, Scotland or Wales, you’ll get your Driver CPC qualification for 5 years.

If you live in Northern Ireland, contact DVA.

How much training you need to do

You must do 35 hours of periodic training every 5 years to keep your Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) to drive a lorry, bus or coach.

You can be fined up to £1,000 for driving professionally without Driver CPC.

You can check how many hours of training you’ve done in the current 5-year period.

You only need to complete one set of training every 5 years if you drive both lorries and buses professionally.

There’s a different process if you live in Northern Ireland.

You have to do the training in the country where you work or normally live.

When to take training

The deadline to do your training is shown on your card.

It’s up to you when you take the training courses, as long as you do them within the 5-year period.

If you miss your training deadline

It’s illegal to drive professionally if you have not done your training by your deadline.

Drivers with ‘acquired rights’

Having ‘acquired rights’ means that you did not have to take the Driver CPC initial qualification because of your existing driving experience.

You have acquired rights if you got your vocational licence before the dates shown in the table.

| Vehicle categories included | When you got your vocational licence

Lorry | C, C1, C+E and C1+E | Before 10 September 2009

Bus or coach | D, D1, D+E, D1+E | Before 10 September 2008

Bus or coach (not for hire or reward) | D(101) | After 1991

Minibus (not for hire or reward) | D1(101) | Before 1997

Training deadlines for drivers with acquired rights

You still need to take periodic training, but there are set deadlines.

| Lorry driver | Bus or coach driver | Dual-category driver (lorry, bus and coach)

First block of training | 9 September 2014 | 9 September 2013 | 9 September 2013

Second block of training | 9 September 2019 | 9 September 2018 | 9 September 2019

Third block of training | 9 September 2024 | 9 September 2023 | 9 September 2024

If you did not do your first block of training

You can finish your training or take extra tests if you have acquired rights and did not finish your first block of training by the deadline.

Finding training courses

Find CPC courses to attend.

Taking a non-Driver CPC course

Contact DVSA if you want to check whether a course counts towards your training.

Taking the same course more than once

Repeating a non-Driver CPC course

You cannot repeat non-Driver CPC courses during your training period.

Driver CPC course costs

Training providers set their own prices for courses - there’s no maximum price.

Taking a training course

You must take one of these to your Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) training course:

a photocard driving licence

a valid passport

a digital tachograph card

a Driver CPC card

Your Driver CPC training record

The training centre will put your training on your Driver CPC training record.

Contact the centre where you did your training if it is not showing on your record 5 days after the course.

If you took a non-Driver CPC course

If you took a non-Driver CPC course, the provider will not upload your records. Email DVSA with the details. Include:

your name

your driving licence number

your date of birth

your address

the date you completed the training

proof you completed the training - for example, a copy of a training certificate

Problems with a training course

Getting your Driver CPC card

You must carry this card while driving a lorry, bus or coach professionally.

You can get a £50 fixed penalty for driving professionally without your card.

You must replace your card if it’s lost or stolen.

When you’ll be sent your card

You’ll get your new Driver CPC card straight away if you complete your training in the 12 months before your deadline.

If you complete your training more than a year early

You will not get your new Driver CPC card until nearer the time your current card expires.

You can check when you’ll get your new card.

How the card is sent to you

Your Driver CPC card will be sent automatically to the address on your driving licence. You need to change this address first if it’s wrong.

You only need to apply for your card if you did some of your periodic training in an EU country.

The Driver CPC card does not have your address on it, so you do not have to get a new one if your address changes.

The photo and signature on your photocard driving licence will be used on your Driver CPC card.

Waiting for your card

You can still drive professionally while waiting for your card if both of the following apply:

you’ve done your periodic training

your training provider has recorded the training (they must do this within 5 working days of the training ending)

If your card does not arrive

Contact the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) if you do not receive your new card within 20 days of the date you’re due to get it.

You’ll have to pay £25 if:

you take longer than 3 months to tell DVSA it has not arrived

it’s sent to an old address because you have not updated your licence

If you miss your training deadline

If you miss your deadline, you cannot drive professionally until you’ve finished your training.

You can be fined up to £1,000 for driving professionally without Driver CPC.

Your next deadline will be set for 5 years after the date you finish your training.

How long training counts for

Any training you’ve already done counts for 5 years from the date you took the course. You do not lose it because you’ve passed your deadline.

The training will not count towards the 35 hours total if you took it more than 5 years ago.

If you have acquired rights

If you have acquired rights you can either:

complete 35 hours of Driver CPC periodic training by finding and taking training courses

take and pass the Driver CPC part 2 (case studies) and part 4 (practical demonstration) tests

You can only choose the test option once. After that, you must take periodic training to keep your qualification in the future.

Booking the tests

You have to book the tests by phone - you cannot book online.

Training in EU countries and Switzerland

You need to apply for your Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) card in writing if you:

have a UK or Great Britain (GB) driving licence

took some of your periodic training in an EU country or Switzerland

did the final 7 hours of your periodic training in England, Scotland or Wales

What you need to send

You need to include:

your driving licence number

your name and address

your phone number

your training certificates from an EU country or Switzerland

a £25 fee to add training taken abroad to your Driver CPC card

You must include the original documents - photocopies are not accepted.

Where to send the documents

Send all the documents to the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) if you live in England, Scotland or Wales.

There’s a different process if you live in Northern Ireland.

Documents that are not in English

You need to send documents with an English translation on headed paper from an educational organisation or embassy.

How to pay your fee

You can either:

pay over the phone using a credit or debit card - DVSA will phone you to take the payment

pay by cheque or postal order - send your payment to DVSA with your documents

If you have a licence from another country

complete your periodic training in England, Scotland or Wales

exchange your driver’s licence for a GB licence - you must have a code 95 entitlement on your non-GB licence to do this

Complete your training in England, Scotland or Wales

You can get a GB Driver CPC card if you’ve done the final 7 hours of your periodic training in England, Scotland or Wales.

You must also live or work in England, Scotland or Wales and have a driving licence from any of these countries:

an EU country

Gibraltar

Guernsey

Iceland

Isle of Man

Jersey

Liechtenstein

Norway

Switzerland

To apply for a GB Driver CPC card, send an email to the Driving and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) asking for form DQC1.

If you live in Northern Ireland, contact the Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA).

Exchange your driving licence for a GB licence

If you have a code 95 entitlement on your licence, you can get a GB Driver CPC card by exchanging your licence for a GB licence.

Your Driver CPC qualification will still last until the date it was due to run out when you first got it.

When you exchange your licence, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) will tell DVSA for you.

If you already have an EU Driver CPC card

You’ll need to send your EU Driver CPC card to DVSA if you want to exchange it for a GB Driver CPC card. Send it with a short letter which includes your:

driving licence number

name and address

phone number

DVSA will send you a new Driver CPC card with the same number as your driving licence.

From then on, after doing 35 hours of periodic training in England, Scotland or Wales, you’ll get your Driver CPC qualification for 5 years.

If you live in Northern Ireland, contact DVA.

How much training you need to do

You must do 35 hours of periodic training every 5 years to keep your Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) to drive a lorry, bus or coach.

You can be fined up to £1,000 for driving professionally without Driver CPC.

You can check how many hours of training you’ve done in the current 5-year period.

You only need to complete one set of training every 5 years if you drive both lorries and buses professionally.

There’s a different process if you live in Northern Ireland.

You have to do the training in the country where you work or normally live.

When to take training

The deadline to do your training is shown on your card.

It’s up to you when you take the training courses, as long as you do them within the 5-year period.

If you miss your training deadline

It’s illegal to drive professionally if you have not done your training by your deadline.

Drivers with ‘acquired rights’

Having ‘acquired rights’ means that you did not have to take the Driver CPC initial qualification because of your existing driving experience.

You have acquired rights if you got your vocational licence before the dates shown in the table.

| Vehicle categories included | When you got your vocational licence

Lorry | C, C1, C+E and C1+E | Before 10 September 2009

Bus or coach | D, D1, D+E, D1+E | Before 10 September 2008

Bus or coach (not for hire or reward) | D(101) | After 1991

Minibus (not for hire or reward) | D1(101) | Before 1997

Training deadlines for drivers with acquired rights

You still need to take periodic training, but there are set deadlines.

| Lorry driver | Bus or coach driver | Dual-category driver (lorry, bus and coach)

First block of training | 9 September 2014 | 9 September 2013 | 9 September 2013

Second block of training | 9 September 2019 | 9 September 2018 | 9 September 2019

Third block of training | 9 September 2024 | 9 September 2023 | 9 September 2024

If you did not do your first block of training

You can finish your training or take extra tests if you have acquired rights and did not finish your first block of training by the deadline.

Finding training courses

Find CPC courses to attend.

The minimum length of a training course is 7 hours. It can be taken over 2 consecutive days and can include up to 2 hours of online training before you start.

Taking a non-Driver CPC course

Contact DVSA if you want to check whether a course counts towards your training.

Taking the same course more than once

Repeating a non-Driver CPC course

You cannot repeat non-Driver CPC courses during your training period.

Driver CPC course costs

Training providers set their own prices for courses - there’s no maximum price.

Taking a training course

You must take one of these to your Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) training course:

a photocard driving licence

a valid passport

a digital tachograph card

a Driver CPC card

Your Driver CPC training record

The training centre will put your training on your Driver CPC training record.

Contact the centre where you did your training if it is not showing on your record 5 days after the course.

If you took a non-Driver CPC course

If you took a non-Driver CPC course, the provider will not upload your records. Email DVSA with the details. Include:

your name

your driving licence number

your date of birth

your address

the date you completed the training

proof you completed the training - for example, a copy of a training certificate

Problems with a training course

Getting your Driver CPC card

You must carry this card while driving a lorry, bus or coach professionally.

You can get a £50 fixed penalty for driving professionally without your card.

You must replace your card if it’s lost or stolen.

When you’ll be sent your card

You’ll get your new Driver CPC card straight away if you complete your training in the 12 months before your deadline.

If you complete your training more than a year early

You will not get your new Driver CPC card until nearer the time your current card expires.

You can check when you’ll get your new card.

How the card is sent to you

Your Driver CPC card will be sent automatically to the address on your driving licence. You need to change this address first if it’s wrong.

You only need to apply for your card if you did some of your periodic training in an EU country.

The Driver CPC card does not have your address on it, so you do not have to get a new one if your address changes.

The photo and signature on your photocard driving licence will be used on your Driver CPC card.

Waiting for your card

You can still drive professionally while waiting for your card if both of the following apply:

you’ve done your periodic training

your training provider has recorded the training (they must do this within 5 working days of the training ending)

If your card does not arrive

Contact the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) if you do not receive your new card within 20 days of the date you’re due to get it.

You’ll have to pay £25 if:

you take longer than 3 months to tell DVSA it has not arrived

it’s sent to an old address because you have not updated your licence

If you miss your training deadline

If you miss your deadline, you cannot drive professionally until you’ve finished your training.

You can be fined up to £1,000 for driving professionally without Driver CPC.

Your next deadline will be set for 5 years after the date you finish your training.

How long training counts for

Any training you’ve already done counts for 5 years from the date you took the course. You do not lose it because you’ve passed your deadline.

The training will not count towards the 35 hours total if you took it more than 5 years ago.

If you have acquired rights

If you have acquired rights you can either:

complete 35 hours of Driver CPC periodic training by finding and taking training courses

take and pass the Driver CPC part 2 (case studies) and part 4 (practical demonstration) tests

You can only choose the test option once. After that, you must take periodic training to keep your qualification in the future.

Booking the tests

You have to book the tests by phone - you cannot book online.

Training in EU countries and Switzerland

You need to apply for your Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) card in writing if you:

have a UK or Great Britain (GB) driving licence

took some of your periodic training in an EU country or Switzerland

did the final 7 hours of your periodic training in England, Scotland or Wales

What you need to send

You need to include:

your driving licence number

your name and address

your phone number

your training certificates from an EU country or Switzerland

a £25 fee to add training taken abroad to your Driver CPC card

You must include the original documents - photocopies are not accepted.

Where to send the documents

Send all the documents to the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) if you live in England, Scotland or Wales.

There’s a different process if you live in Northern Ireland.

Documents that are not in English

You need to send documents with an English translation on headed paper from an educational organisation or embassy.

How to pay your fee

You can either:

pay over the phone using a credit or debit card - DVSA will phone you to take the payment

pay by cheque or postal order - send your payment to DVSA with your documents

If you have a licence from another country

complete your periodic training in England, Scotland or Wales

exchange your driver’s licence for a GB licence - you must have a code 95 entitlement on your non-GB licence to do this

Complete your training in England, Scotland or Wales

You can get a GB Driver CPC card if you’ve done the final 7 hours of your periodic training in England, Scotland or Wales.

You must also live or work in England, Scotland or Wales and have a driving licence from any of these countries:

an EU country

Gibraltar

Guernsey

Iceland

Isle of Man

Jersey

Liechtenstein

Norway

Switzerland

To apply for a GB Driver CPC card, send an email to the Driving and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) asking for form DQC1.

If you live in Northern Ireland, contact the Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA).

Exchange your driving licence for a GB licence

If you have a code 95 entitlement on your licence, you can get a GB Driver CPC card by exchanging your licence for a GB licence.

Your Driver CPC qualification will still last until the date it was due to run out when you first got it.

When you exchange your licence, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) will tell DVSA for you.

If you already have an EU Driver CPC card

You’ll need to send your EU Driver CPC card to DVSA if you want to exchange it for a GB Driver CPC card. Send it with a short letter which includes your:

driving licence number

name and address

phone number

DVSA will send you a new Driver CPC card with the same number as your driving licence.

From then on, after doing 35 hours of periodic training in England, Scotland or Wales, you’ll get your Driver CPC qualification for 5 years.

If you live in Northern Ireland, contact DVA.

How much training you need to do

You must do 35 hours of periodic training every 5 years to keep your Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) to drive a lorry, bus or coach.

You can be fined up to £1,000 for driving professionally without Driver CPC.

You can check how many hours of training you’ve done in the current 5-year period.

You only need to complete one set of training every 5 years if you drive both lorries and buses professionally.

There’s a different process if you live in Northern Ireland.

You have to do the training in the country where you work or normally live.

When to take training

The deadline to do your training is shown on your card.

It’s up to you when you take the training courses, as long as you do them within the 5-year period.

If you miss your training deadline

It’s illegal to drive professionally if you have not done your training by your deadline.

Drivers with ‘acquired rights’

Having ‘acquired rights’ means that you did not have to take the Driver CPC initial qualification because of your existing driving experience.

You have acquired rights if you got your vocational licence before the dates shown in the table.

| Vehicle categories included | When you got your vocational licence

Lorry | C, C1, C+E and C1+E | Before 10 September 2009

Bus or coach | D, D1, D+E, D1+E | Before 10 September 2008

Bus or coach (not for hire or reward) | D(101) | After 1991

Minibus (not for hire or reward) | D1(101) | Before 1997

Training deadlines for drivers with acquired rights

You still need to take periodic training, but there are set deadlines.

| Lorry driver | Bus or coach driver | Dual-category driver (lorry, bus and coach)

First block of training | 9 September 2014 | 9 September 2013 | 9 September 2013

Second block of training | 9 September 2019 | 9 September 2018 | 9 September 2019

Third block of training | 9 September 2024 | 9 September 2023 | 9 September 2024

If you did not do your first block of training

You can finish your training or take extra tests if you have acquired rights and did not finish your first block of training by the deadline.

Finding training courses

Find CPC courses to attend.

The minimum length of a training course is 7 hours. It can be taken over 2 consecutive days and can include up to 2 hours of online training before you start.

Taking a non-Driver CPC course

Contact DVSA if you want to check whether a course counts towards your training.

Taking the same course more than once

Repeating a non-Driver CPC course

You cannot repeat non-Driver CPC courses during your training period.

Driver CPC course costs

Training providers set their own prices for courses - there’s no maximum price.

Taking a training course

You must take one of these to your Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) training course:

a photocard driving licence

a valid passport

a digital tachograph card

a Driver CPC card

Your Driver CPC training record

The training centre will put your training on your Driver CPC training record.

Contact the centre where you did your training if it is not showing on your record 5 days after the course.

If you took a non-Driver CPC course

If you took a non-Driver CPC course, the provider will not upload your records. Email DVSA with the details. Include:

your name

your driving licence number

your date of birth

your address

the date you completed the training

proof you completed the training - for example, a copy of a training certificate

Problems with a training course

Getting your Driver CPC card

You must carry this card while driving a lorry, bus or coach professionally.

You can get a £50 fixed penalty for driving professionally without your card.

You must replace your card if it’s lost or stolen.

When you’ll be sent your card

You’ll get your new Driver CPC card straight away if you complete your training in the 12 months before your deadline.

If you complete your training more than a year early

You will not get your new Driver CPC card until nearer the time your current card expires.

You can check when you’ll get your new card.

How the card is sent to you

Your Driver CPC card will be sent automatically to the address on your driving licence. You need to change this address first if it’s wrong.

You only need to apply for your card if you did some of your periodic training in an EU country.

The Driver CPC card does not have your address on it, so you do not have to get a new one if your address changes.

The photo and signature on your photocard driving licence will be used on your Driver CPC card.

Waiting for your card

You can still drive professionally while waiting for your card if both of the following apply:

you’ve done your periodic training

your training provider has recorded the training (they must do this within 5 working days of the training ending)

If your card does not arrive

Contact the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) if you do not receive your new card within 20 days of the date you’re due to get it.

You’ll have to pay £25 if:

you take longer than 3 months to tell DVSA it has not arrived

it’s sent to an old address because you have not updated your licence

If you miss your training deadline

If you miss your deadline, you cannot drive professionally until you’ve finished your training.

You can be fined up to £1,000 for driving professionally without Driver CPC.

Your next deadline will be set for 5 years after the date you finish your training.

How long training counts for

Any training you’ve already done counts for 5 years from the date you took the course. You do not lose it because you’ve passed your deadline.

The training will not count towards the 35 hours total if you took it more than 5 years ago.

If you have acquired rights

If you have acquired rights you can either:

complete 35 hours of Driver CPC periodic training by finding and taking training courses

take and pass the Driver CPC part 2 (case studies) and part 4 (practical demonstration) tests

You can only choose the test option once. After that, you must take periodic training to keep your qualification in the future.

Booking the tests

You have to book the tests by phone - you cannot book online.

Training in EU countries and Switzerland

You need to apply for your Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) card in writing if you:

have a UK or Great Britain (GB) driving licence

took some of your periodic training in an EU country or Switzerland

did the final 7 hours of your periodic training in England, Scotland or Wales

What you need to send

You need to include:

your driving licence number

your name and address

your phone number

your training certificates from an EU country or Switzerland

a £25 fee to add training taken abroad to your Driver CPC card

You must include the original documents - photocopies are not accepted.

Where to send the documents

Send all the documents to the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) if you live in England, Scotland or Wales.

There’s a different process if you live in Northern Ireland.

Documents that are not in English

You need to send documents with an English translation on headed paper from an educational organisation or embassy.

How to pay your fee

You can either:

pay over the phone using a credit or debit card - DVSA will phone you to take the payment

pay by cheque or postal order - send your payment to DVSA with your documents

If you have a licence from another country

complete your periodic training in England, Scotland or Wales

exchange your driver’s licence for a GB licence - you must have a code 95 entitlement on your non-GB licence to do this

Complete your training in England, Scotland or Wales

You can get a GB Driver CPC card if you’ve done the final 7 hours of your periodic training in England, Scotland or Wales.

You must also live or work in England, Scotland or Wales and have a driving licence from any of these countries:

an EU country

Gibraltar

Guernsey

Iceland

Isle of Man

Jersey

Liechtenstein

Norway

Switzerland

To apply for a GB Driver CPC card, send an email to the Driving and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) asking for form DQC1.

If you live in Northern Ireland, contact the Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA).

Exchange your driving licence for a GB licence

If you have a code 95 entitlement on your licence, you can get a GB Driver CPC card by exchanging your licence for a GB licence.

Your Driver CPC qualification will still last until the date it was due to run out when you first got it.

When you exchange your licence, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) will tell DVSA for you.

If you already have an EU Driver CPC card

You’ll need to send your EU Driver CPC card to DVSA if you want to exchange it for a GB Driver CPC card. Send it with a short letter which includes your:

driving licence number

name and address

phone number

DVSA will send you a new Driver CPC card with the same number as your driving licence.

From then on, after doing 35 hours of periodic training in England, Scotland or Wales, you’ll get your Driver CPC qualification for 5 years.

If you live in Northern Ireland, contact DVA.

How much training you need to do

You must do 35 hours of periodic training every 5 years to keep your Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) to drive a lorry, bus or coach.

You can be fined up to £1,000 for driving professionally without Driver CPC.

You can check how many hours of training you’ve done in the current 5-year period.

You only need to complete one set of training every 5 years if you drive both lorries and buses professionally.

There’s a different process if you live in Northern Ireland.

You have to do the training in the country where you work or normally live.

When to take training

The deadline to do your training is shown on your card.

It’s up to you when you take the training courses, as long as you do them within the 5-year period.

If you miss your training deadline

It’s illegal to drive professionally if you have not done your training by your deadline.

Drivers with ‘acquired rights’

Having ‘acquired rights’ means that you did not have to take the Driver CPC initial qualification because of your existing driving experience.

You have acquired rights if you got your vocational licence before the dates shown in the table.

| Vehicle categories included | When you got your vocational licence

Lorry | C, C1, C+E and C1+E | Before 10 September 2009

Bus or coach | D, D1, D+E, D1+E | Before 10 September 2008

Bus or coach (not for hire or reward) | D(101) | After 1991

Minibus (not for hire or reward) | D1(101) | Before 1997

Training deadlines for drivers with acquired rights

You still need to take periodic training, but there are set deadlines.

| Lorry driver | Bus or coach driver | Dual-category driver (lorry, bus and coach)

First block of training | 9 September 2014 | 9 September 2013 | 9 September 2013

Second block of training | 9 September 2019 | 9 September 2018 | 9 September 2019

Third block of training | 9 September 2024 | 9 September 2023 | 9 September 2024

If you did not do your first block of training

You can finish your training or take extra tests if you have acquired rights and did not finish your first block of training by the deadline.

Finding training courses

Find CPC courses to attend.

The minimum length of a training course is 7 hours. It can be taken over 2 consecutive days and can include up to 2 hours of online training before you start.

Taking a non-Driver CPC course

Contact DVSA if you want to check whether a course counts towards your training.

Taking the same course more than once

Repeating a non-Driver CPC course

You cannot repeat non-Driver CPC courses during your training period.

Driver CPC course costs

Training providers set their own prices for courses - there’s no maximum price.

Taking a training course

You must take one of these to your Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) training course:

a photocard driving licence

a valid passport

a digital tachograph card

a Driver CPC card

Your Driver CPC training record

The training centre will put your training on your Driver CPC training record.

Contact the centre where you did your training if it is not showing on your record 5 days after the course.

If you took a non-Driver CPC course

If you took a non-Driver CPC course, the provider will not upload your records. Email DVSA with the details. Include:

your name

your driving licence number

your date of birth

your address

the date you completed the training

proof you completed the training - for example, a copy of a training certificate

Problems with a training course

Getting your Driver CPC card

You must carry this card while driving a lorry, bus or coach professionally.

You can get a £50 fixed penalty for driving professionally without your card.

You must replace your card if it’s lost or stolen.

When you’ll be sent your card

You’ll get your new Driver CPC card straight away if you complete your training in the 12 months before your deadline.

If you complete your training more than a year early

You will not get your new Driver CPC card until nearer the time your current card expires.

You can check when you’ll get your new card.

How the card is sent to you

Your Driver CPC card will be sent automatically to the address on your driving licence. You need to change this address first if it’s wrong.

You only need to apply for your card if you did some of your periodic training in an EU country.

The Driver CPC card does not have your address on it, so you do not have to get a new one if your address changes.

The photo and signature on your photocard driving licence will be used on your Driver CPC card.

Waiting for your card

You can still drive professionally while waiting for your card if both of the following apply:

you’ve done your periodic training

your training provider has recorded the training (they must do this within 5 working days of the training ending)

If your card does not arrive

Contact the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) if you do not receive your new card within 20 days of the date you’re due to get it.

You’ll have to pay £25 if:

you take longer than 3 months to tell DVSA it has not arrived

it’s sent to an old address because you have not updated your licence

If you miss your training deadline

If you miss your deadline, you cannot drive professionally until you’ve finished your training.

You can be fined up to £1,000 for driving professionally without Driver CPC.

Your next deadline will be set for 5 years after the date you finish your training.

How long training counts for

Any training you’ve already done counts for 5 years from the date you took the course. You do not lose it because you’ve passed your deadline.

The training will not count towards the 35 hours total if you took it more than 5 years ago.

If you have acquired rights

If you have acquired rights you can either:

complete 35 hours of Driver CPC periodic training by finding and taking training courses

take and pass the Driver CPC part 2 (case studies) and part 4 (practical demonstration) tests

You can only choose the test option once. After that, you must take periodic training to keep your qualification in the future.

Booking the tests

You have to book the tests by phone - you cannot book online.

Training in EU countries and Switzerland

You need to apply for your Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) card in writing if you:

have a UK or Great Britain (GB) driving licence

took some of your periodic training in an EU country or Switzerland

did the final 7 hours of your periodic training in England, Scotland or Wales

What you need to send

You need to include:

your driving licence number

your name and address

your phone number

your training certificates from an EU country or Switzerland

a £25 fee to add training taken abroad to your Driver CPC card

You must include the original documents - photocopies are not accepted.

Where to send the documents

Send all the documents to the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) if you live in England, Scotland or Wales.

There’s a different process if you live in Northern Ireland.

Documents that are not in English

You need to send documents with an English translation on headed paper from an educational organisation or embassy.

How to pay your fee

You can either:

pay over the phone using a credit or debit card - DVSA will phone you to take the payment

pay by cheque or postal order - send your payment to DVSA with your documents

If you have a licence from another country

complete your periodic training in England, Scotland or Wales

exchange your driver’s licence for a GB licence - you must have a code 95 entitlement on your non-GB licence to do this

Complete your training in England, Scotland or Wales

You can get a GB Driver CPC card if you’ve done the final 7 hours of your periodic training in England, Scotland or Wales.

You must also live or work in England, Scotland or Wales and have a driving licence from any of these countries:

an EU country

Gibraltar

Guernsey

Iceland

Isle of Man

Jersey

Liechtenstein

Norway

Switzerland

To apply for a GB Driver CPC card, send an email to the Driving and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) asking for form DQC1.

If you live in Northern Ireland, contact the Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA).

Exchange your driving licence for a GB licence

If you have a code 95 entitlement on your licence, you can get a GB Driver CPC card by exchanging your licence for a GB licence.

Your Driver CPC qualification will still last until the date it was due to run out when you first got it.

When you exchange your licence, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) will tell DVSA for you.

If you already have an EU Driver CPC card

You’ll need to send your EU Driver CPC card to DVSA if you want to exchange it for a GB Driver CPC card. Send it with a short letter which includes your:

driving licence number

name and address

phone number

DVSA will send you a new Driver CPC card with the same number as your driving licence.

From then on, after doing 35 hours of periodic training in England, Scotland or Wales, you’ll get your Driver CPC qualification for 5 years.

If you live in Northern Ireland, contact DVA.


My grandfather has appointed me as his financial affair attorney and i have been running his businesses efficiently . He has been diagnosed with a terminal illness and has few day to live. Will a power of attorney still be valid after my grandfather dies?

You can make decisions on someone’s behalf if they appoint you using a lasting power of attorney (LPA).

Lasting power of attorney: acting as an attorney

Overview

You can contact GOV.UK to request this guide in another format, for example large print or braille.

The person who appoints you is called the ‘donor’. You’re their ‘attorney’.

You don’t need any legal experience to act as someone’s attorney.

The types of decisions you make depend on whether you’re a:

property and financial affairs attorney

health and welfare attorney

This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

Making decisions

Check what you need to do before you’re allowed to start making decisions.

After you start you must:

follow any instructions the donor included in the LPA

consider any preferences the donor included in the LPA

help the donor make their own decisions as much as they can

make any decisions in the donor’s best interests

respect their human and civil rights

You must make the decisions yourself - you can’t ask someone to make them for you.

You can get help making difficult decisions. Your decisions can be checked.

If you’re not the only attorney

Check the LPA. It will tell you whether you must make decisions:

‘jointly’ - this means all the attorneys must agree

‘jointly and severally’ - this means you can make decisions together or on your own

The LPA may tell you to make some decisions ‘jointly’ and others ‘jointly and severally’.

Find out what to do if you make decisions jointly with someone who stops acting as an attorney.

Property and financial affairs attorneys

As a property and financial affairs attorney, you make (or help the donor make) decisions about things like:

money, tax and bills

bank and building society accounts

property and investments

pensions and benefits

You can use the donor’s money to look after their home and buy anything they need day to day (for example, food).

Discuss decisions that affect the donor’s living arrangements, medical care or daily routine with their health and welfare attorney, if they have one.

Looking after money and property

You must keep the donor’s finances separate from your own, unless you’ve already got something in both of your names like a joint bank account or you own a home together.

Managing bank accounts

Before you can manage the donor’s account, you must show the bank the original registered lasting power of attorney (LPA) or a copy of it signed on every page by the donor, a solicitor or notary.

You’ll also need to give proof of:

your name

your address

the donor’s name or address if they’re not the same as on the bank account

The bank might ask for additional types of proof.

Spending money on gifts or donations

Unless the LPA states otherwise, you can spend money on:

gifts to a donor’s friend, family member or acquaintance on occasions when you would normally give gifts (such as birthdays or anniversaries)

donations to a charity that the donor wouldn’t object to, for example a charity they’ve donated to before

You must apply to the Court of Protection for any other type of gift or donation, even if the donor has given them before. These include:

paying someone’s school or university fees

letting someone live in the donor’s property without paying market rent (anything they pay below market rent counts as a gift)

interest-free loans

You must check that the donor can afford the gift or donation, even if they’ve spent money on these types of things before. For example, you can’t donate their money if that would mean they couldn’t afford their care costs.

Read the guidance for more information on giving gifts or donations.

Buying and selling property

You’ll need to get legal advice if:

the sale is below the market value

you want to buy the property yourself

you’re giving it to someone else

Making a will

You can apply for a statutory will if the donor needs to make a will but can’t do it themselves.

You can’t change a donor’s will.

You can be ordered to repay the donor’s money if you misuse it or make decisions to benefit yourself.

Health and welfare attorneys

As a health and welfare attorney, you make (or help the donor make) decisions about things like:

daily routine, for example washing, dressing and eating

medical care

where the donor lives

You might need to spend the donor’s money on things that maintain or improve their quality of life. This can include:

new clothes or hairdressing

decorating their home or room in a care home

paying for extra support so the donor can go out more, for example to visit friends or relatives or to go on holiday

You must ask for money from the person in charge of the donor’s funds.

Refusing or consenting to treatment

Check the lasting power of attorney (LPA) for instructions about refusing or consenting to treatment.

You’ll need to:

show the LPA to care staff

sign medical consent forms

make decisions in the donor’s best interests

You can’t always make decisions about the donor’s medical treatment, for example if the donor’s made a living will or has been sectioned.

Living wills (‘advance decisions’)

This is a legal statement from the donor about which medical treatments they don’t want. You’ll need to give this to care staff along with the LPA.

NHS Choices has information about advance decisions.

Apply for a one-off decision

You may need to apply for a one-off decision from the Court of Protection to make a decision about a medical treatment if:

the living will and LPA give different instructions

the medical staff or the donor’s friends and family disagree about whether the treatment should be given

Start acting as an attorney

You must have a registered lasting power of attorney (LPA)  before you can start acting as an attorney.

The LPA is registered when the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) has stamped it with ‘VALIDATED-OPG’.

You can prepare before you start by talking to the donor so you’re ready to make decisions in their best interests. For example, ask about their plans for their money or how they want to be cared for if they become seriously ill.

Starting as a property and financial affairs attorney

The LPA may give you permission to make decisions while the donor still has the mental capacity to make their own financial decisions.

If it doesn’t, you can only start making decisions when they don’t have mental capacity.

Starting as a health and welfare attorney

You can only make decisions when the donor doesn’t have mental capacity to make them.

You must tell people involved in the donor’s care when you start. This includes the donor’s:

friends and family

doctor and other healthcare staff

care workers, social worker and other social care staff

Staff may want to see proof of your identity and either the original LPA or a certified copy.

Taking over as a replacement attorney

Replacement attorneys are listed in the LPA.

You’ll be able to start helping a donor make decisions as soon as the attorney you’re replacing stops acting.  Check the LPA to see if there are other attorneys you might need to make decisions with.

Records and expenses

Keep a record of:

important decisions you make and when, for example selling the donor’s home or agreeing to medical treatment

the donor’s assets, income and how you spend their money - if you’re their finance and property affairs attorney

Include details of who you asked for advice and any disagreements.

Don’t include small, everyday decisions.

Expenses

You can only claim expenses for things you must do to carry out your role as an attorney, for example:

hiring a professional to do things like fill in the donor’s tax return

travel costs

stationery

postage

phone calls

Keep your receipts and invoice the donor for your expenses. The money is paid by whoever’s in charge of the donor’s funds.

Checks and visits

The Office of the Public Guardian and Court of Protection can check your decisions. They may:

arrange a visit with you and the donor together, or the donor alone

contact other people such as the donor’s family, bank or care workers

They can investigate and stop you acting as an attorney if, for example:

you’ve done something the lasting power of attorney (LPA) says you can’t

you haven’t done something the LPA has instructed you to do

you haven’t been acting in the donor’s best interests

you misuse the donor’s money or make decisions to benefit yourself

you do something that goes against their human or civil rights

the donor isn’t being treated well

the donor made the LPA under pressure or they were tricked into it

Stop acting as an attorney

The lasting power of attorney (LPA) ends when the donor dies.

Tell the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) and send them:

a copy of the death certificate

the original LPA

all certified copies of the LPA

Stopping before the donor dies

You can choose to stop acting as an attorney - sometimes called ‘disclaiming’ an attorneyship.

There are also some cases in which the law requires you to stop acting as an attorney.

Any replacement attorneys listed in the LPA will take over if you stop.

If there are no replacements, there may be other ways to help the donor make decisions.

If you choose to stop

Fill in and send a notification form to:

the donor - if the LPA hasn’t been registered

the donor and OPG (at the address on the form) - if the LPA is registered

any other attorneys appointed on the LPA

When you have to stop

You must stop acting as an attorney if:

the donor takes you off their LPA  - sometimes called ‘revoking’ an attorney

you lose mental capacity and can’t make decisions any more

you’re a property and financial affairs attorney and you become bankrupt or subject to a debt relief order

you’re married to or in a civil partnership with the donor and you get a divorce or an annulment (unless the LPA says you can keep acting as an attorney)

you’re a joint attorney and another attorney stops acting, unless the LPA says you can carry on making decisions

Overview

You can contact GOV.UK to request this guide in another format, for example large print or braille.

The person who appoints you is called the ‘donor’. You’re their ‘attorney’.

You don’t need any legal experience to act as someone’s attorney.

The types of decisions you make depend on whether you’re a:

property and financial affairs attorney

health and welfare attorney

This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

Making decisions

Check what you need to do before you’re allowed to start making decisions.

After you start you must:

follow any instructions the donor included in the LPA

consider any preferences the donor included in the LPA

help the donor make their own decisions as much as they can

make any decisions in the donor’s best interests

respect their human and civil rights

You must make the decisions yourself - you can’t ask someone to make them for you.

You can get help making difficult decisions. Your decisions can be checked.

If you’re not the only attorney

Check the LPA. It will tell you whether you must make decisions:

‘jointly’ - this means all the attorneys must agree

‘jointly and severally’ - this means you can make decisions together or on your own

The LPA may tell you to make some decisions ‘jointly’ and others ‘jointly and severally’.

Find out what to do if you make decisions jointly with someone who stops acting as an attorney.

Property and financial affairs attorneys

money, tax and bills

bank and building society accounts

property and investments

pensions and benefits

Looking after money and property

Managing bank accounts

You’ll also need to give proof of:

your name

your address

the donor’s name or address if they’re not the same as on the bank account

The bank might ask for additional types of proof.

Spending money on gifts or donations

Unless the LPA states otherwise, you can spend money on:

paying someone’s school or university fees

interest-free loans

Read the guidance for more information on giving gifts or donations.

Buying and selling property

You’ll need to get legal advice if:

the sale is below the market value

you want to buy the property yourself

you’re giving it to someone else

Making a will

You can apply for a statutory will if the donor needs to make a will but can’t do it themselves.

You can’t change a donor’s will.

Health and welfare attorneys

As a health and welfare attorney, you make (or help the donor make) decisions about things like:

daily routine, for example washing, dressing and eating

medical care

where the donor lives

new clothes or hairdressing

decorating their home or room in a care home

You must ask for money from the person in charge of the donor’s funds.

Refusing or consenting to treatment

You’ll need to:

show the LPA to care staff

sign medical consent forms

make decisions in the donor’s best interests

Living wills (‘advance decisions’)

NHS Choices has information about advance decisions.

Apply for a one-off decision

the living will and LPA give different instructions

Start acting as an attorney

Starting as a property and financial affairs attorney

If it doesn’t, you can only start making decisions when they don’t have mental capacity.

Starting as a health and welfare attorney

You can only make decisions when the donor doesn’t have mental capacity to make them.

You must tell people involved in the donor’s care when you start. This includes the donor’s:

friends and family

doctor and other healthcare staff

care workers, social worker and other social care staff

Staff may want to see proof of your identity and either the original LPA or a certified copy.

Taking over as a replacement attorney

Replacement attorneys are listed in the LPA.

Records and expenses

Keep a record of:

Include details of who you asked for advice and any disagreements.

Don’t include small, everyday decisions.

Expenses

hiring a professional to do things like fill in the donor’s tax return

travel costs

stationery

postage

phone calls

Checks and visits

The Office of the Public Guardian and Court of Protection can check your decisions. They may:

arrange a visit with you and the donor together, or the donor alone

contact other people such as the donor’s family, bank or care workers

They can investigate and stop you acting as an attorney if, for example:

you’ve done something the lasting power of attorney (LPA) says you can’t

you haven’t done something the LPA has instructed you to do

you haven’t been acting in the donor’s best interests

you misuse the donor’s money or make decisions to benefit yourself

you do something that goes against their human or civil rights

the donor isn’t being treated well

the donor made the LPA under pressure or they were tricked into it

Stop acting as an attorney

The lasting power of attorney (LPA) ends when the donor dies.

Tell the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) and send them:

a copy of the death certificate

the original LPA

all certified copies of the LPA

Stopping before the donor dies

You can choose to stop acting as an attorney - sometimes called ‘disclaiming’ an attorneyship.

There are also some cases in which the law requires you to stop acting as an attorney.

Any replacement attorneys listed in the LPA will take over if you stop.

If there are no replacements, there may be other ways to help the donor make decisions.

If you choose to stop

Fill in and send a notification form to:

the donor - if the LPA hasn’t been registered

the donor and OPG (at the address on the form) - if the LPA is registered

any other attorneys appointed on the LPA

When you have to stop

You must stop acting as an attorney if:

the donor takes you off their LPA  - sometimes called ‘revoking’ an attorney

you lose mental capacity and can’t make decisions any more