Ever wandered what ‘invalid’ or ‘processing’ means when you check your driver cpc training hours? I get many enquiries regarding issues surrounding driver CPC uploading. There is limited information provided for drivers (and trainers, to a degree) regarding this process. JAUPT do provide a Guide to Recording Driver CPC Periodic Training. However, unless you are a registered training centre, it is unlikely you will find this information easily. Hence this post! Also, as the guide is geared toward the person who will be carrying out the uploads, it therefore contains information not relevant to the driver, which I have filtered out for you below.
As the training status meanings are hot topic, I have listed them first.
What does a driver’s status mean?
- The driver didn’t have the correct Driver CPC entitlement to take periodic training – DVSA identify drivers who do not have the correct level of entitlement and inform them hours have not been added to their record. If the driver is unable to supply evidence of Driver CPC entitlement DVSA will cancel this training after a minimum period of 1 month. It is worth noting that incorrectly uploaded driver hours are monitored and frequent re-occurrences will trigger further investigation form the DVSA
- The driver has recently completed the initial qualification tests prior to training – this training can be validated once the test passes are shown on our system
- DVSA are currently unable to view the driver’s licence entitlements. Therefore DVSA sometimes have to contact the DVLA in order to view the driver’s licence entitlements to assess the validity of the training. If the driver is currently undergoing medical preview with the DVLA, DVSA are often unable to view vocational licence entitlement. This means DVSA are unable to assess the validity of their training until the medical review is complete.
- Sometimes there maybe a an issue with the centres payment method and the course is awaiting payment
- The training has been incorrectly uploaded against a GB counterpart – the driver holds a non-UK licence with a GB counterpart. Any training uploaded against a GB counterpart can’t be validated as there is no licence entitlement attached to a counterpart
What identity documents should drivers present before I conduct periodic training?
A driver must present one of the following:
- a photocard driving licence
- a valid passport
- a digital tachograph card
a driver qualification card (DQC)
As above, you should make drivers aware that if they do not have the relevant vocational entitlement periodic training cannot contribute towards issue of a DQC.
A driver may also attend training if they present a non-UK driving licence issued by an EU Member State or one of the following countries: Gibraltar, Guernsey, Iceland, Isle of Man, Jersey, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland.
Can drivers take more than one periodic training course in a single day?
DVSA would not recommend undertaking two courses of periodic training in one day; we consider this
an excessive amount of time for an individual to spend in training and be able to effectively retain the information. Periodic training means regular, ongoing training undertaken consistently throughout a driver’s professional career as part of a programme of continuing professional development. DVSA believe drivers will gain more from periodic training if they design a pre-planned learning programme with a definite objective in mind, ie to improve my professionalism over the next 5 year cycle.
Can somebody attend for periodic training if they don’t drive professionally and don’t have Driver CPC entitlement?
As the training provider it is up to you whether to accept attendees who don’t have Driver CPC entitlement e.g. administrative staff. If individuals attend periodic training and do not have Driver CPC entitlement you must ensure that their training will not be uploaded to the Driver CPC R&E system. You should also make them aware that their periodic training will not count towards issue of a DQC or issue them with a certificate of attendance.
Can somebody attend periodic training if they are currently suspended or disqualified from driving?
A driver can still attend for training which can be uploaded should the driver’s categories ultimately be reinstated, though suspended/disqualified drivers cannot undertake on-road periodic training. The driver should be advised that the licence entitlement may not be shown on our system so the training will not be validated unless the categories are reinstated at a later date. If the vocational categories are not reinstated with their original start dates this training may never be validated. You should make this clear to the driver before they undertake any periodic training.
What advice should be given to attendees?
Below is some advice that you may wish to provide to drivers attending periodic training if it is relevant to them:
A DQC is automatically issued to UK photocard licence holders as soon as 35 hours of periodic training have been uploaded to the driver’s record. This should be received within 20 days of completing the final training. If it is not received after this time the driver should contact the DVSA (GB licences) or DVA (NI licences).
A DQC can only be issued to the licence address currently held by DVLA at the time when it is triggered; it is the driver’s responsibility to ensure that their address is up to date with the DVLA before all 35 hours of training are completed. If the DQC is sent to a previous licence address the driver will have to pay £25 for another card to be issued. If the non-receipt of a DQC is not reported to the DVSA/DVA within 3 months, the driver will need to pay £25 for another card to be issued, regardless of the circumstances.
If the driver holds a paper driving licence in order for a DQC to be issued they will need to exchange this for a photocard licence.
Periodic training should be uploaded to the driver’s records directly, by the training provider, within 5 working days. It is the driver’s responsibility to monitor their own hours on the Driver CPC Online Driver Enquiry (ODE) service at www.gov.uk/check-your-driver-cpc-periodic-training-hours. If the driver has already completed 35 hours of training within their current 5 year cycle any further training taken and uploaded is invalid. Northern Irish drivers are currently unable to use ODE so they should contact the DVA to check their recorded periodic training hours.
Periodic training expires after 5 years; if all 35 hours are not completed within 5 years of the earliest training date, those hours which fall out of the rolling five-year period will no longer count towards the issue of any subsequent DQC.
If the driver holds a non-UK driving licence and wishes to obtain a UK DQC they will need to either: Exchange to a UK driving licence, and ask you, as their training provider, to upload the training retrospectively Or, if they want to retain their foreign licence, they will need to apply for their DQC via a DQC1 application form on completion of 35 hours training.
If a driver presents for training with a GB driving licence and a non-UK DQC they should be advised to send their DQC to the DVSA for exchange.
If a driver presents for training with a NI driving licence and a non-UK DQC they
should be advised to send their DQC to the DVA for exchange, enabling the periodic training hours to be validated upon upload.
Online Driver Enquiry (ODE)
Recording Driver CPC Periodic Training
To record a driver’s training hours on DVSA’s R&E system drivers must provide their driving licence number. Please note it remains the trainer’s responsibility to ensure that the driver genuinely holds the driving licence number presented on the day; each approved training body should have its own procedures in place to guarantee this.
You must upload the training records to the CPC R&E system within five working days of the course completion date; drivers cannot have training uploaded twice for the same date. The CPC R&E (Recording & Evidencing) system is the central training record database for UK driving licence holders and is managed by DVSA.
Training must be uploaded promptly and accurately to prevent any delay in the driver receiving their DQC. As all professional bus, coach and lorry drivers must carry their DQC with them at all times when they are working any delay can have a serious impact.
You must keep full, accurate records of all periodic training conducted for audit purposes. All information should be retained securely in line with the Data Protection Act 1998.
We consider it best practice for centres to regularly review uploads using the ‘View training centre history’ facility to ensure all drivers have been uploaded correctly.
You should not upload periodic training until the driver has completed the full course; if the driver had to leave early the upload would have to be cancelled after the event. Only those drivers who complete the course in its entirety can be uploaded
If you have any difficulties with the CPC R&E system, please contact the CPC R&E section at the DVSA.
Recording Periodic Training for Non-UK Licence Holders
When non-UK licence holders attend periodic training in the UK you are required to complete the ‘Non-UK Licence Upload Template’. This can be found on gov.uk. You must complete one template per course attended. This template should be e-mailed to eudrivertraining@dsa.gsi.gov.uk within five working days of the course completion date.
On receipt of the e-mail a member of staff will call you to take the upload fee via credit/debit card; normal upload fees apply. You must make sure you include a contact name, email address and preferred contact number, and ensure that your named contact has access to
all details of the card necessary for payment.
DVSA cannot take payment for these uploads via prefunded account and the training cannot be viewed using the online training centre history. You should maintain your own centre’s records of periodic training undertaken by non-UK driving licence holders in line with your normal procedures. These records will be subject to the usual audits.
On completion of 35 hours training the driver will need to apply for a DQC using a DQC1 application form if they want to retain their foreign licence. If they decide to exchange to a UK driving licence, they may contact you at a later date to upload this training retrospectively. You must contact the DVSA to claim back your original upload fee and report the late upload of the training to the CPC R&E system.
TMconsultant provide opportunities to deliver periodic driver CPC training. If you would like to learn more about how to become a driver cpc trainer/a member of the consortium or have any questions, please do just get in touch!