Guidance

Provide Driver CPC part 4 (practical demonstration) tests for HGV and bus drivers

How to get permission to carry out Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) part 4 tests and the rules you must follow.

Applies to England, Scotland and Wales

Eligibility

You can apply to the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) to carry out Driver CPC part 4 (practical demonstration) tests if you’re:

  • a haulage company
  • a bus or coach company
  • a large goods vehicle (LGV) or passenger carrying vehicle (PCV) training organisation
  • an LGV or PCV industry training association
  • a Driver CPC periodic training centre

There’s a different process to get approved to provide Driver CPC part 3a (off-road exercises) tests.

Assessor eligibility

You need to nominate anyone who you want to be an assessor - they must work for your organisation.

Anyone you nominate must:

Apply for approval

Contact DVSA to get details about what information you need to provide to apply.

Delegated driving examiner team

Delegated Examiner Section
DVSA1 Unity Square
Nottingham
NG2 1AY

You need to accept the Driver CPC part 4 conditions of approval (PDF, 306 KB, 16 pages) when you apply.

Your application can be refused at any time if DVSA decides that you’re not ‘fit and proper’.

Take the assessor training course

Each assessor must take a 2-day training course at DVSA’s training academy in Guildford.

DVSA
Guildford GVTS
Waterside Rd
Guildford
GU1 1SA

This costs £180 per assessor and is carried out in groups of 20, with delegates from different companies.

DVSA will tell you how to pay the fee when you apply.

Facilities and equipment you need

You must provide a safe environment when carrying out Driver CPC part 4 tests.

Candidates must have enough space to carry out the various vehicle checks, free from obstructions or moving vehicles.

Load securing demonstration

LGV candidates must demonstrate their ability to secure and unsecure loads during the test, using the equipment provided. This equipment must include:

  • a nylon multi-twist rope that’s 6 metres length
  • a chain tensioner or rachet unit and chain that has a heavy gauge chain with eyelets at both ends
  • a webbing ratchet strap of 20 kilo Newtons
  • load tensioning bars

You can use either:

Book tests

DVSA will send you details about how to book your test after you’ve passed the assessor training course.

You have to pay a fee of £41 to book each Driver CPC part 4 assessment.

This can be paid by either:

Having your standards checked

DVSA will visit you to carry out quality audits. An audit will include a:

  • check of your records and processes
  • standards checks of your Driver CPC part 4 assessors (including watching tests being carried out)

Your permission to carry out Driver CPC part 4 tests, or to act as the responsible person, can be taken away if DVSA decides that you’re not ‘fit and proper’.

Help with your application

Contact DVSA to get help applying, or for more information about how to use your own staff to provide Driver CPC part 4 tests.

Delegated driving examiner team

Delegated Examiner Section
DVSA1 Unity Square
Nottingham
NG2 1AY

Published 15 September 2017
Last updated 7 November 2023 + show all updates
  1. Updated email address for Delegated driving examiner team, added link to conditions of approval.

  2. Edited section "Take the assessor training course" - Changed the address for the assessor training course to Guildford GVTS.

  3. First published.