What You Need to Know About the Driver CPC NVT Concession (and Recent Rule Changes)

Any professional drivers in the UK, whether you’re training to drive a heavy goods vehicle (HGV), bus, or coach, need their Driver Certificate of Professional Competence to work legally on the road. However, if you’re currently on a training programme, you might be eligible for the National Vocational Training (NVT) concession. This concession allows you to start driving professionally before completing all of your CPC qualifications.

What is the NVT concession?

Normally, to drive professionally, you have to complete and pass all four CPC tests including:

1. Theory
2. Case Studies
3. Off-road and on-road driving
4. Practical demonstration

However under the NVT concession, you can start driving professionally after passing only two of the four tests if you’re approved for the programme.

Specifically, you must have:

• Passed Driver CPC part 1 (theory test) and part 3 (practical driving)
• Not used the NVT concession before
• Registered on an eligible training course that lasts at least 6 months and leads to a recognised qualification

If you meet these requirements, you can apply for the concession. Meaning you would be able to drive professionally for up to 12 months before taking Part 2 and Part 4 of the CPC tests.

Although the NVT concession has long existed, the latest update (February 2026) changed the list of eligible courses and made the application process easier.

Eligible Courses

The current list of eligible courses for HGV driver training includes:

• Apprenticeship: LGV driver Level 2
• Apprenticeship: Urban Driver Level 2
• Highfield Level 2 Certificate in Driving Goods Vehicles
• Highfield Level 3 Diploma in Driving Goods Vehicles
• ICQ Level 2 Certificate in Driving Goods Vehicles
• Pearson Edexcel Level Certificate in Driving Goods Vehicles
• ProQual Level 2 Certificate in Driving Goods Vehicles
• Qualifications Scotland Diploma Driving Goods Vehicles Level 6

How it works?

If you’re thinking of applying for the NVT, you have to complete the official application on the GOV.UK website. The 12-month concession then begins from either when you passed your practical driving test or the start of your approved training. During the 12 months that your concession is valid, you must then complete the remaining CPC tests, otherwise at the end of your 12 months, you’ll have to stop driving professionally until you do. You will also be responsible to carry your concession card when driving at all times.

The NVT concession remains a valuable opportunity for trainee drivers to work professionally while completing their CPC tests. Recent updates to the guidance are mostly administrative and ensure the list of eligible courses stays current, but the core benefit stays the same… you can drive while you train.

If you’re training for a driver qualification and haven’t used a National Vocational Training (NVT) concession before, it’s definitely worth considering, and make sure you apply in a timely way so you don’t lose out on the professional driving time.