Armchair Laners

Having Driver CPC through 'acquired rights'
You could have the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) through ‘acquired rights’ if you’re already a professional lorry, bus or coach driver

This means that because you’ve already been working as a lorry or bus driver, your experience is counted as the same as taking the Driver CPC initial qualification

you will still need to do 35 hours of periodic training every 5 years to keep your Driver CPC

You’ll have ‘acquired rights’ if you’re a

lorry driver and got your vocational licence (C, C1, C+E and C1+E) before 10 September 2009
bus or coach driver and got your vocational licence (D, D1, D+E and D1+E) before 10 September 2008 - this includes a restricted vocational licence D(101) issued after 1991 and D1(101) issued before 1997 (though you should by now have completed periodic training)
You will need to pass all 4 parts of the Driver CPC initial qualification to be able to drive professionally if you don’t have ‘acquired rights’

When you need to do periodic training
If you’ve got your Driver CPC by ‘acquired rights’ you must do 35 hours of periodic training by 9 September 2014 if you’re a lorry driver

If you’re a bus or coach driver, you must have already done your training by 9 September 2013 to keep driving professionally

Driving a larger vehicle and adding trailer entitlements
Your ‘acquired rights’ do not allow you to drive a larger vehicle of the same type or drive with a trailer if this is not on your vocational licence

You’ll have to pass the lorry driving ability test to do this

Example

You will have to take the lorry driving ability test with a C+E vehicle combination if your vocational licence was only for a category C vehicle

Driving a different type of vehicle
Your ‘acquired rights’ only counts for the type of vehicle you’d originally got your vocational licence for

You will have to get the Driver CPC initial qualification for the other type of vehicle

exclusions

if you were renting a 7.5 ton lorry for private use

example moving house for yourself not for hire or reward and had the category on your existing license

you would not need a CPC licence