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Professional drivers

CPC for established drivers

How to apply for your Driver CPC card if you’re an established professional bus or truck driver.

Driver CPC stands for the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence and was first introduced across the EU on 9 September 2008 for professional bus drivers and on 9 September 2009 for professional truck drivers.

Apply for your Driver CPC card

If you want to apply for either a bus or truck driver CPC card, you must first complete 35 hours of training (five modules). For a dual CPC qualification (i.e. both bus and truck), you must complete 42 hours of training  (six modules). Know more >

One you’ve finished your training, you need to download and complete a Driver Qualification Card Application form. Please include a recent passport-sized photograph that meets the internationally accepted Passport Office photo guidelines and sign your name on the back of it.

If you have an EU licences that wasn’t issued in Ireland, please also include a photocopy of your current driving licence, which includes your bus or truck licence category.

Completed forms should be posted to: Driver Education Section,  Moy Valley Business Park, Primrose Hill,  Dublin Road, Ballina, Co. Mayo.

Please read through the CPC Driver Self Declaration Leaflet carefully before submitting your application.

If you have a digital driver tachograph card you can apply for your Driver CPC card by giving us permission to use the photograph and signature details that you previously submitted.

To avail of this option, you need to text the following to 51444 (low cost text):

  • your driver number (item 5 on a paper driving licence or item 4d on a plastic card driving licence)
  • Y (for Yes)
  • surname

For example: 123456789 Y Smith (insert a space between driver number, Y and surname). 

You can give your permission for us to use your registered details for issuing your Driver CPC card in your MyCPC portal account.  You should first confirm that your contact details are correct.

Acquired rights

Acquired rights, or grandfather rights as they are commonly known, is where a bus or truck driver obtained their licence prior to the introduction of Driver CPC.

A driver with acquired rights is not required to sit any exams. However, you still need to complete Driver CPC periodic training to maintain your Driver CPC qualification and drive professionally.

  • If you’re a bus driver who obtained your bus licence prior to 10 September 2008 then you have acquired rights to Driver CPC.
  • If you’re a truck driver who obtained your truck licence prior to 10 September 2009 you have acquired rights to Driver CPC.

You may also qualify for a Driver CPC card if you’re a driver who:

  • has not been engaged in professional driving for more than five years
  • has not maintained your Driver CPC qualification
  • has been living and working as a professional driver outside of the EU member states where Driver CPC was not required.

In these cases, you may be permitted to return to work as a professional driver without the need to undergo the full process to re-qualify for a Driver CPC card.