HGV theory test and Driver CPC: which parts you need

People search for the “HGV theory test”; DVSA calls it the LGV theory test or Driver CPC part 1. It is one of up to five tests between a car licence and driving a lorry for a living. This page lays out all of them, so that you book the right ones in a workable order.

HGV and LGV mean the same thing here

HGV stands for heavy goods vehicle and LGV for large goods vehicle. Both describe a goods vehicle with a maximum authorised mass over 3,500 kg, and both lead to the same theory test. GOV.UK’s licensing pages mostly say HGV, while DVSA’s theory test books and practice material say LGV. Elsewhere, LGV is sometimes used for light goods vehicles, meaning vans, which is not what a theory test booking means by it.

The Driver CPC tests at a glance

GOV.UK counts these as five tests, treating the two halves of part 1 as one, although 1a and 1b are booked and paid for separately.

Before any test: the provisional entitlement

You need a full car licence, and you normally have to be over 18. You then apply to DVLA for provisional lorry entitlement with two forms: D2, the application, and D4, a medical report completed by a doctor. There is no DVLA fee for the application, though the doctor can charge for the medical. You can book part 1 and part 2 as soon as the provisional entitlement is on your licence.

Asking for C on form D2 also gives provisional C1, C1E and CE. The theory test is the same whichever of these you train for.

Part 1: the theory test

Multiple choice and hazard perception can be sat on the same day or on different days, in either order. You must pass the second within two years of the first, and the theory certificate then lasts two years from the date of the first pass. Parts 3a and 3b have to be passed inside that period. The LGV theory test format goes through both halves in detail.

Part 2: case studies

Part 2 is also a computer test at a theory test centre, but it is not part of the licence theory test. You work through seven case studies, short scenarios from a driver’s working day, each followed by between five and ten multiple-choice questions. The test lasts 1 hour 15 minutes and the pass mark is 40 out of 50.

You do not need to have passed part 1 first. The pass letter is valid for two years, and part 4 must be passed in that time. After a fail you can rebook at once for a date at least three clear working days later.

The subject matter overlaps with part 1 (drivers’ hours, loading, vehicle checks, incidents) but the skill differs: you apply several rules to one situation instead of recalling one rule at a time.

Parts 3a, 3b and 4: the practical tests

• Part 3a needs a part 1 pass. It can be taken with DVSA or an approved private test provider. A pass must be followed by part 3b within six months.
• Part 3b needs passes in part 1 and part 3a, in a vehicle of the same category as the one used for 3a.
• Part 4 needs a part 2 pass. You show an examiner how you would secure a load, prevent people being smuggled in the vehicle, assess an emergency, reduce physical risks and carry out a walkaround check.

Which parts do you need?

Exemptions are narrow and specific. If you are unsure whether one applies to you, GOV.UK advises taking legal advice.

A workable order

1. D2 and D4 to DVLA.
2. While waiting, start free HGV theory practice.
3. Part 1a and part 1b, close together.
4. Part 2, before or alongside practical training.
5. Practical training, then part 3a and part 3b.
6. Part 4, often arranged through the training provider.

Once qualified you receive a Driver CPC card and keep it valid with 35 hours of periodic training every five years.

What it costs

DVSA charges a separate fee for part 1a, part 1b, part 2 and each practical part, and training providers set their own course prices. The DVSA fees are listed on GOV.UK; the theory fees are also shown in the guide to theory test costs and booking.

The official step-by-step is GOV.UK’s guide to becoming a qualified HGV or bus driver.