Documents You Need to Register With a Driving Agency

To register with a driving agency you will need your photocard driving licence showing the right category, a DVLA check code, your right-to-work evidence and a short record of the vehicles you have driven. For lorries, including 7.5-tonne, Class 2 and Class 1, you will usually also need a Driver CPC qualification card and a digital tachograph driver card.

This guide sets out what each document is, when you need it, and the official rules behind it, so your registration goes smoothly and you can be matched to the right work.

Checklist by vehicle class

Your photocard driving licence

Your licence shows the categories you are entitled to drive, and that is the first thing an agency or operator will look at. According to GOV.UK:

• Category B (car licence, test passed on or after 1 January 1997) covers vehicles up to 3,500kg maximum authorised mass (MAM) with up to 8 passenger seats, or up to 4,250kg for electric or hydrogen vehicles
• Category C1 covers vehicles between 3,500kg and 7,500kg MAM, with a trailer up to 750kg
• Category C covers vehicles over 3,500kg, with a trailer up to 750kg
• Category CE covers category C vehicles with a trailer over 750kg

Check that your licence is in date. A photocard must be renewed every 10 years. Lorry entitlement has to be renewed every 5 years. From the age of 45, that renewal comes with a medical examination report (form D4), and from 65 you renew every year. If your address has changed, update it with DVLA first, because tachograph and Driver CPC cards are sent to the address on your licence.

A DVLA check code

Agencies and operators usually want to see your driving record, including the categories you hold and any penalty points or disqualifications. You share it with a check code, which you create yourself on GOV.UK using the View or share your driving licence information service. You will need:

• Your driving licence number
• Your National Insurance number
• The postcode on your driving licence

The code is valid for 21 days and can only be used once. The person checking also needs the last 8 characters of your licence number. So create the code when you are asked for it, not weeks in advance, and expect to make a new one if another check is needed later. The service covers licences issued in England, Wales and Scotland.

Driver CPC qualification card

If you drive a lorry as the main part of your job, you need the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (Driver CPC). When you qualify, or complete your periodic training, you get a Driver CPC card, also called a driver qualification card or DQC. The key rules from GOV.UK:

• You must do 35 hours of periodic training every 5 years to keep your Driver CPC. The deadline is shown on your card
• You must carry the card while driving a lorry professionally. Driving without it can mean a £50 fixed penalty
• Driving professionally without a valid Driver CPC can mean a fine of up to £1,000
• A National Driver CPC card, marked 'Domestic UK use only', lets you drive professionally in the UK only. An International card also covers Europe. All cards issued before 3 December 2024 are international

Not every lorry driver needs the full Driver CPC. GOV.UK lists exemptions, for example where driving is not the main part of your job or the goods are not carried commercially. You can check how many training hours you have done with the GOV.UK Driver CPC periodic training hours service. It is worth doing before you register, because an expiring card limits the work you can be offered.

Digital tachograph driver card

Tachographs record driving time, speed and distance, to show that drivers' hours rules are followed. You need a tachograph if the vehicle comes under the assimilated (formerly EU) or AETR rules. That covers most goods vehicles over 3.5 tonnes, unless an exemption applies. If the vehicle has a digital or smart tachograph, you need your own driver card.

• Apply to DVLA online or by post. GOV.UK lists the fee for a first card as £32
• You can renew online if your card expires within 90 days
• If your card is lost, stolen, damaged or faulty, tell DVLA immediately and apply for a replacement within 7 days

Van drivers usually do not need a card for UK work. GOV.UK says goods vehicles over 2.5 tonnes and under 3.5 tonnes used only in the UK do not need a tachograph fitted. But from 1 July 2026, goods vehicles over 2.5 tonnes used on international journeys for hire and reward must have a smart tachograph, so international van work now involves one.

Right-to-work evidence

Workers provide right-to-work evidence during registration. Trade Force reviews the information supplied and discusses documentation requirements before putting workers forward.

GOV.UK explains what counts. British and Irish citizens can use a British passport, or an Irish passport or passport card, and these can be current or expired. Without a passport, you can use a UK or Irish birth or adoption certificate, or a certificate of registration or naturalisation, together with an official letter showing your name and National Insurance number, such as one from HMRC or DWP. People who are not British or Irish citizens can use a share code, which you get online, or their eligible immigration documents. It is your choice which to use.

A record of what you have driven

You do not always need a polished CV for driving work, but a clear record of your experience helps you get matched to suitable work. Note down:

• The vehicles you have driven: vans, 7.5-tonne, rigids, artics, and any with a tail-lift
• The type of work: multidrop, trunking, store deliveries, removals or collections
• How long you have held each licence category
• Any penalty points or endorsements. Be upfront, because they show on your check code anyway
• Other tickets you hold, such as ADR or a forklift certificate, with expiry dates

Trade Force records the licence category, Driver CPC and tachograph details you provide. Licence and CPC checks remain the operator's responsibility. Our driving and transport page explains the roles we recruit for. For general tips that apply to every sector, see our guide to what to prepare before registering.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Always check the current rules on GOV.UK for your own situation.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a DVLA check code last?

A check code is valid for 21 days and can only be used once. Create it using the GOV.UK View or share your driving licence information service when an agency or operator asks for it.

Do I need a Driver CPC to drive a van?

Not usually. Driver CPC applies to driving lorries, buses and coaches professionally. A van within category B, up to 3,500kg maximum authorised mass, does not need it.

How many hours of Driver CPC training do I need?

You must do 35 hours of periodic training every 5 years to keep your Driver CPC. The deadline is on your card, and you can check your hours with the GOV.UK periodic training hours service.

Do van drivers need a tachograph card?

Not for vans of 3.5 tonnes or less used only in the UK. From 1 July 2026, goods vehicles over 2.5 tonnes used on international journeys for hire and reward must have a smart tachograph, so international van drivers will need a driver card.

Can I register if I have penalty points?

Yes. Tell us about them when you register. Whether a particular operator or insurer will accept them depends on the points, the offence and their own rules, so being upfront helps us put you forward for suitable work.

Sources

1. GOV.UK — Driving licence categories (opens in a new tab). Accessed 29 September 2026.
2. GOV.UK — Renew your driving licence (opens in a new tab). Accessed 29 September 2026.
3. GOV.UK — Renew or change a lorry or bus licence (opens in a new tab). Accessed 29 September 2026.
4. DVLA / GOV.UK — View or share your driving licence information (opens in a new tab). Accessed 29 September 2026.
5. DVLA / GOV.UK — Check someone's driving licence information (opens in a new tab). Accessed 29 September 2026.
6. DVSA / GOV.UK — Driver CPC training for qualified drivers (opens in a new tab). Accessed 29 September 2026.
7. DVSA / GOV.UK — Become a qualified HGV or bus driver (opens in a new tab). Accessed 29 September 2026.
8. DVSA / GOV.UK — When you don't need Driver CPC (opens in a new tab). Accessed 29 September 2026.
9. DVLA / GOV.UK — Apply for a driver digital tachograph card (opens in a new tab). Accessed 29 September 2026.
10. DVSA / GOV.UK — Tachographs: rules for drivers and operators (opens in a new tab). Accessed 29 September 2026.
11. DVSA / GOV.UK — Drivers' hours and tachographs: goods vehicles, section 4: tachograph rules (opens in a new tab). Accessed 29 September 2026.
12. DVSA / GOV.UK — Drivers' hours and tachographs: goods vehicles, section 1: assimilated and AETR rules (opens in a new tab). Accessed 29 September 2026.
13. GOV.UK — Prove your right to work to an employer (opens in a new tab). Accessed 29 September 2026.