Professional driver qualification

Bus and lorry drivers get informed

Improved safety, improved cost-effectiveness, improved image: According to the professional driver qualification law, all truck and bus drivers must attend ongoing further education. This law also applies to temporary drivers. TÜV NORD offers you the right courses.

Drive cleverly with the TÜV NORD Academy

People used to say, once learnt, never forgotten. If a professional driver had a driver's licence in his pocket, he had a green light. With the professional driver qualification law, the training programme also includes the driver's licence, a basic qualification, and regular education courses. Within 5 years, they must complete at least 35 lessons that are held during one-day training courses.

The goal of the law includes:

  • Increasing road traffic safety
  • Improving the economical driving style

The TÜV NORD Academy offers you the corresponding training courses. Whoever would like to complete the course very conveniently, can also book in-house training courses.

To whom does the law apply?

Lawmakers require that all commercial lorry and bus drivers participate in further training measures every 5 years.
Put simply, this means:

  • Bus drivers holding a driver's licence on 10.09.2008 and lorry drivers holding driver's licence on 10.09.2009, must in the future participate in further training courses on safety and efficiency every 5 years and have these courses entered in their driver's licence.
  • Newcombers who acquire a driver's licence after 10.09.2008 (bus drivers) or 10.09.2009 (lorry drivers), must complete a test to prove that they are qualified (basic qualification).

It also applies to temporary drivers.

Exceptions of the law

The professional vehicle drivers qualification law does not apply to:

  • Vehicles with maximum permissible speeds of 45 km/h
  • Armed forces, police, civil protection and disaster control and street cleaning vehicles
  • Vehicles used for emergency rescues
  • Vehicles used for transporting materials and equipment that the driver requires for carrying out his/her profession
  • Workshop personnel (test drives) 

Tough luck: you can face fines if you don't participate in further training measures

Proof of successful completion of the basic qualification and further education is an entry of code 95 in your driving license.
Whoever does not have this training programme certification is bound to be caught during a roadside check: For this case, lawmakers have set substantial fines:

  • up to € 5,000 for drivers
  • up to € 20,000 for companies; plus scheduled training courses. Within 5 years