Become a qualified dangerous goods (ADR) vehicle driver

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Taking a training course

The training courses can last up to 7 days, depending on which qualification option you choose. This includes the time to take the exams at the end of the course.

You will need to show one of the following forms of ID to take your training course:

  • a photocard driving licence
  • a valid passport
  • a Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) card
  • a professional body photo ID card
  • an HM Services ID card
  • a driver qualification card
  • a Petroleum Driver Passport
  • a valid dangerous goods (ADR) driver card

What the training course covers

The training course covers the core module and additional modules for each qualification. For example, training to transport explosives will involve taking the core module and the Class 1: explosives module.

If your course is delivered remotely, the practical exercises will be replaced with discussions and demonstrations.

One or a small number of dangerous goods classes

You’ll need to take:

  • the core module
  • the packages module or tankers module (or you can take both)
  • the module for the dangerous goods class or classes you want to qualify in
Module name Minimum training time
Core 9 hours
Packages 1 hour 30 minutes
Tanks 7 hours 30 minutes
Class 2: gases 1 hour 30 minutes
Class 3: flammable liquids 1 hour 30 minutes
Class 4: flammable solids 45 minutes
Class 5: oxidising substances 45 minutes
Class 6: toxic substances 45 minutes
Class 8: corrosive substances 45 minutes
Class 9: miscellaneous substances 45 minutes

Groups of similar dangerous goods

Some dangerous goods classes have common characteristics. They’re split into 2 groups:

  • group A classes (2, 3, 6, 8)
  • group B classes (4, 5, 9)

You can qualify for these groups rather than taking the individual modules for each class within the group.

You must take:

  • the core module
  • the packages or tankers module (or you can take both)
  • the common characteristics module
  • the group A classes module or group B classes module (or you can take both)
Module name Minimum training time
Core 9 hours
Packages 1 hour 30 minutes
Tanks 7 hours 30 minutes
Common characteristics 1 hour 30 minutes
Group A classes (2, 3, 6, 8) 3 hours 45 minutes
Group B classes (4, 5, 9) 1 hour 30 minutes

Explosives or radioactive materials

You must take:

  • the core module
  • the class 1 module or class 7 module (or you can take both)
Module name Minimum training time
Core 9 hours
Class 1: explosives 6 hours
Class 7: radioactive materials 6 hours

If you qualify to transport explosives and radioactive materials and want to add extra dangerous goods classes at a later date, you’ll then need to train and pass the exam for the packages or tankers module (or both) as well as the modules for the extra classes you want.

Problems with a training course

You can email SQA if you think the training provided was not to the right standard, for example the course did not last as long as it should have.

SQA dangerous goods training complaints
[email protected]

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