If you want to drive a truck commercially, you must have a qualification certificate with code 95 on your driver's license. Here is what the education entails, what the directive requires, and what is new in BEK 412/2025.
Introduction
Code 95 is an EU-wide symbol on the driving licence showing that the holder has acquired the initial qualification as a professional driver — through the direct test or an intensive course. The requirement stems from EU Directive 2003/59/EC, now codified in Directive (EU) 2022/2561 — that is the version which today serves as the EU legal basis.
Initial qualification: test or 140 hours
- 01Includes: traffic safety, efficient driving, cargo and passenger handling, legislation and maintenance.
- 02Direct test (since 1 October 2025): no teaching requirement; written tests of at least 4 hours, a driving test of at least 90 minutes and a practical test of at least 30 minutes. The written test requires 85 % correct answers and is taken without aids.
- 03Intensive training: at least 140 hours, including at least 10 individual driving lessons and 11 lessons of first aid, completed with a written test and a practical load-securing test of at least 30 minutes. The old 280-hour course could last be started on 30 September 2025.
- 04The C and C/E licence can be taken from 18 (instead of the normal 21) together with the initial qualification. With code 95 from the test you may drive C and C/E from 18; with code 95 from the intensive training C1 and C1/E from 18 and C and C/E from 21.
- 05Code 95 printed on the back of the driving license in section 12 and/or on the qualification certificate (CPC card).
The written test — tightened from June 2026
- 01You need 85% correct answers in total (previously 65%). At least 50% correct in both part 1 and part 2 still applies.
- 02No aids: notes, textbooks and law collections are no longer allowed. Only an ordinary calculator may be used.
- 03You must book the test at least 7 days in advance (previously 28 days). If you fail, you can retake it no earlier than 7 days later (previously 28 days).
- 04The test time can be extended from 4 to 6 hours for dyslexia and now also for e.g. ADHD and anxiety. The documentation is handed in to the training centre.
- 05An external examiner is no longer required at the practical test.
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