PCV theory test format and pass marks
Understand the two separately booked tests, certificate timing and the passenger-safety knowledge that distinguishes PCV preparation.
Driver CPC part 1 for bus and coach drivers contains two separately booked tests: 100 multiple-choice questions and hazard perception. They may be taken on the same day, but they do not have to be. You must pass both within two years of each other.
| Part | Format | Pass mark |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple choice | 100 questions in 1 hour 55 minutes | 85 out of 100 |
| Hazard perception | 19 clips containing 20 developing hazards | 67 out of 100 |
During multiple choice you can flag, review and change answers. Hazard clips can be seen only once. One clip contains two developing hazards and the others contain one. Each hazard can earn up to five points when identified as it begins to develop.
Add the passenger-safety layer
General road rules are only part of PCV preparation. Revision should also cover passenger movement, accessibility, stopping places, emergency procedures, vehicle checks, dimensions and the effect of a large vehicle’s blind spots and stopping distance.
For every scenario ask two questions: who inside or outside the vehicle could be harmed, and what early action preserves the largest safety margin? A response suitable for an empty car may be unsafe for standing passengers or for people boarding near the kerb.
The PCV practice sets are shorter study blocks, not full replicas of the official 100-question paper. Use them for diagnosis, then schedule a long timed session to test concentration and answer review. Use actual hazard-perception clips separately because still questions cannot reproduce the scored timing task.
GOV.UK sets out the official structure, pass marks and validity on the page for Driver CPC part 1 theory . The certificate is valid for two years from passing the first part.