Full ADR
5 days · InitialModules: Core, Packages, Tanks,
Classes 2–6, 8 & 9.
You can carry: all classes except 1 and 7, in packages and tanks.
EnquireADR Driver Training in Essex
Gain or renew your ADR driver certificate with specialist dangerous goods trainers. Full ADR, Packages, Tanks and Refresher courses, delivered on-site across Essex and the UK.
- Initial & refresher courses
- Driver CPC hours available
ADR Training Courses in Essex
Any driver carrying dangerous goods by road above the small-load thresholds needs an ADR driver training certificate, unless another exemption applies. You gain it by completing an approved course and passing the exams at the end, set by Qualifications Scotland (formerly the SQA). Once issued, the certificate lasts five years.
We are dangerous goods specialists, not a general driving school. Every ADR course is delivered by an experienced Dangerous Goods Safety Adviser, so your drivers learn how the rules apply to real loads, real paperwork and real roadside checks, not just enough to pass the exam.
ADR Certificate Explained
Your certificate is made up of modules. Every driver needs at least three:
the Core, a carriage module, and at least one class.
Always required
Core
The foundation: regulations, driver duties, documents, placarding, emergency action and the hazards of dangerous goods.
Choose one or both
Packages / Tanks
Packages covers drums, IBCs, cylinders and boxed goods. Tanks covers fixed tanks, tank containers and demountable tanks.
At least one
Classes
Classes 2–6, 8 and 9 as standard. Class 1 (explosives) and Class 7 (radioactive) are specialist add-ons.
Our ADR Courses
Not sure which course you need? Call 0203 137 3014 and speak to our ADR instructor.
ADR Packages
3.5 days · InitialModules: Core, Packages, Classes 2–6, 8 & 9.
You can carry: all classes except 1 and 7, in packages only.
EnquireADR Tanks
3 days · InitialModules: Core, Tanks, Class 3.
Popular with the fuel industry.
Class 2 is available for the gas industry.
EnquireADR Refresher
RenewalModules: the same modules as your current certificate.
Result: a new five-year certificate running on from your old expiry date.
EnquireClass 1 – Explosives
1 day · Add-onRequires: a current ADR driver certificate.
You can carry: explosives, from fireworks to commercial blasting products.
Ends with an examination.
EnquireClass 7 – Radioactive
1 day · Add-onRequires: a current ADR driver certificate.
You can carry: radioactive material, such as medical isotopes and industrial sources.
Ends with an examination.
EnquireADR and Driver CPC
If you drive a vehicle over 3.5 tonnes professionally, you must complete 35 hours of Driver CPC periodic training every five years to keep your Driver Qualification Card (DQC).
Our ADR courses can count towards a maximum of 28 of those 35 hours, so your drivers renew their dangerous goods entitlement and build CPC hours in one go. That means less time off the road and no separate CPC days to book.
Want your CPC hours recorded? Let us know when you book, before the course finishes, and we'll upload them to your DVSA record.
- 35 hoursRequired every 5 years for drivers over 3.5t
- Up to 28 hoursDepending on the modules and classes selected
What Happens on the Course
Every ADR course combines classroom theory, hands-on practical exercises and exams.
Theory
Structured sessions on the regulations, hazards and paperwork, built around real loads and real roadside scenarios.
Practical exercises
Fire-extinguisher use, emergency response and emergency first aid, as ADR requires.
Exams
A separate exam for each module you take (Core, Packages or Tanks, and Classes), sat at the end of the course. They are multiple-choice exams.
Your certificate
Issued by Qualifications Scotland (formerly the SQA) once you pass, and valid for five years across the UK and countries signed to ADR.
What to bring: photo ID (your photocard driving licence), reading glasses if you need them, and your current ADR certificate if you're on a refresher.
Renewing Your ADR Certificate
Refresh in time and you keep your certificate running without a gap.
Leave it too late and you're back to the full initial course.
Years 1–4
Certificate valid. Keep an eye on your expiry date and plan your refresher.
Final 12 months
Your “refresher window”. The new certificate runs from your old expiry date.
Under 6 weeks left
Possibly too late to book a refresher! You'll need to take an initial course.
Expired
You can't carry dangerous goods. You must retake the full initial course and exams.
What You'll Learn
- ADR and CDG regulations and your duties as a driver
- Hazard classes and the fundamental risks of each
- Transport documents and instructions in writing
- Vehicle marking, orange plates and required equipment
- Loading, stowage and segregation
- Tunnel restrictions, supervision and parking rules
- Emergency action and first steps after an incident
- Roadside checks and how to avoid prohibitions
Who Needs ADR Training?
Any driver carrying dangerous goods above the ADR 1.1.3.6 small-load thresholds, unless another exemption such as limited quantities applies. This includes:
- Fuel and heating oil delivery drivers
- Chemical, gas and paint distribution drivers
- Waste and hazardous waste collection drivers
- Haulage and logistics drivers on mixed loads
ADR isn't just for HGVs. It applies to any vehicle carrying dangerous goods above the thresholds, including vans.
Carrying smaller quantities? Your drivers may only need Dangerous Goods Awareness training. Ask us and we'll check.
Additional Learning Support
Talk to Us in ConfidenceADR Driver Training Across Essex
Based in Essex, we deliver ADR driver training on-site for businesses throughout the county, saving your drivers travel time and keeping disruption to a minimum. We also train nationwide, including the East Midlands and Lincolnshire.
- Chelmsford
- Colchester
- Basildon
- Southend-on-Sea
- Thurrock
- Harlow
- Brentwood
- Braintree
ADR Driver Training FAQs
- Tankers and packages: Full ADR
- Packages only (drums, IBCs, cylinders, boxes): ADR Packages
- Fuel tankers: ADR Tanks with Class 3 (Class 2 for gas tankers)
- Already hold a certificate: ADR Refresher, before it expires
Not sure? Call us on 0203 137 3014 and we'll advise.
Five years. If you pass the refresher examinations in the 12 months before it expires, the new certificate runs for five years from the old expiry date, so you lose nothing by renewing early.
Once a certificate has expired you can no longer take a refresher. You must complete the initial course and examinations again. Book your refresher well before your expiry date: with less than six weeks left, there may not be time to fit it in.
Not always. Below the small-load thresholds in ADR 1.1.3.6 a full ADR driver certificate is not required, but drivers must still receive dangerous goods awareness training. We can confirm which applies to your loads.
Yes. We deliver ADR training on-site at your premises across Essex and the UK, subject to suitable facilities and instructor availability.
Yes. Our ADR courses can count towards a maximum of 28 of the 35 hours of Driver CPC periodic training that drivers of vehicles over 3.5 tonnes need every five years, depending on the modules and classes selected. Tell us when you book and we'll record the hours on your DVSA record.
Yes. ADR applies to any vehicle carrying dangerous goods above the small-load thresholds, whatever its size. Below the thresholds, drivers still need awareness training.
Yes. Existing ADR certificate holders can add Class 1 (explosives) and Class 7 (radioactive material). Each course is one day and ends with an examination.
Need ADR Training for Your Drivers?
Tell us how many drivers and what you carry, and we'll come back with dates and a proposal.
Request a QuoteBook ADR Training
Speak directly to a practising Dangerous Goods Safety Adviser, not a sales adviser.
- Call us0203 137 3014
- WhatsAppMessage us on WhatsApp
- Emailinfo@dgsa.net
- Training locationsOn-site at your premises, at venues across Essex and the UK, or remotely
…or complete the enquiry form.