Code 97 and CQC: does the code replace the qualification?

No. EU code 97 on a C1 licence restricts driving to vehicles not subject to tachograph rules. CQC is a separate professional qualification required for certain transport work. Code 97 does not replace CQC, and CQC does not remove the code 97 restriction.

Code 97 narrows the driving category

Category C1 covers vehicles over 3,500 kg and up to 7,500 kg within its passenger and classification limits. If code 97 appears on the licence, MIT describes a restriction to vehicles not subject to tachograph installation and use requirements. Check the code on your licence and the vehicle’s status under the rules that apply to that truck and transport.

This code concerns which vehicles you may drive with C1. It is not a professional qualification, course or equivalent of code 95/CQC. If a truck is subject to tachograph rules, C1 with code 97 does not cover it even when its mass fits the C1 range.

CQC concerns professional activity

CQC certifies professional qualification for certain goods or passenger transport activities. It may be required for a driver with C1/C depending on the work, subject to statutory exemptions. Both titles may be needed: a C1 without an incompatible restriction and a valid CQC. In other cases, code 97 may limit the vehicle while a non-professional use does not require CQC.

Before starting work, check three things: licence category and codes, whether tachograph rules apply to the vehicle and transport, and whether the activity requires CQC. Ask the employer or transport adviser to explain any exemption using the actual facts, not only an “own account” label.

Example

A driver with C1 code 97 and goods CQC still cannot drive a truck subject to tachograph rules: CQC does not expand the licence category. A driver with C1 and no code 97 using a truck for private non-commercial transport may be exempt from CQC if the legal conditions apply, but the vehicle must still fit the licence held.

Quiz Patente Ufficiale offers theory quizzes and mistake review for category study. It does not replace CQC or determine whether a particular service needs a tachograph.

Quiz Patente Ufficiale helps review theory quizzes and licence categories; code 97, tachograph rules and CQC require separate checks.