7 min read16 June 2026

CV for HGV Driver in the UK 2026 — Logistics Guide

Post-Brexit UK logistics still faces a shortage of roughly 50,000 HGV drivers (Logistics UK 2026 report). Salaries have climbed to £35,000–£50,000 depending on vehicle class and route type. DHL, Royal Mail, Amazon Logistics, and Evri (formerly Hermes) recruit year-round through SmartRecruiters and Workday. For EU drivers in the UK, the role qualifies for Skilled Worker visa sponsorship in some circumstances. But your CV must show Driver CPC, clean tacho record, and relevant licence categories clearly — or the ATS filters you out before a transport manager sees your name.

What does an HGV driver earn in the UK in 2026?

HGV and delivery drivers in the UK earn between £35,000 and £50,000 per year in 2026. Class 1 (articulated) commands the highest rates. Data from ONS ASHE 2025, Indeed UK, and Logistics UK salary surveys:

Class 2 (rigid, Cat C): £35,000–£42,000/year
Class 1 (artic, Cat C+E): £42,000–£50,000/year
Tramping (nights away): £48,000–£55,000/year
Multi-drop delivery (7.5t): £30,000–£38,000/year
Amazon delivery driver (employed): £28,000–£34,000/year
Agency rates (Class 1): £16–£22/hour; weekends +25% premium
ADR (hazardous goods): +£3,000–£5,000/year above base

Key employers: DHL Supply Chain, Royal Mail, Amazon Logistics (DSP network), Evri, XPO Logistics, Wincanton, Stobart (now Culina Group), and agencies like Pertemps and Driver Require.

What CV format do UK logistics employers expect?

Large logistics firms use SmartRecruiters (DHL, XPO) or Workday (Amazon, Royal Mail) for recruitment. Agencies use their own databases. All want a straightforward CV focused on licence, compliance, and reliability:

Length: 1–2 pages. One page is perfectly acceptable for drivers.
Licence details at the top: State your licence categories (C, C+E, D, etc.), Driver CPC expiry, and digital tachograph card number.
Sections: Contact → Licence/CPC/ADR → Personal statement → Work experience → Training/Endorsements → References
Penalty points: If clean, state 'Clean driving licence — no penalty points'. If you have points, omit this line (do not lie — they check DVLA).
Right to Work: State your status clearly. Some logistics roles qualify for Skilled Worker visa.
No photo, no DOB — standard UK convention.

How to describe driving experience on a UK CV

Transport managers care about: vehicle types driven, route experience, compliance record, and delivery accuracy. Generic descriptions waste their time.

Before (weak): "Drove lorries for a logistics company." After (strong): "Class 1 tramping driver covering 600+ miles/week on UK motorway network for DHL Supply Chain. 44-tonne artics, double-deck trailers. Maintained 99.2% on-time delivery rate across 18 months with zero tacho infringements."

Before (weak): "Delivered packages in London area." After (strong): "Multi-drop delivery driver completing 120+ stops/day across Greater London for Amazon DSP. Used Flex app routing, maintained 98.5% successful first-attempt delivery rate. Zero at-fault incidents over 14 months."

Include: vehicle type and weight, route type (trunking, multi-drop, tramping), delivery metrics, compliance record, and any specialist loads (ADR, temperature-controlled, oversized).

Example CV for HGV driver in the UK — HGV driver CV generated by MeuCV — CPC and licence details

Which certifications must appear on a driver CV?

Driving is heavily regulated. Missing any of these means you cannot legally work — and ATS filters for them:

Category C or C+E driving licence — state the exact categories held. Cat C = rigid (Class 2). Cat C+E = articulated (Class 1).
Driver CPC (Certificate of Professional Competence) — 35 hours periodic training every 5 years. State your expiry date.
Digital tachograph card — state 'Digital tacho card: valid to [date]'. Without it, you cannot drive commercially.
ADR certificate — for hazardous goods transport. Highly valued and adds £3-5K salary premium.
FORS Bronze/Silver/Gold — Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme. Valued by London-based logistics firms.
CPC in National/International Road Haulage — for owner-operators or transport managers. Different from Driver CPC.
Forklift licence (counterbalance) — useful for drivers who also load/unload. Adds flexibility to applications.

5 errors that get your driver CV rejected in the UK

Missing licence categories — if the recruiter cannot see 'Cat C+E' in the first 6 seconds, they skip your CV. Always state licence class at the top.
No Driver CPC date — legally required for commercial driving. If it is not on your CV, they assume it has expired.
Hiding penalty points — never lie about endorsements. They run a DVLA check. If you have points, demonstrate how you have improved your driving since.
Using non-UK terminology — 'motorista', 'chauffeur routier', 'camionero' get no ATS matches. Use: HGV Driver, Delivery Driver, Class 1/2 Driver.
No delivery metrics — 'drove lorries' says nothing. State: stops/day, on-time percentage, miles/week, zero-incident record.

Your next step: build your driver CV today

The UK still needs 50,000 more HGV drivers. If you hold a Cat C or C+E licence with valid CPC, the roles are waiting. A properly formatted CV with the right keywords gets you from application to behind the wheel in days.

MeuCV builds driver CVs that SmartRecruiters and Workday can parse — licence details prominent, CPC valid, compliance keywords included. From £4.99. Takes 5 minutes. No account needed.

Create my HGV driver CV →