Training record retention requirements

The amount of time that you (if you work for yourself, such as a self-employed courier) or your employer is required to keep a copy of your training record varies by mode of transportation.

ADR (road transportation)

In the UK, the records of training completed in accordance with ADR Chapter 1.3 must be kept for a minimum of 6 years for current employees. If an employee leaves, the records must be kept for a further 2 years after the date an employee leaves.

Examples of our courses covered by this requirement include:

• ADR 1.3 General Awareness for Drivers;
• Dangerous Goods Awareness Training;
• ADR General Awareness;
• Limited Quantities;
• Lithium Battery Dangerous Goods Training;
• How to Complete a DGN;
• Class 7 Awareness for Drivers and Crew; and
• Class 1 ADR General Awareness Training.

These training records must be made available to the employee by the employer and to the Department for Transport (DfT) if requested.

The IMDG Code (sea transportation)

The same provision which gives rise to the 6 year ADR 1.3 training record retention requirement exists in the IMDG Code, however, the Maritime & Coastguard Agency (to date) has not implemented a retention requirement.

We would therefore recommend that the same 6 year rule be applied in the absence of any further official guidance from the MCA.

Examples of our courses that this applies to are:

• The IMDG Code E-Learning (Basic Course);
• The IMDG Code E-Learning (Standard Course); and
• The IMDG Code Advanced Training for Packers and Consignors.

IATA DGR/ICAO TI (air transportation)

Whilst IATA does not make a recommendation for the length of time that 'adequate instruction' records are kept, we recommend that this should be in accordance with the timescales established for 'Training and Assessment Records' at IATA 1.5.1.4.3 which is 3 years.

Examples of our courses that this applies to are:

• Lithium Batteries (Section II) by Air Training

Access a copy of your employees' training records

We provide a training certificate to all students upon successful completion of the relevant course. 

This can be accessed and downloaded from within the course by the student upon completion, plus we also email an official copy to each student.

If you are an employer and have purchased 5 or more courses at once from us, then you can access employee training records, including a copy of their certificate, via our online portal.