Spain changes CAP rules: up to 166 hours of virtual classroom and the end of biometric checks

Royal Decree 487/2026, of 17 June, amending RD 284/2021 on the initial qualification and periodic training of professional drivers (the Spanish Certificate of Professional Competence, or CAP), came into force on 18 September in Spain. It changes how the CAP can be obtained there, including for foreign drivers who train on the Spanish side of the border.

Up to 166 hours of virtual classroom

Ordinary initial qualifications can now include up to 166 hours of synchronous virtual classroom training — 92 hours for accelerated courses — with real-time connection and a mandatory camera on throughout the session. Spain’s Ministry of Transport confirms that the exam and practical training remain always in person: the virtual classroom only replaces part of the theoretical component.

According to Camión Actualidad, training centres must now keep each student’s connection logs for two years, and anyone using unauthorised communication devices during the exam risks a one-year exclusion.

The end of biometric checks

The decree removes the requirement for biometric attendance checks at training centres, replaced by signature sheets or another mechanism compliant with data protection rules — following limits Spain’s data protection authority (AEPD) had already placed on using biometrics for this purpose.

No retroactive effect

Courses already approved or started before 18 September 2026 continue under the previous rule. The change applies only to new initial qualifications and periodic training starting from now on.

For hauliers or drivers outside Spain considering taking the CAP there — or companies with trainees on both sides of a border — the virtual classroom cuts the need to travel for part of the theory, but does not remove the in-person days for the exam and practical training.