If you are a training or L&D provider browsing public tenders, you will have seen strings of digits labelled "CPV". These CPV codes look cryptic, but they are one of the most useful filters you have, once you know which ones describe the training you deliver.
This guide explains how CPV codes work, lists the codes in division 80 (Education and training services) that matter most to training providers, and shows how to use them in alerts on Find a Tender.
At a glance
- CPV stands for Common Procurement Vocabulary, a standard classification for what is being bought.
- A code is eight digits plus a check digit, running from broad to specific.
- Division 80 is Education and training services; 80500000 is Training services.
- UK notices still carry CPV codes under the Procurement Act 2023.
- Training codes are listed as light touch services, which affects the thresholds that apply.
What is a CPV code?
The Common Procurement Vocabulary is a single classification system for describing the subject of a contract. One council writes "leadership development programme", another "management training", an NHS trust "band 7 leadership course". If all three are tagged with the same CPV code, one code search finds them all, however they are worded.
When a buyer creates a notice on the central digital platform, it is asked for the CPV codes that describe the contract, alongside the title, description and lots.
How the numbering works
A CPV code is written XXXXXXXX-Y:
- The first two digits are the division.
- The first three are the group.
- The first four are the class.
- The first five are the category.
- The last three digits add finer detail.
- The digit after the dash is a check digit.
The more trailing zeros, the broader the code. Here is one path through the training codes:
| Code | Description | Level |
|---|---|---|
| 80000000-4 | Education and training services | Division |
| 80500000-9 | Training services | Group |
| 80530000-8 | Vocational training services | Class |
| 80532000-2 | Management training services | Category |
The training codes worth knowing
These are the codes in division 80 most training providers will want, with descriptions as they appear in the official CPV list:
| Code | Description |
|---|---|
| 80500000-9 | Training services |
| 80510000-2 | Specialist training services |
| 80511000-9 | Staff training services |
| 80521000-2 | Training programme services |
| 80530000-8 | Vocational training services |
| 80532000-2 | Management training services |
| 80550000-4 | Safety training services |
| 80560000-7 | Health and first-aid training services |
| 80562000-1 | First-aid training services |
| 80570000-0 | Personal development training services |
| 80420000-4 | E-learning services |
A coaching or resilience programme may be tagged 80570000. Statutory and mandatory training for an NHS trust may be tagged 80560000, 80550000 or the broad 80500000. A leadership and management programme is a natural fit for 80532000, but buyers do not always pick the closest code.
One code outside division 80 also catches training notices: 79632000-3 Personnel-training services, in the business services division. Add it to your searches.
Why training codes matter for thresholds
The Procurement Regulations 2024 list the training codes above as light touch services. A contract mainly for training is therefore above threshold only from the light touch figure, £663,540 including VAT from 1 January 2026. Most training contracts fall below it and follow the below-threshold rules. Our guide to Contracts Finder vs Find a Tender explains what that means for where notices appear.
Where CPV codes come from
CPV was established by Regulation (EC) No 2195/2002 and updated by Regulation (EC) No 213/2008, which set the 2008 version still in use. The 2002 regulation was retained in UK law after the UK left the EU, and the central digital platform still asks buyers for CPV codes.
How to use CPV codes in your alerts
- Start with 80500000 Training services, then add the narrower codes that match what you deliver.
- Add 79632000 for training filed under personnel services.
- Pair codes with keywords such as "leadership", "training" or "learning and development". Tagging is inconsistent: a mental health awareness course might be filed under a health code, and a buyer sometimes picks only the broad division.
- Use the same codes in the Commercial tools search on Find a Tender, which lists frameworks, dynamic markets and DPSs. Much training is bought through those, and they are worth catching as they open. The frameworks page lists the training frameworks we follow, and training tenders in the UK explains the routes in.
- Check your codes against real notices. Open two or three training notices you know were relevant and look at the codes the buyers used.
Our step-by-step guide to using Find a Tender shows where the CPV code filter sits.
Frequently asked questions
What does CPV stand for?
Common Procurement Vocabulary: a standard classification system for describing the goods, works and services bought in public procurement.
What is the CPV code for training services?
80500000-9 is Training services. Narrower codes include 80532000-2 Management training services, 80560000-7 Health and first-aid training services and 80570000-0 Personal development training services.
How many digits is a CPV code?
Eight digits plus a check digit after a dash, written as XXXXXXXX-Y.
Are CPV codes still used in the UK?
Yes. The central digital platform asks buyers for CPV codes when they create a notice, and you can filter searches on Find a Tender by CPV code.
How do I do a CPV code lookup for my training?
Start from division 80, Education and training services, and narrow down using the official CPV list. Then check the codes used on a few training notices you know were relevant to you, and add any that differ.
Sources
- TED / SIMAP — Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)
- TED — CPV 2008 code list (XML download)
- legislation.gov.uk — Regulation (EC) No 2195/2002 on the Common Procurement Vocabulary
- legislation.gov.uk — The Procurement Regulations 2024, Schedule 1: light touch services
- GOV.UK — PPN 023: 2026 threshold amounts
- GOV.UK — Contracting authorities: an overview of the central digital platform
- Find a Tender — Commercial tools search