The authorisation of an examination centre shall be granted to a legal or natural person conducting the examination of train drivers or candidate train drivers on a programme-by-programme basis:

1. general professional knowledge,
2. professional knowledge relating to rolling stock,
3. professional knowledge of infrastructure,
4. language skills.

The examination centres must meet the conditions laid down in the Commission Decision on the criteria for the recognition of training centres providing training to train drivers, on the criteria for the recognition of examiners of train drivers and on the criteria for the organisation of examinations in accordance with Directive 2007/59/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council 2011/765/EU (OJ L 314, 29.11.2011, p. 36).

The purpose of the authorisation procedure is to provide reasonable assurance that applicants conducting train driver/candidate driver examinations have fulfilled their obligations to ensure that train driver/candidate driver examinations are conducted in accordance with the applicable legislation.

The authorisation of an examination centre shall be granted for a maximum period of five years. It can be extended or amended, or its scope can be supplemented.