Becoming A Driving Instructor

If the adverts on television are anything to go by, becoming a driving instructor is a popular option for people who are looking to change career. This article offers advice on training to become a driving instructor in the UK.

The Register of Approved Driving Instructors (ADI) requires you to be part of this in order to become a fully fledged driver instructor. It is actually illegal to charge money for driving lessons if you are not on the ADI register. This was set up by the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) as part of the Road Traffic Act 1988 to ensure that people taking driving lessons could be sure that they are receiving a certain standard of tuition from driving instructors.

Legal requirements

To register for DSA instructor training, you need to:

• Be aged 21 years or over
• Have a valid UK or European Economic Area (EEA) driving licence that you have held for at least four of the last six years before you qualified as a driving instructor and entered your name in the ADI register.
• Have no prior disqualifications from driving in the four years leading up to qualifying as a driving instructor. A clean licence is preferred.
• Have no criminal offences, including those that are not related to driving. You will have to pass a criminal records check.

Instructor training

Most driving instructors have formal instructor training, and this is recommended by the Driving Standards Agency (DSA). They offer a starter pack, which costs £5 and contains an application form and details about joining the ADI register.

Driving Schools

Although many driving instructors are self employed and offer private tuition, a significant proportion of them started off working for one of the UK's many driving schools. To drive for most driving schools, you will need to have passed the ADI driving instruction test. You need to pass the two ADI qualifying practical examinations within two years of passing your ADI qualifying theory test. The full test includes a theory test, practical test to assess your general driving ability, and practical test to assess your driving instruction ability.

There is no limit to the number of times that you can take the theory test, but you can only take the practical tests three years in two years. If you don't pass all three sections of the test in two years, you have to start all over again.

Not all driving school courses are the same, as they may vary in length, content and cost. To find approved instructor courses, the DSA starter pack contains the Official Register of Driving Instructor Training (ORDIT).

Professional qualifications

If you want to take your driving instruction further, you can obtain professional qualifications. Examples of these include the Diploma in Driving Instruction, the NVQ in Driving Instruction, and the Advanced Instructor and Examiner qualifications. Most professional qualifications are taken at various universities. For example, the Diploma in Driving Instruction is offered in conjunction with Middlesex University. Professional qualifications are not compulsory by any means, but they can inspire greater confidence in an instructor than the ADI qualifications alone.

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