Legal requirements
When applying to become a driving instructor, you must fulfill the following legal requirements:
• hold a full UK or European Union (EU/European Economic Area (EEA) unrestricted car driving licence
• have held it for a total of at least four out of the past six years prior to entering the Register after qualifying
• not have been disqualified from driving at any time in the four years prior to being entered in the Register
• be a “fit and proper” person to have your name entered in the Register. All convictions, motoring and non-motoring, will be taken into account when we assess your suitability to be entered on the Register. You will be required to have an enhanced level criminal record check. The information from this check will be used by us to assess the suitability of persons applying for inclusion on the Register of Approved Driving Instructors. To help you decide if any conviction you may have could affect any application you might make, you can find the link to our statement on the suitability of ex-offenders below.
• Pass the two qualifying practical examinations within two years of passing the theory examination
• Apply for registration within 12 months of passing the final part of the examination.
Qualifying
The qualification examination is in three parts:
• a computer based theory test
• a practical test of your driving ability
• a practical test of your ability to instruct
You must take and pass all three parts of the examination in this order and you must complete the whole examination within two years of passing the theory test. If you are unable to complete the examinations within this time you must start again from the beginning and pass each part again. You can take the theory test as many times as you want but you are only allowed a maximum of three attempts at each of the practical tests within each two year qualification period. Additionally, you cannot start the qualifying process again until two years has passed since you last passed your theory test.
Most people undertake training with an organisation which specialises in this field and we would recommend that you do so. This is not a legal requirement and you can apply for the examinations without having undertaken formal training. However, you may find it difficult to pass if you don’t. The qualifying process is not easy, and the pass rates are not high.
The national pass rates for each of the three parts of the examination in 2006/2007 were:
Theory test (part 1): 49%
Test of driving ability (part 2): 45%
Test of instructional ability (part 3): 28%
