A career as a driving instructor is an attractive prospect to many who are looking for a flexible business that they can run from home. It offers job security, with many national and local driving schools on the look out for new instructors, flexible working hours which suit your lifestyle and serious job satisfaction as you watch your pupils learn and pass their tests.
But there are three tests to pass before you can become an approved driving instructor (ADI) and begin teaching.
Our ADI training courses will prepare and guide you through these tests so you can become fully qualified.
Before you can start training to become a driving instructor you will need to have had a Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS)
Before you can begin the testing process to become an ADI you must have held a full licence for three years (a foreign or automatic licence can count towards the three years). You must also be able to read a vehicle number plate from a minimum of 27.5 metres (90 feet) and pass the DVSA three part driving instructor examinations
If your licence has penalty points (generally a maximum of four) it is unlikely to affect your application and those points already spent will not count. But you must not have been disqualified from driving during the last four years, not even for one day.
ADI part one
Part one of the qualification process comprises two separate tests, and you are required to pass them both.
The theory test checks your knowledge of the Highway Code, general road safety, driving techniques, basic first aid knowledge and the theory of instructing a pupil. The test lasts 90 minutes and you must achieve an 85 percent mark to pass.
The second test includes a hazard perception test using 14 video clips, one of which will feature two hazards.
On this test you must score 57 points out of a possible 75.
ADI part two
The second stage is an advanced practical driving test. You will be expected to demonstrate a professional level of driving ability with a DSA examiner.
The test itself lasts around an hour and includes an eye test, along with general vehicle maintenance questions.
ADI part three
The final stage checks your instructional ability, preparing you to be able to pass on your driving skills to others.