Question 1

Do you need a licence to open a driving school in the UK?

Accepted Answer

You need registration rather than a business licence, and it is personal. Charging for driving lessons without being an approved driving instructor is illegal, with the ADI trainee licence as the only exception. Great Britain's register is run by the DVSA and Northern Ireland's by the DVA under the Road Traffic (Northern Ireland) Order 2007. Approved Driving Instructor is a protected title and instruction for payment is a reserved activity.

Question 2

How much does it cost to become a driving instructor?

Accepted Answer

The statutory fees are £603 in Great Britain for first-time passes: £81 for part 1, £111 for part 2, £111 for part 3 and £300 to register. In Northern Ireland the same route is £572, at £64, £130, £138 and £240. A six month trainee licence adds £140 in Great Britain or £120 in Northern Ireland. Training with a provider sits on top and is not set by either agency, so it is the figure to pin down in writing before committing.

Question 3

What does a driving school franchise fee cover?

Accepted Answer

Typically the brand, a supply of pupils, a booking and diary system and, in many packages, a leased car with insurance. It is charged weekly whether or not lessons are taught, and fuel is not included. LDC publishes £75 a week falling to £66 after a year, and RED publishes £99 a week for instructors using their own car. The instructor remains self-employed and the ADI registration remains in their own name.

Question 4

How long do you have to qualify as a driving instructor?

Accepted Answer

In Great Britain, the part 3 test must be booked within two years of passing part 1. A candidate who misses that deadline, or uses up the three attempts at part 2 or part 3, waits until two years after the part 1 pass before starting again. Registration must follow within one year of passing part 3.

Question 5

Can a driving instructor book a driving test for a pupil?

Accepted Answer

No. Only learner drivers can book and manage their own driving test, and it is against the law to book, change, swap or cancel a test for someone else. Instructors can set the times they are available so pupils book into those slots, and they can still book theory tests for pupils.

Question 6

Can you become a driving instructor with penalty points or a criminal record?

Accepted Answer

A criminal record does not automatically bar a candidate; the ADI Registrar decides case by case whether the applicant is a "fit and proper" person. A driving ban in the last four years rules out an application, and the Registrar has refused or removed instructors with five or more penalty points within three years.

Question 7

What does a driving school franchise fee cover?

Accepted Answer

Typically the brand, a supply of pupils, a booking and diary system and, in many packages, a leased car with insurance. It is charged weekly whether or not lessons are taught, and fuel is not included. LDC publishes £75 a week, falling to £66 after a year, and RED publishes £99 a week for instructors using their own car.

Question 8

How long is the wait for a driving test in the UK?

Accepted Answer

DVSA's 2025/26 annual report put the average wait for a car practical test at 21.5 weeks, and the government forecasts seven weeks by the end of 2027. For an instructor, that wait shapes the diary: pupils who are ready either keep taking lessons while they wait or pause.

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