Requirements to become an Approved Driving Instructor

The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) state that if you want to become an Approved Driving Instructor (ADI) you must .....

*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 4 out of the past 6 years prior to entering the Register after qualifying, but:

a foreign driving licence, an automatic car driving licence or a provisional licence held after passing the driving test, all count towards the 4 years;

*not have been disqualified from driving at any time in the 4 years prior to being entered in the Register;

* be a fit and proper person to have your name entered in the Register. All convictions, including motoring offences still in force (i.e. not ‘spent’ under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974) will be taken into account when the DSA assess your suitability to be entered in the Register; and

*pass the Register qualifying examinations

In addition you should be aware that you cannot accompany a person to drive unless you have held a full UK or EU/EEA driving licence for three years and must be aged 21 or more. A foreign full licence will count towards this three year period but it must be a foreign licence that is accepted under the ‘exchange’ scheme. For more details of the exchange system you should read Section 4 of the DVLA pamphlet D100 “What you need to know about driving licences” available at most post offices.