The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) and Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) have merged to form the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA).

You can apply for a trainee driving instructor licence after you pass the approved driving instructor (ADI) part 2 test.

A trainee licence:

• helps you get experience instructing pupils to drive so you can prepare for the ADI part 3 test
• allows you to get paid for giving instruction
• lasts for 6 months

Who can apply

You can apply for a trainee licence if you:

• have passed your ADI part 1 test in the last 2 years
• have passed the ADI part 2 test
• have done at least 40 hours of training with a qualified ADI and recorded it on the ADI 21T form
• are eligible to take the ADI part 3 test

Download 'ADI 21 T - Instructor training declaration' form (PDF, 217KB)

Being refused a trainee licence

You can appeal to the transport tribunal if you’re refused a trainee licence.

The rules and process for getting a trainee licence are different in Northern Ireland.

The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) and Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) have merged to form the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA).

You have 2 options to choose from when you apply for a trainee licence. You must either:

• be supervised for 20% of all lessons you give while you have your trainee licence
• do at least 20 hours of extra training while you have your trainee licence

You can only choose one option and you can't change to the other after you've made your decision.

Talk to your sponsoring approved driving instructor (ADI) or training organisation about which option is best for you.

Option 1 - supervision of lessons

In this option you have to be supervised by your sponsoring ADI for 20% of all the lessons you give.

You must keep a record of the number of hours:

• you give lessons
• you are supervised

The form must be signed by both you and your ADI. You must send it to DVSA when your trainee licence runs out.

Download 'ADI 21S - Licensed trainee supervision record' form (PDF, 365KB)

Approved Driving Instructor Registrar
Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
The Axis Building
112 Upper Parliament Street
Nottingham
NG1 6LP

Option 2 - extra training

In this option you have to do at least 20 hours of extra training in the topics in the training programme.

You must do the training within 3 months of getting your trainee licence or before you take the ADI part 3 test - whichever is sooner.

At least 25% of the training must be practical in-car training.

The training must be recorded on the instructor training declaration form.

Download 'ADI 21AT - Instructor training declaration' form (PDF, 215KB)

You must send the form to DVSA before the end of the 3 months, or give it to the examiner who carries out your ADI part 3 test - whichever is sooner.

Approved Driving Instructor Registrar
Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
The Axis Building
112 Upper Parliament Street
Nottingham
NG1 6LP

You must take 5 hours of extra training before your next attempt if you fail your first or second attempt at the ADI part 3 test.

You’ll have to give proof that you've done the extra training. If you don’t, your trainee licence can be taken away.

The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) and Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) have merged to form the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA).

You must:

• be a ‘fit and proper’ person
• get the required amount of supervision or extra training while your licence is still valid
• make sure your advertising doesn't make it seem like you're a fully qualified instructor

Displaying your licence

You must display your trainee licence on the nearside edge of the front windscreen of your car while you give driving lessons.

Where you work

Your trainee licence shows the name and address of your training establishment. You can only give instruction from there, so you can't work independently, eg by setting up your own school.

Changing your driving school

You must apply for a new trainee licence if you leave a driving school and join a new one. There's no fee for doing this.

DVSA will send you a new licence showing the details of your new school. You should send your old licence to DVSA as soon as you get the new one.

You can still give driving lessons while you wait for your new licence.

When trainee licences can be taken away

The ADI registrar can take your trainee licence away before it runs out if:

• you break any of the rules for having a trainee licence
• the licence was issued by mistake or gained by fraud
• you fail 3 attempts at the ADI part 3 test

Not using your trainee licence

You should return your trainee licence to DVSA if you aren't using it, eg because of a long period of illness.

You won’t get a refund, but DVSA will know that you haven't had full use of the licence. This will be a factor in deciding whether to give you another licence in future.

Lost or stolen licence

You should tell the police straight away if your licence is lost or stolen. They will give you a crime reference number.

You'll have to pay £3 if you lose your licence or can't give DVSA a crime reference number.

To get a replacement, you’ll need to send the following to DVSA:

• the crime reference number
• a recent passport-style photograph if you don’t give DVSA permission to use your photocard driving licence photo or don’t have a photocard licence
• the fee if your licence was lost or you can’t give a crime reference number

Approved Driving Instructor Registrar
Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
The Axis Building
112 Upper Parliament Street
Nottingham
NG1 6LP

The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) and Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) have merged to form the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA).

Your trainee licence lasts for 6 months. When it runs out you must stop being paid for giving driving lessons.

Getting another licence

You can apply for another trainee licence, but you’ll need to pay the fee again.

You can't be paid for giving driving lessons when you don't have a valid trainee licence.

You’re more likely to get another licence if you told DVSA you had stopped using the first, eg because of a period of illness.

It's unlikely that you'll get another licence just to give you more time to pass the approved driving instructor (ADI) part 3 test.

Example

It’s unlikely you’ll get another trainee licence if you already have a full-time job and you can only practise using your licence in the evenings and at weekends.

You can appeal to the transport tribunal if you're not given another licence.