HOW TO HIRE · VEHICLES & TRANSPORT

How to hire a driving instructor in the UK
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.

Paid lessons must come from a registered instructor. Here is how to read the badge and what to ask.

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THE 60-SECOND VERSION

Hiring a driving instructor in five steps

  1. Look for the badgeGreen: qualified ADI. Pink: licensed trainee. None: walk away.
  2. Check the registerDVSA's find-an-instructor service, or ask DVSA with their name and ADI number; nidirect in Northern Ireland.
  3. Agree lessons in writingLesson length, price, block booking terms, cancellation.
  4. Ask about the carManual or automatic, dual controls, insurance for learners.
  5. Track your progressAsk how they record it and when they think you will be test-ready.

BEFORE YOU BOOK

Check before you book

DVSA register of approved driving instructors

Section 123 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 bars anyone from charging for car lessons in England, Scotland or Wales unless they are on DVSA's register of approved driving instructors or hold a trainee licence, and the certificate or licence must be shown in the car. A green badge means a qualified ADI.

Check the windscreen badge, then search DVSA's find-an-instructor service; not every ADI is listed, so DVSA can confirm one from their name and ADI number. gov.uk →

Pink badge: a trainee instructor

A pink badge means a trainee on a licence: allowed to charge for lessons, but not yet qualified as an ADI. That is legal; you should simply know which you are paying for.

Ask which badge they hold, and whether the price reflects it. gov.uk →

DVA register (Northern Ireland)

In Northern Ireland, giving driving instruction for a fee is illegal unless the instructor is on the DVA register of approved driving instructors.

Ask to see their licence and search them on nidirect's approved instructor service. nidirect.gov.uk →

DBS check on becoming an instructor

DVSA requires a new DBS check at the start of every application to become a driving instructor, even from someone who already has one.

Ask when they qualified; the badge shows current registration. gov.uk →

VAT

Driving lessons are standard-rated at 20%, charged by a school or instructor that is registered. Driving instructors over the £90,000 registration threshold have to charge VAT and list it separately from the price.

Ask the driving school for its VAT number and whether the lesson price includes the 20%. gov.uk →

“Are you a qualified driving instructor or a trainee?”

A good answer: A clear answer — green badge or pink — shown in the car.

“What is your ADI number?”

A good answer: A number you can give DVSA to confirm their status.

“Is the car insured for a learner driving it?”

A good answer: Yes, with the insurer named.

“How long is each driving lesson, and from where?”

A good answer: Door to door, and whether pickup time counts.

“What are your block booking and refund terms?”

A good answer: In writing: what happens to unused lessons.

“What is your cancellation policy for driving lessons?”

A good answer: Notice needed and any charge, both ways.

“How will you track my progress towards the test?”

A good answer: A record of skills covered, shared with you.

Getting the quote right

  • Price per lesson and lesson length
  • Block booking discount and refund of unused lessons
  • Manual or automatic
  • The school's VAT number, with VAT under the lesson price
  • Cancellation terms, and whether the car is provided for the test
  • Who actually attends: the approved instructor named, or a trainee on a pink badge — and whether they are employed or subcontracted on a franchise

Walk away if

  • No badge on the windscreen
  • An instructor who will not give an ADI number
  • Large block payments with no refund terms
  • No dual controls
LOW
£30
TYPICAL
£40
HIGH
£55

What a driving instructor costs: £30–£55 per lesson

Driving lessons are priced per lesson, usually an hour or two, with discounts for block bookings and a higher rate for automatic cars or intensive courses. Driving Instructor price guide →

Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.

KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE

Driving instructors near you, with the badges that matter shown

ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.

Or post the job free and let them come to you.

  1. PickupInstructor arrives in a dual-controlled car with the badge shown.
  2. BriefingWhat the lesson covers, building on the last one.
  3. DrivingPractice on suitable roads, with guidance.
  4. DebriefWhat went well, what to work on.
  5. RecordProgress noted and the next lesson planned.

ADI
Approved driving instructor — on DVSA's register.
Green badge
The certificate of a qualified ADI, shown in the car.
Pink badge
A trainee instructor's licence.
Dual controls
A second brake (and often clutch) for the instructor.
Block booking
Paying for several lessons at once, often at a discount.
AMI
Approved motorcycle instructor (Northern Ireland register).

AFTER

When the job is done

Keep the receiptsFor each lesson or block.
Keep your progress recordIt shows what you have covered.
Report illegal instructionCharging without a badge can be reported to DVSA.
Rate the bookingOnly customers who booked can rate on Locufy. Below four stars, the instructor is asked to put things right before the rating shows.

STEP 1Tell the instructor, in writingSay what went wrong — lessons cancelled, poor teaching, unused block not refunded — and what you want. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 the service must be provided with reasonable care and skill.
STEP 2Use the make-it-right step on LocufyScore the driving instructor under four stars and you are asked whether the instructor should see it first; we follow it through, then your review goes up.
STEP 3DVSA, the DVA or Trading StandardsReport anyone charging for lessons without a green or pink badge to DVSA, or in Northern Ireland to the DVA with evidence such as an advert. For a money dispute with a driving instructor, the consumer helpline can refer it to Trading Standards: Citizens Advice on 0808 223 1133 in England and Wales, Advice Direct Scotland on 0808 800 9060, and Consumerline on 0300 123 6262 in Northern Ireland.
STEP 4Take it to small claimsWhere money is owed back for the driving instructor, you can claim without a solicitor: up to £10,000 in England and Wales, up to £5,000 under Scotland's simple procedure, and up to £5,000 in Northern Ireland.

Hiring a driving instructor: questions people ask

Yes. In England, Scotland and Wales, anyone charging for car lessons must be a DVSA-registered ADI or hold a trainee licence. In Northern Ireland, paid instruction is illegal unless the instructor is on the DVA register.

Look for the green or pink badge, search DVSA's find-an-instructor service or ask DVSA with their name and ADI number; in Northern Ireland, search nidirect.

DVSA requires a new DBS check when someone applies to become a driving instructor.

Usually £30–£55 per lesson, with £40 as a typical figure. See the driving instructor price guide for what pushes a price up or down, and search above for driving instructors in your area.

Yes, with a pink badge. They may charge for lessons, but have not yet qualified as an ADI.

Tell the instructor in writing. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 lessons must be given with reasonable care and skill, and you can ask for a refund of lessons not given.

MORE GUIDES

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Driving instructors near you

Driving instructors in LondonDriving instructors in ManchesterDriving instructors in BirminghamDriving instructors in GlasgowDriving instructors in BelfastAll driving instructors on Locufy →

Sources — checked October 2026

  1. Road Traffic Act 1988, section 123
  2. gov.uk — find driving schools, lessons and instructors
  3. gov.uk — taking driving lessons
  4. gov.uk — report an illegal driving instructor
  5. gov.uk — become a driving instructor
  6. nidirect — find an approved driving or motorcycle instructor
  7. nidirect — choosing a driving instructor
  8. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 49 — reasonable care and skill
  9. gov.uk — make a court claim for money: court fees
  10. mygov.scot — make a court claim for money
  11. nidirect — small claims process
  12. VAT rates — VAT rates for goods and services: standard rate 20% on most goods and services
  13. GOV.UK — Register for VAT: when to register