Driving instructor training

As the vast majority of ADIs are self-employed, driving instructors' earnings are variable depending on factors such as lesson costs, and how much you want to work.

But let's say you charge £28 an hour - which is roughly the national average - then you'll have a net income of £47,040. Of course, there are overheads to consider, but it's not a bad start. The average lesson price amongst The AA instructors is £35. Find out more about how much driving instructors earn in the UK.

Choosing a career as a driving instructor can be liberating - the ability to manage your own diary, choose your working hours and schedule your own time-off. Other benefits are less obvious - you get to meet new people weekly and spend time teaching them the skills they need to pass their driving test. There are also important responsibilities that require your attention, read more about what the average day for an ADI may look like.

In the main, yes. There are some cases where driving instructors may have permanent positions with a salary, but these are very much the exception, not the rule.

Find out more about what it means to be self-employed, and its implications for your income and time management.

There are certain eligibility requirements for training as a driving instructor. For instance, you need to be over 21, have held a full licence for at least 3 years, and have no motoring convictions.

But there are certain qualities and skills you need too. For example, there’s a DVSA requirement to be a ‘fit and proper person’. Understand more about the requirements to become a driving instructor.

PDI stands for potential driving instructor, although it’s not a commonly used term these days. You’re more likely to hear PDIs referred to as trainee instructors, or part-qualified instructors.

ADI stands for approved driving instructor, which is your official title after you qualify by passing the three ADI exams, and then register as an instructor.

The ADI exams are made up of three tests. The ADI Part 1 is a multiple-choice theory and hazard perception test. It’s similar in format to the theory test when learning to drive, but this is much tougher, requiring a more in-depth knowledge of The Highway Code and rules of the road. You can only take Part 2 after passing Part 1.

The ADI Part 2 is a test of driving ability. Again, this has a similar format to the practical driving test, but the standard expected of you is far higher. You need to demonstrate expert-level driving skills. If you pass, you can progress to take Part 3.

The ADI Part 3 is a test of instructional ability. Here you give a supervised lesson to a pupil, and are scored on it accordingly. For this part of the test, you need to supply the car and the pupil. Once you’ve passed, you’ll be able to register as an ADI and start life as a professional instructor.

Training to become a driving instructor is a demanding process, and won’t happen overnight. We advise that you should train for at least 6 months, and the average time it takes to qualify is between 6 and 12 months.

To help relieve the financial burden of being in training over a period of time, it’s possible to earn as a trainee instructor when training for your Part 3 exam. This means you can charge for lessons while also gaining valuable on-road experience.

We offer two courses: the Premium Option which includes 50 hours of 1-to-1 in-car tuition, and costs £2,499. There’s also a fast-track option with immersive VR training, and this costs £1,499.

There are further costs involved in applying to be an ADI, taking the exams and then registering. When you apply, you need to get a DBS check, which costs £8.22. It costs £81 to sit ADI Part 1, £111 to take ADI Part 2, and £111 to take ADI Part 3. You may also need to factor in the cost of getting to your training location, and to the test centres on exam days. Once you’ve passed, it costs £300 to register as an ADI.

If you continue to work as an ADI, you need to re-register every four years, which costs £300 a time.

Many trainees continue to work their full or part-time jobs during training. It’s possible to set your own learning schedule around your current commitments. The only exception is the in-person sessions, where you’ll need to show up at set times.

We conduct sessions at AA training hubs, which operate out of more than 110 locations nationwide. Our aim is to make the hubs as accessible as possible wherever you live. Our target is that – if you live on the British mainland – you should be able to travel to one of our hubs within an hour.

We have over 110 AA training hubs at locations nationwide.

You’ll need to show up at these locations for in-person days. For instance, you’ll need to attend 50 hours’ of in-car 1-to-1 tuition if you choose our Premium Option. We’ll discuss dates and times with you before you commit. Some trainees may need accommodation depending on where they live and their circumstances – however, this’ll be their own expense.