How to be a driving instructor in the U.K

As the population of the U.K grows and the ever increasing price of public transport becomes evident, its no wonder people are turning to driving schools to become licensed drivers. As demand goes up, driving schools are constantly bombarded with new students who they cannot fulfill due to lack of teaching time and driving instructors within the driving school. This ultimately leads to an unsaturated market where potential driving instructors can establish a good stable career. Just to point out, a driving instructor is self employed, self employment carries a simple formula:

Good effort = stable money + job satisfaction

In the world of driving instructors, many driving schools claim that you can earn while you learn. This is some what misleading as, by law, you need to show that you have succesfully passed relevant qualifications as well as racking up your driving hours. Once you have achieved the relevant criteria, you can qualify for an "instructor in training" badge which will allow you to take on real students while you reach the end of your full instructor license.

Much like the regular student test, part 1 is a theory test which will include 14 videos for Hazard Perception. For the theory part of the test you must achieve a minimum of 85%. For the hazard perception, you must score a minimum of 57 points out of a possible 75.

Part 2 is based on improving your practical driving, it is best that you sign up with a driving school such as Roadrunner driving school or Green Arrow driving school (both companies are based in London). These driving schools will increase your driving skills to comply with DSA standards (DSA is the "driving Standards Agency", they govern the standards that all driving instructors should follow to become a DSA approved driving instructor). You should be trying to get around 40 hours worth of driving to qualify for your trainee driving instructor badge (which only lasts for 6 months).

The last part is your instructional ability test, this test will qualify you to become a fully licensed driving instructor only after you have applied for the trainee driving instructor badge.

(all prices are accurate when writing this hub)

• Part 1 will cost you £80
• Part 2 will cost you £99
• Part 3 will cost you £99
• Trainee driving badge will cost you £125

Roadrunner driving school says that a fully licensed driving instructor can earn up to £35,000 a year. This is above the national average for pay.

Before becoming an instructor, you need to be able to say yes to the following questions:

• Do i have a full UK/EU driving license (at least 3 and a half years old)?
• Do i have less than 6 points on my driving license?
• I have not be charged for committing a crime which would adversely affect my application in the last 10 years?
• Have i had a crb check?
• Do i have the correct eyesight (be able to read a number plate from 27.5 meters away)?

If you can answer yes to the above then you have made your first step to becoming a self employed driving instructor.