DVSA News
DVSA admits its driving instructor services are under strain
On 15 September 2026, DVSA published a frank update on its services for driving instructors. Demand to qualify has more than doubled, fewer trainees are passing the final test, and most qualified instructors went without a standards check in 2024/25.
Marian Kitson, DVSA's Director of Enforcement, used a post on DVSA's Despatch blog to set out how its services for approved driving instructors (ADIs) and potential driving instructors (PDIs) are performing. The short version: they are not performing as they should, and DVSA says it will take time to fix.
This matters if you are training to become an instructor, if you already are one, and, less directly, if you are a learner choosing who to learn with.
The numbers behind the update
Becoming an instructor involves three tests: Part 1 (theory), Part 2 (driving ability) and Part 3 (ability to teach). Part 2 and Part 3 tests, and standards checks for qualified instructors, are carried out by DVSA's ADI examiners. DVSA says the jump in applications, together with more candidates retaking tests, has put heavy pressure on the number of examiners available.
The falling Part 3 pass rate makes that worse. Every failed attempt means another test to book and another examiner slot used. DVSA is concerned that too many trainees are reaching Part 3 before they are ready to teach.
Standards checks have fallen away
A standards check is how DVSA makes sure qualified instructors are still teaching to the required standard. An examiner sits in on a real lesson and grades it. DVSA's own update admits that most ADIs did not receive one in 2024/25, which it says is not enough to be confident that standards are being kept up consistently.
The Driving Instructors Association has put a figure on it, reporting that 527 standards checks were carried out in 2024/25, compared with 11,474 in 2014.
What DVSA says it will do
- Recruit and train more ADI examiners, and increase training capacity for new examiners.
- Look at other routes into ADI examiner roles, so it can build up numbers faster.
- Review the whole qualification journey from applying to qualifying. This includes an improved Part 2 test, which we cover in a separate post.
- Encourage trainees to build teaching and communication skills earlier, so they arrive at Part 3 better prepared.
DVSA has warned that improvements will take time and that the pressure is likely to continue over the coming months. If you are training now, plan on Part 2 and Part 3 tests remaining hard to get.
What this means for trainee instructors
- Treat every Part 3 attempt as precious. You get three attempts, and with fewer slots available a failed attempt can cost you months. Only book when your trainer agrees you are ready.
- Start working on teaching skills early. This is exactly what DVSA wants to see. Practise lesson planning, risk management and adapting to the pupil well before Part 3.
- Keep an eye on your deadline. You must pass Parts 2 and 3 within two years of passing Part 1. Long waits for tests eat into that time.
- Watch for Part 2 changes. DVSA is planning an improved Part 2 test. Details are due to be shared with the industry on 13 October.
What this means for qualified instructors
DVSA says it is increasing the number of standards checks it carries out, so if you have not had one for a while, expect to be contacted. Your teaching is graded against the national standard for driver and rider training, so it is worth refreshing yourself on the marking criteria now rather than when the letter arrives.
What this means for learners
This update is about instructor tests and checks, not the learner driving test, so it does not change how you book your test. It is a good reminder to check who is teaching you, though:
- A qualified instructor displays a green badge in the windscreen.
- A trainee instructor on a trainee licence displays a pink badge. Trainees can give paid lessons, but they have not yet passed Part 3.
- You can ask to see an instructor's badge at any time. Learning with a trainee is allowed, but you should know which you are paying for.
Help your pupils practise between lessons
DriveSidekick gives learners real test routes for their test centre and mock DVSA driving tests built from actual road data, so they turn up to lessons ready to learn.
Download on Google PlayFree during beta. All routes and navigation included.
Sources: DVSA Despatch blog: Sharing the current performance of our ADI services; Driving Instructors Association: DVSA admits ADI services need to improve; Driving Instructors Association: standards checks figures.