If you want to qualify as a driving instructor and work with learners in Greater Manchester, we can help you get started. Tell us you’re interested, and — with your consent — we’ll pass your details to a local partner training school. They train you for the official Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) tests. Once you have qualified and registered as an approved driving instructor (ADI), you can work solo through Driving Lessons MCR, with local learners matched to you, or stay with the training school if you prefer.

This is not a franchise. There are no big franchise fees to pay us. Hours can be flexible once you’re qualified, and you choose how you work.

Already qualified? Use our join as an instructor page instead.

I’m interested · WhatsApp us · Call 07555 666 989

How it works

  1. Tell us you’re interested. Fill in the short form at the bottom of this page. We’ll need your name, contact details, the area you could work in, and your consent to pass your details to a training school.
  2. We introduce you to a local training school. We put you in touch with a partner school that trains new instructors in Greater Manchester. They’ll explain their course, costs and start dates. Training fees are set by the training organisation, not by us.
  3. You train and take the official DVSA tests. You’ll work through the official qualifying route: a criminal record check and application, then ADI part 1 (theory), part 2 (driving ability) and part 3 (instructional ability). After part 2 you can optionally apply for a trainee licence to get practice teaching before part 3.
  4. Once you’re qualified, you choose how to work. Register as an ADI, then work solo through our matching network — we introduce you to local learners — or stay with the training school. Either way, you can be part of the network of instructors we work with in Greater Manchester.

Who can apply

To start the official qualifying process in Great Britain you generally need to:

  • be 21 or older (GOV.UK says you can usually apply up to 6 months before your 21st birthday, because it takes at least 6 months to qualify)
  • have held a full car driving licence for at least 3 years (you can usually apply up to 6 months before that third anniversary, for the same reason)
  • not have been banned (disqualified) from driving in the last 4 years
  • get a new Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check to start your application, even if you already have one
  • be considered a “fit and proper” person by the ADI Registrar

A criminal record will not necessarily stop you applying, but your application can be refused if you have been disqualified, have 5 or more penalty points, or have certain motoring or non-motoring convictions. GOV.UK says applications are unlikely to be accepted if you have been convicted of a sexual, violent, financial or drug-related crime, or banned from working with children. Check the official eligibility tool and the ADI register guide for your own situation. This is a summary, not legal advice.

If your licence is for automatic cars only, you can still apply, but you must pass the car driving test in a manual car if you want to teach in a manual car.

There’s a different process in Northern Ireland.

The official qualifying route

You must become an ADI if you want to charge people for car driving lessons, unless you hold a trainee driving instructor licence. The official steps, from GOV.UK, are:

1. Check you’re eligible and that the role is right for you, then read the ADI register guide.

2. Apply, starting with a new DBS check. You cannot use a check you already have. The official application check currently costs £5.40 online, or £12 extra if you need to verify your identity at a Post Office.

3. Get a registered trainer to help you prepare for the three qualifying tests. We’ll introduce you to a local partner school at this stage.

4. ADI part 1 — theory test (£81). This is a theory test with two parts, booked and taken together: 100 multiple-choice questions (1 hour 30 minutes) and a hazard perception video test. You must pass both. The official pass marks are at least 85 out of 100 overall on the multiple-choice part, with at least 20 out of 25 in each of the four question categories, and at least 57 out of 75 on hazard perception. You can take part 1 as many times as you need; you have to wait at least 3 working days to retake it.

5. ADI part 2 — driving ability test (£111). A practical test of your driving. You must be able to drive safely in different road and traffic conditions and show that you know The Highway Code by the way you drive. You have a maximum of 3 attempts.

6. Optional trainee licence (£140, 6 months). After you pass part 2 you can apply for a trainee licence to get experience teaching pupils and to charge for lessons while you prepare for part 3. You must have passed part 1 in the last 2 years, passed part 2, and completed at least 40 hours of training with a qualified ADI (at least 10 of those hours in a car), recorded on the ADI 21T declaration form.

7. ADI part 3 — instructional ability test (£111). A practical test of your ability to teach pupils. You have a maximum of 3 attempts.

8. Register as an ADI (£300). When you have passed all three tests, you must register for your first ADI certificate within 12 months of passing part 3. Then you can charge for lessons, join a driving school or set up your own business, and have your details shown on the official GOV.UK find-an-instructor service if you choose to.

Time limits

  • After you pass part 1, your pass certificate lasts 2 years. You must qualify as an ADI in that time, or start the application process again. The ADI register guide also says you must have booked the part 3 test within 2 years of passing part 1.
  • If you use up all 3 attempts at part 2 or part 3, you have to restart, and you must wait until 2 years after you passed part 1 before you can start again.
  • After you pass part 3, you must register within 12 months.
  • GOV.UK says it will take at least 6 months to qualify. Test waiting times and the pace of your training will affect how long it actually takes. We do not promise a completion date.

Official test and registration fees are set by DVSA and can change. Always check ADI fees on GOV.UK before you book. Training course fees are separate and are set by the training organisation.

We do not quote what you might earn as an instructor. That depends on how you work, how many pupils you have, and your running costs.

Why join us after you qualify

  • Local learners matched to you. Driving Lessons MCR introduces learners across Greater Manchester to fully qualified, DVSA-approved local instructors. Once you’re qualified, we can match learners in your area to you.
  • No big franchise fees. We are a matcher, not a franchise. You are not asked to buy into a national brand.
  • Flexible hours. You agree your diary with the people you teach, including evenings and weekends if that suits you.
  • Work solo or with a school. After you qualify you can work independently through our network, stay with the training school, or do a mix if that is agreed with them. The choice is yours.

FAQs

How long does it take to become a driving instructor? GOV.UK says it will take at least 6 months to qualify as an approved driving instructor (ADI). How long it takes you depends on your training and when you can get test dates. After you pass the ADI part 1 theory test, you must qualify within 2 years or start the process again. Once you have passed all three tests, you must register for your first ADI certificate within 12 months of passing part 3.

How much does it cost? The official DVSA fees, checked on GOV.UK on 13 November 2026, are £81 for the ADI part 1 test, £111 for part 2, £111 for part 3, £140 for an optional 6-month trainee licence, and £300 to register for your first ADI certificate. A new DBS check is required to start your application and currently costs £5.40 online (£12 extra if you verify your identity at a Post Office). Training course fees vary and are set by the training organisation, not by DVSA or by us. You have to pay the test fee again if you need a retake.

Do I need a trainee licence? No. A trainee licence is optional. After you pass ADI part 2 you can apply for a 6-month licence so you can get experience teaching pupils and charge for lessons while you prepare for part 3. To apply you must have passed part 1 in the last 2 years, passed part 2, and had at least 40 hours of training from a qualified ADI (at least 10 of those in a car), recorded on the ADI 21T form. It costs £140. You can apply for another licence when it expires if you can show you did not get the full benefit of the first one — it is unlikely to be granted just to give you more time to pass part 3.

What happens after I qualify? Once you have passed all three tests and registered as an ADI, you can work solo through Driving Lessons MCR’s matching network, with local learners introduced to you, or stay with the training school if you prefer. You can also set up your own business. You will have at least one standards check every 4 years, and you need to renew your registration and get a new DBS check every 4 years.

I only have an automatic licence. Can I still apply? Yes. You can start applying to become an ADI. If you want to teach in a manual car, you must first pass the car driving test in a manual car. If you have an automatic licence because of a disability, DVSA may ask you to take an extra assessment to show you can keep control of the car in an emergency. Check the official eligibility tool on GOV.UK for your situation.

I’m interested

Fill in the form and we’ll get back to you. Call or WhatsApp 07555 666 989 between 8am and 7pm, any day, if you’d rather talk it through first.

Have you held a full car driving licence for 3 years or more?
If not, you can often apply up to 6 months before the 3-year date. You can still send an enquiry.
I am 21 or over, or will be within 6 months
Consent

WhatsApp us · Call 07555 666 989

Driving Lessons MCR · Bartle House, 2 Oxford Ct, Manchester M2 3WQ · 07555 666 989 · drivinglessonsmcr@gmail.com