Every approved driving instructor (ADI) and trainee driving instructor in England, Scotland and Wales will soon have to follow a new mandatory code of practice from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA). Trainees are sometimes referred to as PDIs (potential driving instructors).
The new code replaces the old voluntary code and is expected to come in between late 2026 and early 2027, although the exact start date hasn't been confirmed. Instructors will have to confirm they've read and agreed to it when they register, renew their registration or apply for a trainee licence.
The code sets standards for professional behaviour, safeguarding, phone use, terms of business, lesson records, payments, test preparation, advertising, social media, data protection and complaints. You don't need to read the whole thing yourself. This guide explains the parts that matter most to you as a learner, in plain English.
Must and should: the code uses two key words. "Must" means your instructor is required to do it. "Should" means DVSA strongly recommends it. Where this guide says an instructor must do something, that comes directly from the code.
Before your first lesson
Your instructor must make sure you understand their terms of business. These must include:
- their business contact details
- the price and length of lessons
- their cancellation policy
- their refund policy
- how they will handle your personal data
- how you can make a complaint
The code says instructors should give you these in writing before you start. If you haven't received them, it's reasonable to ask.
Your instructor must also check you're entitled to drive the car you're learning in. When they're giving paid lessons, they must display their badge in the windscreen. A fully qualified instructor displays an ADI badge, often called the green badge. A trainee displays a trainee licence, often called the pink badge.
During your lessons
Your instructor must teach you in line with DVSA's national standard for driver training, cover road safety, and pitch lessons at the right level for you. Their car must be insured, roadworthy and legal, with an extra rear-view mirror and L plates correctly fitted (or D plates in Wales, if they choose).
Using phones and devices
While instructing, your instructor must not:
- use a mobile phone or hand-held device, including a tablet
- receive calls, even hands-free
If they want to use a tablet to record your progress or show you a diagram or video, they must first park safely and switch off the engine.
Safeguarding and professional behaviour
Your instructor must protect you from harm, provide a safe learning environment and keep professional boundaries at all times. This matters especially for learners under 18 and vulnerable adults.
Under the code, your instructor must not:
- discriminate against you because of a protected characteristic
- use inappropriate language
- behave in an aggressive or intimidating way
- make unnecessary physical contact
- contact you inappropriately outside lessons, including through their personal social media
- have a romantic or sexual relationship with you while you're their pupil
They should also treat you with respect at all times and stay out of your personal life.
Your progress and your money
Your instructor must keep accurate records of the lessons and hours you've had, and clearly explain your progress and what training you still need.
If you pay in advance, your instructor must account for that money and protect it, and they must give you the lessons you've paid for. The code names several things that could lead to an instructor being removed from the register:
- giving lessons shorter than agreed
- teaching below the expected standard
- repeatedly arriving late
- repeatedly cancelling lessons
Booking and preparing for your test
Under the new code, your instructor cannot book, change, swap or cancel your car driving test for you. You must book your own test. Your instructor can set the times they're available to take you, so talk to them before you book. You can check current waiting times in our guide to driving test waiting times.
Before you take your test, your instructor should:
- check you can read a number plate at the required distance
- tell you honestly whether you're ready, and advise you to book a later date if you're not
- encourage you to take a mock test with another instructor if possible
Our guide on knowing when you're test-ready covers this in more detail.
On test day, they should make sure you know how to get to the test centre and arrive in good time with the right documents. Agree beforehand whether they'll sit in on your test, and use the debrief afterwards to plan what to work on next.
Advertising and social media
The code also covers how instructors advertise and promote their services. If an instructor advertises a pass rate, they must explain how that figure has been calculated. Their advertising must follow the advertising codes of practice, and any social media use must be lawful, responsible and professional. The same applies to any learning or promotional material an instructor develops using AI: they must make sure it's technically correct, accurate and in line with DVSA's national standards.
Your photos, videos and personal data
Your instructor must protect your personal information and follow data protection law. They must not:
- share your personal information, images or videos without your explicit written consent
- publish footage of you from an in-car camera without your consent
- send you messages, images or emojis that could be seen as offensive or unprofessional
Trainee driving instructors
Some learners are taught by a trainee driving instructor, sometimes referred to as a PDI (potential driving instructor). Trainees are part way through qualifying and hold a trainee licence from DVSA, which lets them give paid lessons while they gain experience.
Under the code, a trainee must:
- work only through their sponsoring driving school or ADI
- complete their required training and supervision
- apply for their final qualifying test
A trainee cannot work independently. They must work through their sponsoring driving school or ADI, and must not give the impression that they're a fully qualified ADI.
If something goes wrong
If you have a problem, you can raise it with your instructor first and give them an opportunity to resolve it. Under the code, instructors must deal with complaints promptly, try to resolve them quickly and keep a record of each complaint.
If the problem isn't resolved, you can complain to DVSA about a driving instructor. If an instructor doesn't follow the code, the ADI Registrar can issue a formal warning, carry out a standards check or investigation, or suspend them and remove them from the register.
Quick checklist
- You've been given clear terms of business, ideally in writing, before your first lesson
- Your instructor's badge is displayed in the windscreen
- Your instructor checked you're entitled to drive the car
- No phone calls or phone use while you're driving, not even hands-free
- You get the full lesson length you've paid for
- You know how you're progressing and what's left to learn
- You book your own test
- Any pass rate your instructor advertises comes with an explanation of how it was calculated
- Nothing about you is shared online without your written consent
- You know how to complain if you need to
Frequently asked questions
Is the driving instructor code of practice compulsory?
Yes, under the new version. The previous code was voluntary. Once the new code comes in, every ADI and trainee must follow it. They have to agree to it when they register, renew their registration or apply for a trainee licence.
When does the new code start?
DVSA says it will be introduced between late 2026 and early 2027. The exact date hasn't been confirmed yet.
Can my driving instructor book my test for me?
Not under the new code. Instructors cannot book, change, swap or cancel car driving tests for pupils, so you book your own. Check your instructor's availability first.
Can my instructor take a hands-free call during my lesson?
No. The code says instructors must not receive calls while instructing, including hands-free.
Can my instructor post a video of my lesson online?
Only with your explicit written consent. The code says instructors must not publish in-car camera footage without consent.
My instructor says they're a PDI. What does that mean?
PDI stands for potential driving instructor. It's another name for a trainee driving instructor, someone part way through qualifying who holds a trainee licence from DVSA. Trainees can give paid lessons, but only through their sponsoring school or instructor.
Sources
- Driving instructor code of practice (effective date to be confirmed), DVSA, published 23rd September 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
- Working together to progress and protect the driving instructor profession, DVSA Despatch blog, 2nd July 2026.
- Complain about a driving instructor, GOV.UK.
- National standard for driver and rider training, DVSA.
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Please note: This is general driving guidance, not a substitute for in-car instruction. Always follow the actual lanes, road markings, signs, and signals in front of you, they take priority over anything written on this page.
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