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A learner booking lessons with a newly qualifying instructor may notice “trainee” or “PDI” on their car’s signage rather than the full ADI green badge. This is a distinct, time-limited stage in becoming a driving instructor, and it comes with a hard deadline attached.

What has to happen before a trainee licence is granted

To apply for a trainee licence, a candidate must already have passed the approved driving instructor (ADI) part 2 test, the practical driving ability test that follows the ADI part 1 theory test. On top of that, DVSA requires at least 40 hours of training with a qualified ADI in how to give driving instruction to pupils, which has to be declared using the instructor training declaration form when applying. A candidate cannot obtain a trainee licence purely on the strength of their own part 2 pass; the 40 hours of separate instructional training with a qualified instructor is a distinct, additional requirement.

What the licence actually allows

Once granted, a trainee licence lets the holder, commonly referred to as a PDI, or potential driving instructor, give paid driving lessons to pupils while working toward the final stage of qualification, the ADI part 3 test, which assesses instructional ability rather than the trainee’s own driving. This is the stage at which a learner might be taught by someone displaying trainee signage rather than a fully qualified ADI’s green badge, and it exists specifically to let a candidate gain real teaching experience before their final qualifying test.

The six-month clock

The trainee licence itself is valid for six months. DVSA’s guidance describes it as a licence to get experience teaching students while working toward ADI part 3, and the PDI is expected to complete that final test within the six-month window. If the six months run out before Part 3 has been passed, the trainee cannot continue teaching under the expired licence; continuing to teach for payment without a valid licence or full ADI registration is not permitted, and any extension of the trainee period is not automatically granted.

The application itself

Applying for a trainee licence is done online through DVSA’s service, using the same online account and password set up during the earlier stages of ADI qualification. The application costs £140, payable by debit or credit card, and DVSA states the online process itself takes around 30 minutes to complete. After submitting the online application, the applicant still has to email supporting documents, including the manager or owner declaration and the instructor training declaration confirming the 40 hours, to DVSA before the application can be finalised.

What this means for choosing an instructor

A trainee or PDI is not unqualified; they have already passed both the ADI theory and practical ability tests and completed a formal block of instructional training, and they are working under a genuine DVSA licence rather than teaching informally. What the six-month structure does mean is that a PDI has a clear incentive to pass part 3 promptly, since teaching under trainee status is not an indefinite arrangement the way full ADI registration is.

Common questions

Does the 40 hours of training all have to be in a car? No, but a substantial share of it does: DVSA’s requirement is a minimum of 40 hours of training with a qualified ADI in giving driving instruction, with at least 10 of those hours specifically as in-car training.

Can I apply for a trainee licence as soon as I pass ADI part 2? Passing part 2 is a precondition, but it is not sufficient on its own; the 40 hours of training with a qualified ADI, declared on the training declaration form, still has to be completed and confirmed before DVSA will grant the licence.

What happens to my ADI part 1 theory pass while I hold a trainee licence? The theory pass has its own two-year validity window from when it was achieved, within which the remaining parts of the ADI qualification process, including part 2, part 3 and the trainee stage in between, need to be completed.

Is a trainee licence the same across Great Britain and Northern Ireland? The trainee, or PDI, licence process described here is administered by DVSA and applies in Great Britain; Northern Ireland runs its own approved driving instructor system through the DVA, which a candidate qualifying there should check separately rather than assuming it mirrors the DVSA process exactly.

The bottom line

A trainee, or PDI, licence sits between passing the ADI part 2 practical ability test and full ADI registration, requiring 40 hours of instructional training with a qualified ADI before DVSA will grant it, at a cost of £140 for an online application that takes about 30 minutes to complete plus supporting document submission by email. The licence lasts six months, during which the PDI is expected to pass the ADI part 3 instructional ability test; running out that window without passing part 3 ends the ability to teach under trainee status, since an extension is not guaranteed.

Sources

• GOV.UK, “Apply for a trainee driving instructor licence”
• GOV.UK, “Become a driving instructor: Trainee licence”

Before a single driving lesson can be booked, a learner needs a provisional licence, and the fee and processing time for getting one is a detail that catches some new learners out, especially if a first lesson has already been booked before the licence has actually arrived.

The current fee

Official government guidance sets the fee for a first provisional driving licence at £34 when applying online, payable by debit or credit card. A postal application costs more: £43, payable by cheque or postal order. This £9 difference exists purely because of the extra administrative handling a paper application requires, and it applies on top of whatever extra time a postal application takes to process compared with the online route.

How long it actually takes

An online application should have the licence arrive within about one week, according to government guidance. A postal application is not covered by the same guaranteed timescale, and typically takes longer, particularly where DVLA needs to carry out additional checks on health information or personal details declared on the form, or during periods when DVLA is dealing with higher application volumes. Anyone planning a first lesson around a specific date should build in a margin beyond the headline one-week figure for an online application, and a more significant margin for a postal one, rather than booking lessons for the earliest date the licence could theoretically arrive.

Why an application can take longer than expected

The online timescale assumes a straightforward application with no follow-up needed. Where an applicant has declared a medical condition, or where the details on the application do not immediately match DVLA’s records, the licence can take longer while those points are checked, regardless of whether the original application was made online or by post. This is a common, and often overlooked, reason a first provisional licence application takes longer than the standard figures suggest, and it is not something an applicant can generally speed up once the application has been submitted.

What this means for booking a first lesson

A driving instructor cannot lawfully teach a learner who does not yet hold a valid provisional licence, so booking a first lesson before the licence has actually arrived, rather than once it is confirmed to have arrived, risks a wasted or rescheduled booking. Applying online rather than by post is the more reliable route for a learner working to a specific target date, both because of the lower fee and because the headline processing time is faster and more consistently quoted by DVLA than the postal route’s.

Northern Ireland charges a different fee

The £34 online and £43 postal fees are DVLA figures and apply in Great Britain. Northern Ireland runs its own licensing system through the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA), and its official guidance sets the fee for a first provisional licence at £62.50, regardless of whether the application is made online or by post. DVA guidance also notes that an online application progresses to licence issue more quickly than a paper one, mirroring the general pattern in Great Britain even though the actual fee structure is not the same.

Common questions

Can I pay by debit card for a postal application? No. Government guidance is specific that a postal application must be paid by cheque or postal order rather than by card, which is one of the practical reasons the online route is generally more convenient as well as cheaper.

Does the one-week online estimate include the time to gather my documents? No. The one-week figure covers DVLA’s own processing once a correctly completed application has been submitted, so time spent gathering identity documents or a passport-style photo beforehand sits outside that estimate.

What if my provisional licence application is delayed? Where DVLA needs to check health or personal information, processing can take longer than the standard estimate, and there is no separate published guaranteed timescale for that situation, so it is worth applying with a reasonable buffer before any planned first lesson.

Do I need to reapply if I lose my provisional licence before passing my test? A lost or stolen licence is treated as a replacement application rather than a first application, which typically carries its own separate fee structure from DVLA or DVA, so it is worth keeping the original licence somewhere secure rather than assuming a replacement costs the same as the original first-application fee.

The bottom line

A first provisional driving licence currently costs £34 online or £43 by post, with an online application typically arriving within about a week and a postal one taking longer, especially where DVLA needs to check health or personal details or is dealing with a busy period. Because a learner cannot legally start lessons before the provisional licence is actually in hand, it is worth applying well ahead of a planned first lesson date and using the online route where possible, rather than assuming the standard processing time will hold in every case.

Sources

• GOV.UK, “Apply for a provisional driving licence”
• nidirect, “Cost of a driving licence” (nidirect.gov.uk)

New drivers learn the drink-drive limit early, but drug-driving law is less consistent across the UK, and a new driver moving between nations, or simply learning in one and driving in another, needs to know that the rules are not the same everywhere.

England and Wales: a specified-limits offence

Section 5A of the Road Traffic Act 1988 created a specific offence of driving, attempting to drive, or being in charge of a motor vehicle with a specified controlled drug in the body above a set limit, regardless of whether the driving itself was actually impaired. The Drug Driving (Specified Limits) (England and Wales) Regulations 2014 set the actual limits, listing 18 controlled substances at the time they came into force on 2 March 2015, with a threshold expressed as a concentration in blood for each one; cocaine, for example, is set at 10 microgrammes per litre of blood, Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (the active component of cannabis) at 2 microgrammes per litre, and morphine at 80 microgrammes per litre. Amphetamine was added by amendment at a limit of 250 microgrammes per litre, effective from 14 April 2015. Because this is a specified-limits offence rather than an impairment offence, the prosecution does not need to show the drug affected the driver’s ability to drive, only that the limit was exceeded.

Scotland: its own separate regulations

Scotland runs a separate instrument, the Drug Driving (Specified Limits) (Scotland) Regulations 2019, which came into force on 21 October 2019 and, like the England and Wales regulations, creates a strict-liability offence under section 5A of the 1988 Act rather than requiring proof of impairment. Scotland’s regulations cover 18 controlled drugs, with example limits including cocaine at 10 microgrammes per litre of blood, Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol at 2 microgrammes per litre, MDMA at 10 microgrammes per litre, and Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) at 1 microgramme per litre, the lowest limit on the Scottish list. Several of these figures line up closely with the England and Wales limits for the same drugs, but because the two regimes come from separate statutory instruments, they are not guaranteed to move together if either nation amends its list in future. Scotland’s separate impairment-based offence, for driving while actually affected by drugs, continues to operate alongside the specified-limits offence rather than being replaced by it.

Northern Ireland: no specified limits at all

Northern Ireland does not have an equivalent specified-limits regime. Official government guidance is direct on this point: the specified-limits law “does not cover Northern Ireland,” though a driver can still be arrested there if unfit to drive through drugs. This means Northern Ireland relies on an impairment-based offence, where the prosecution has to show the driver’s ability was actually affected, rather than the strict-liability, limit-based approach used in England, Wales and Scotland. A new driver who learned and tested in Great Britain should not assume the specified-limits framework, or its underlying logic that a limit alone is enough for a conviction, applies in the same way once driving in Northern Ireland.

What this means for a new driver

Because the England and Wales and Scotland regimes are both strict-liability, a driver in either nation can be convicted for exceeding a specified limit even where their driving showed no visible sign of impairment, which makes the legal position considerably less forgiving than many new drivers assume. Prescribed medication is a relevant complication in both regimes: driving with certain drugs above the specified limit is not an offence where the driver has been prescribed the medication and taken it in line with that advice, but this defence depends on being able to show the prescription, not simply on holding one in principle.

Common questions

Can I be convicted for a legal, over-the-counter medicine? The specified-limits offences in England, Wales and Scotland are built around controlled drugs, both illegal drugs and certain prescription-only medicines at levels beyond normal therapeutic use, rather than ordinary over-the-counter products, though driving while impaired by any medicine remains a separate risk regardless of which specific offence might apply.

Does passing my driving test in England mean I know the drug-driving rules for Wales too? Yes, in the sense that the Drug Driving (Specified Limits) (England and Wales) Regulations 2014 apply to both nations under the same instrument, so the limits themselves do not change at the Wales border.

If I am prosecuted in Northern Ireland, does the prosecution have to test my blood against a specific number? No. Because Northern Ireland uses an impairment-based offence rather than the specified-limits approach, the prosecution has to establish that the driver was actually unfit to drive, rather than simply that a blood test exceeded a defined threshold.

The bottom line

England and Wales and Scotland both operate strict-liability, specified-limits drug-driving offences under section 5A of the Road Traffic Act 1988, each set out in its own separate regulations, the 2014 Regulations for England and Wales and the 2019 Regulations for Scotland, with broadly similar limits for drugs such as cocaine and cannabis but no guarantee the two lists stay aligned if either nation updates its own regulations. Northern Ireland has no specified-limits offence at all, relying instead on an impairment-based approach where actual unfitness to drive has to be shown. A new driver learning the rules in one nation should treat drug-driving law as genuinely different in Northern Ireland rather than assume it mirrors the rest of the UK.

Sources

• GOV.UK, “Drugs and driving: the law”
• legislation.gov.uk, “The Drug Driving (Specified Limits) (England and Wales) Regulations 2014, Regulation 2”
• legislation.gov.uk, “The Drug Driving (Specified Limits) (Scotland) Regulations 2019”

Automatic today, manual later

A driver who passes the test in an automatic car receives a licence that covers automatic cars only. This article summarises the GOV.UK pages “Upgrade an automatic car driving licence to a manual one”, “Book your driving test”, “Using your own car for your test” and “What happens during the test”. The booking service described applies to England, Wales and Scotland, and GOV.UK notes that Northern Ireland has a different service for booking a driving test. Fees and figures are those shown on GOV.UK in September 2026 and can change. This article is general information, not legal advice.

What the restriction means (Great Britain)

GOV.UK says that a licence covering only automatic cars can be upgraded by passing a driving test in a manual car. The guidance on using your own car adds that a manual car has three pedals and an automatic or semi-automatic car has two, and that a driver who takes the test in a semi-automatic car will only be able to drive automatic and semi-automatic cars after passing. A learner who wants a manual licence should therefore take the test in a car with a clutch.

Learning to drive a manual car (Great Britain)

GOV.UK says a learner can start learning to drive a manual car at any time and does not need to apply for another provisional licence. The usual rules for learning apply, including displaying L plates. This site’s guides on manual driving lessons and on choosing between manual and automatic, and intensive or weekly lessons compare the ways to prepare.

No theory test, and a phone booking (Great Britain)

The upgrade guidance says the driver does not need a theory test to upgrade the licence. GOV.UK’s booking page confirms that a test to upgrade from automatic to manual is among those that do not need a theory test. The booking must be made by phone with DVSA and cannot be made online. The driver needs a debit or credit card to pay for the test and must choose a test centre. GOV.UK gives DVSA’s driving test booking support as 0300 200 1122, Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm, with an email address, a WhatsApp message line and webchat also listed.

The booking page adds that the learner must book their own driving test, changes and cancellations included. A driving instructor is not allowed to do this for the learner, and it is against the law to book a car driving test for someone else. GOV.UK’s step-by-step guide shows the cost of a driving test as a range from £62 to £75.

What the test involves (Great Britain)

GOV.UK says the driving test works in the same way for a manual car as for an automatic. There are four parts:

• an eyesight check, in which the driver reads a number plate from 20 metres for a new-style plate or 20.5 metres for an old-style one;
• two “show me, tell me” vehicle safety questions, the “tell me” at the start and the “show me” while driving;
• general driving ability, including independent driving for 20 to 35 minutes following a sat nav, traffic signs or both; and
• reversing.

The candidate drives for around 35 minutes and is not taken on motorways. The examiner sets up the sat nav, and the candidate cannot use their own. GOV.UK says failing the eyesight check ends the test, and that driving test routes are not published.

If the test is failed (Great Britain)

GOV.UK says a driver who fails the driving test in a manual car can continue driving an automatic car on the existing licence. The restriction stays in place until a manual test is passed.

The car and test-day rules (Great Britain)

The rules for using a learner’s own car apply to an upgrade test in the same way as any other test. Among them, GOV.UK says the car must have no warning lights showing safety issues, be roadworthy, have an extra interior rear-view mirror for the examiner, be fitted with L plates on the front and rear, be able to reach at least 62mph and be taxed and insured for a driving test. A car with self-parking, Tesla autopilot or the driver’s own sat nav can be used, but those features cannot be used in the test. This site’s article on taking the test in your own car covers the vehicle rules in more detail, and the guide to inside the car driving test explains each part.

Common questions

Does the upgrade need a theory test? GOV.UK says no.

Can the upgrade test be booked online? GOV.UK says it must be booked by phone with DVSA.

Can a semi-automatic car be used for the manual test? GOV.UK says that passing in a semi-automatic car gives an automatic and semi-automatic licence only, so a manual car is needed for the upgrade.

What if the test is failed? GOV.UK says the driver can continue driving an automatic car.

The bottom line

In Great Britain, an automatic-only licence can be upgraded by passing the standard driving test in a manual car, without a theory test and with a phone booking through DVSA rather than online. The test is the same four-part test of about 35 minutes, and a failed attempt leaves the automatic entitlement intact.

Sources

• GOV.UK, “Upgrade an automatic car driving licence to a manual one”
• GOV.UK, “Book your driving test”
• GOV.UK, “Driving test: cars: Using your own car for your test”
• GOV.UK, “Driving test: cars: What happens during the test”

A staged route to a full licence

In the United States, teenage drivers do not usually move straight from a learner’s permit to a full licence. This article summarises the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) page on teenagers, which covers crash statistics, immaturity and inexperience, graduated licensing and the role of parents. Driver licensing in the United States is set state by state, so the rules for a learner in Texas differ from those in New Jersey, and the benchmarks below are IIHS’s assessment of best practice rather than a single national law. Figures such as crash numbers are those shown on the IIHS page when checked, including data for 2024. This article is general information, not legal advice.

The three stages (United States)

IIHS says graduated driver licensing (GDL) is designed to give beginning drivers experience behind the wheel in conditions that minimise risk. It has three stages: a supervised learner’s period, an intermediate licence granted after a road test that limits driving in high-risk situations such as at night or with teen passengers, and a licence with full privileges. GDL was introduced in New Zealand in 1987, and Florida was the first US state to adopt it, in 1996. IIHS says all US states and the District of Columbia now have graduated licensing, though the systems vary in strength. In most US jurisdictions the policies apply only to applicants younger than 18, and all states allow some exceptions so that novices can drive for specified purposes during restricted hours.

IIHS best-practice benchmarks (United States)

IIHS gives the current best practices as a minimum permit age of 16, at least 70 hours of supervised practice, a minimum intermediate licence age of 17, and, during the intermediate stage, a night driving restriction starting at 8 p.m. and a ban on all teen passengers.

What the research found (United States)

IIHS reports that a pair of national studies it carried out with the Highway Loss Data Institute found that strong restrictions on night driving and teenage passengers, as well as a delayed licensing age, reduce fatal crashes and insurance losses for teenage drivers. The same studies found that delaying the permit age reduces fatal crashes and that increasing practice hours reduces insurance losses. IIHS also says evaluations of graduated licensing systems in US states, Canadian provinces and Australia show they reduce crashes substantially.

IIHS notes that teenage crash deaths declined by 50 per cent between 1996, when the first three-stage US programme began, and 2024, from 5,819 to 2,899. That figure describes a trend over nearly three decades, and the evidence for the effect of GDL itself comes from the evaluations and studies described above.

Why teenagers are at higher risk (United States)

IIHS says teen drivers have crash rates more than four times those of drivers 20 and older per mile driven, based on police-reported crashes of all severities, and a fatal crash rate about three times as high for 16 to 19-year-olds. It attributes this to immaturity and inexperience, meaning risky habits such as speeding and difficulty recognising and responding to hazards. IIHS lists further characteristics of teen crashes:

• driver error is more frequent than in adults’ crashes;
• excessive speed is a factor in almost a third of teen drivers’ fatal crash involvements; and
• passengers increase the crash risk of teenage drivers, while decreasing it for drivers aged 30 and older.

Night driving matters as well. IIHS says 35 per cent of teen driving fatalities in 2024 occurred between 9 p.m. and 3 a.m., and over half occurred between 6 p.m. and 3 a.m. Crash risk is particularly high during the first months of licensure.

New Jersey’s older licensing age (United States)

IIHS says New Jersey is the only US state that does not license until age 17. Studies confirm that the combined crash rate of 16 and 17-year-olds in New Jersey is far lower than in neighbouring states, and New Jersey applies full GDL policies to all new drivers under 21. IIHS says that raising the licensing age from 16 to 17 is associated with a 13 per cent lower fatal crash rate among 15 to 17-year-olds and a 9 per cent reduction in collision claim rates among 16-year-old licensed drivers.

The role of parents (United States)

IIHS says that even in states without strong laws, parents can enforce rules on the same principles as a model GDL law: requiring and supervising practice driving and, after licensing, restricting passengers and night driving. It says the quality of practice driving may be more important than the quantity, with teens benefiting from diverse situations under supervision. IIHS has developed a web-based skills checklist for parents of permit holders and new drivers.

Comparison with the UK

Great Britain has no equivalent staged system, as this site’s article on graduated driver licensing in Great Britain and Northern Ireland explains, and the New Drivers Act sets a two-year period for penalty points rather than restrictions on when or with whom new drivers may drive.

Common questions

Is graduated licensing national law in the United States? IIHS says all states and the District of Columbia have it, but the systems vary in strength, so the rules are state rules.

What does IIHS recommend for supervised hours? At least 70 hours of supervised practice, with a minimum permit age of 16.

Do passengers affect teen crash risk? IIHS says the presence of passengers increases crash risk among teenage drivers.

The bottom line

Every US state has graduated driver licensing, but strength varies, and IIHS’s best-practice benchmarks are a permit at 16 or older, at least 70 supervised hours, an intermediate licence from 17, a night restriction from 8 p.m. and no teen passengers at that stage. IIHS’s research links strong restrictions and later licensing ages to fewer fatal crashes, and it describes New Jersey’s age-17 licence and parental involvement as further safeguards.

Sources

• Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, “Teenagers”

Hours before the test

In New South Wales, Australia, learner drivers under 25 must record their supervised driving before they can sit the driving test. This article summarises the NSW Government page “Using your Learner Driver Log Book”. It concerns New South Wales only. The page says a learner who has held a learner licence in another Australian state or territory can have interstate log book hours recognised, but other states set their own learner requirements, which are outside the scope of this article. It is general information, not legal advice, and fees are those shown on the NSW page when checked.

How many hours (New South Wales)

The NSW Government says a learner under 25 must complete 120 hours of supervised driving with a supervisor or a licensed driving instructor. The 120 hours must include at least 20 hours of night driving, meaning between sunset and sunrise. The requirement must be met before taking the driving test, unless the learner is exempt. A learner aged 25 or over does not have to log hours, though the page says they should still do plenty of supervised driving and may use a log book or app without submitting it to Service NSW.

Paper log book or app (New South Wales)

The paper log book is issued with the learner licence and must be brought to the Driving Test. The page warns that a lost paper log book means a lost driving record and that a replacement at a service centre costs $18. The alternative is the Roundtrip app, which is the only official app accepted by Transport for NSW from 29 June 2024. Hours logged in Licence Ready cannot be submitted after that date and can be transferred either to Roundtrip or to a paper log book. The L2P app stopped being accepted on 29 February 2024, and hours in it can be transferred to a paper log book at a Service NSW centre.

Bonus hours with an instructor (New South Wales)

When a learner has a structured lesson with a licensed NSW driving instructor, the page says the learner can record triple the time in the log book. A one-hour lesson counts as three hours. A maximum of 10 hours with an instructor can be tripled, so the most bonus time is 20 hours. Some details matter:

• there is no limit on the number of lessons, only on the bonus hours;
• bonus hours from a night lesson count only towards daytime hours, not the 20 night hours;
• bonus hours apply only with instructors licensed in NSW, so an instructor licensed only interstate does not qualify; and
• each lesson must aim to develop the learner’s skills according to the principles in the log book.

Digital app users get the bonus calculated once the instructor and lesson details are entered. On paper, the learner and instructor both record the bonus hours.

The Safer Drivers Course (New South Wales)

The page says completing the NSW Safer Drivers Course earns an additional 20 hours of log book credit. The course is for learners under 25 and covers speed management, gap selection, hazard awareness, safe following distances and managing distraction. It is designed to be attended once, so the 20 hours are deducted only once.

Who does not need a log book (New South Wales)

The page lists exemptions. A log book is not required if the learner is 25 or over, previously held a NSW or interstate licence other than a learner licence, previously held an overseas licence other than a learner licence, holds an overseas licence other than a learner licence and was issued a learner licence after failing a driving test, or has been specifically exempted by Transport for NSW.

False entries (New South Wales)

Learners and supervisors can face heavy penalties for false entries. The page says the hours are rejected, a fine may be imposed for every false entry, and the learner can be barred from attempting the driving test for up to six weeks.

After a failed test (New South Wales)

A learner who fails the practical test does not need to log more hours, though the page says extra practice is worth considering. Another test can be booked straight away, but at least seven days must separate tests.

Why the hours matter

The NSW Government says learners with more supervised on-road practice lower their chances of being involved in crashes, and it points out that challenging situations such as night driving tend to arrive late in the learning process. It advises practising on different types of roads with different levels of traffic, at different times of day, and planning some night drives, and offers a weekly practice planner for supervisors and learners.

Related guides

Learners elsewhere can compare requirements through this site’s guide to learner permits and provisional licences. The article on choosing a good driving instructor explains what to check before booking lessons that can earn bonus time.

Common questions

Do bonus hours count as night hours? Not for night lessons. The page says bonus hours from a night lesson count only as daytime hours.

Can any instructor’s lessons be tripled? Only instructors licensed in NSW.

What if the paper log book is lost? The page says the driving record is lost and a replacement costs $18.

The bottom line

A NSW learner under 25 must log 120 supervised hours, including at least 20 at night, before the driving test. Lessons with a NSW-licensed instructor can be tripled up to 10 hours, giving 20 bonus hours, and the Safer Drivers Course adds a one-off 20 hours. Roundtrip is the only accepted app, false entries can bring fines and a test ban of up to six weeks, and learners aged 25 or over need not log hours.

Sources

• NSW Government, “Using your Learner Driver Log Book”

When lessons go wrong

Most learners never need to complain about an instructor, but the process is worth knowing before paying for a block of lessons. This article summarises GOV.UK’s “Complain about a driving instructor” and “Report an illegal driving instructor” pages, and the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) “Driving instructor code of practice”, which states that it applies to England, Scotland and Wales and was last updated on 20 November 2025. Northern Ireland has its own driver testing and instructor arrangements, covered in this site’s article on learning to drive in Northern Ireland. This article is general information, not legal advice.

Complaints about service (Great Britain)

GOV.UK says a learner should contact DVSA if an approved driving instructor (ADI):

• provides lessons shorter than agreed;
• keeps cancelling or arriving late; or
• does not provide lessons that have already been paid for.

The complaint goes to the DVSA driving instructor team, whose email address is [email protected], or by post to the Newcastle-upon-Tyne address on the GOV.UK page. GOV.UK states that DVSA can ask the instructor about the matter on the learner’s behalf, but it cannot help get any money back.

Complaints about behaviour (Great Britain)

GOV.UK says to contact DVSA if an instructor is behaving inappropriately, and gives the following examples: using a mobile phone while the learner is driving, shouting or swearing, using inappropriate language in person or in messages, or using unnecessary physical contact. The contact point is the same team. GOV.UK says DVSA will not make the learner report the incident to the police unless the learner wants to.

What to include (Great Britain)

GOV.UK says it helps a DVSA investigation if the complaint includes any of the following:

• the learner’s full name and email address;
• the instructor’s full name and the driving school;
• the instructor’s ADI number, telephone number or email address;
• the instructor’s vehicle registration; and
• any evidence, such as receipts or screenshots of messages from the instructor.

The code of practice (England, Scotland and Wales)

The DVSA code is voluntary. It was agreed between the National Associations Strategic Partnership and DVSA, and an ADI who agrees to follow it can update their registration to show this. Its personal conduct section says instructors will behave professionally, comply with the law, avoid using mobile devices while driving or supervising, avoid inappropriate physical contact and language, and not distribute footage of driving tests from in-car cameras without permission from DVSA and the client.

Its business dealings section says instructors will safeguard and account for money paid in advance and, on or before the first lesson, make clients aware of the code and their terms of business. Those terms should include the instructor’s legal identity and contact details, the price and duration of lessons, the price and conditions for using the school car for the test, cancellation terms for either party, the terms for a refund of lesson fees and the complaints procedure. Instructors also agree to record each client’s progress, to advise when to apply for the test, and not to cancel or rearrange a test without the client’s knowledge and agreement.

The advertising section says claims should be capable of verification and comply with CAP codes, and that advertising referring to pass rates should not be open to misinterpretation and should make clear how the figure is calculated.

The order of complaint under the code (England, Scotland and Wales)

The conciliation section says complaints should be made first to the driving instructor, school or contractor following the provider’s complaints procedure. If that does not settle the dispute, the code says a client who believes the instructor is not providing a satisfactory business service can contact a local Citizens Advice Bureau for guidance, while a client unhappy with the instructor’s professional service can contact the ADI Registrar at [email protected]. Because DVSA cannot recover money, the terms on refunds and cancellations agreed at the start are the practical reference for a money dispute. This site’s guide to lesson cancellation policies explains what to compare.

Illegal instruction (Great Britain)

GOV.UK says it is illegal to charge for driving lessons without being qualified and registered. The only people who can charge are approved driving instructors, who must display a green badge in the windscreen, and trainee driving instructors with a licence, who must display a pink badge. A person who suspects illegal instruction can report it to the DVSA intelligence unit at [email protected] or on 0800 030 4103, Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm.

Before booking

The code’s list of terms of business gives a useful checklist of what to ask before paying. This site’s articles on reading instructor reviews critically and what learners should check about ADI and PDI qualifications explain how to check credentials.

Common questions

Can DVSA get my lesson fees back? GOV.UK says DVSA can ask the instructor about the matter but cannot help get money back.

Do I have to report bad behaviour to the police? GOV.UK says DVSA will not make the learner do so unless the learner wants to.

Is following the code compulsory? The code says it is voluntary for approved driving instructors.

What badge should an instructor display? GOV.UK says a green badge for an approved driving instructor and a pink badge for a trainee with a licence.

The bottom line

In Great Britain, a learner with a complaint about an approved driving instructor’s service or behaviour can contact DVSA at [email protected] with evidence such as receipts and screenshots. DVSA can ask the instructor about the matter but cannot recover money, so the agreed refund and cancellation terms and the instructor’s complaints procedure come first, followed by Citizens Advice for business disputes. Only ADIs and licensed trainees may charge for lessons, and unqualified instruction can be reported to DVSA.

Sources

• GOV.UK, “Complain about a driving instructor”
• GOV.UK, “Report an illegal driving instructor”
• Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, GOV.UK, “Driving instructor code of practice”
• Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, GOV.UK, “Approved driving instructor (ADI) code of practice”

A licence that does not always travel alone

Passing a driving test in the UK does not settle every question about driving overseas. This article summarises the GOV.UK guide “Driving abroad”, including its pages on checking whether an international driving permit (IDP) is needed, getting an IDP and driving after moving abroad. The guide applies to people with a Great Britain or Northern Ireland driving licence, and an IDP can be obtained only by someone who lives in Great Britain or Northern Ireland. The fees and figures below are those shown on GOV.UK in September 2026 and can change. This article is general information, not legal advice, and the rules of the country being visited always apply.

The starting point (Great Britain and Northern Ireland licences)

GOV.UK says a driver needs to take their Great Britain or Northern Ireland driving licence abroad and check that it is still valid. A driver whose licence has been lost, stolen, damaged or destroyed needs a new one before travelling. Someone taking their own vehicle also needs the log book (V5C) and the insurance certificate. A vehicle hired or leased in the UK and taken abroad needs a VE103 certificate.

Whether an IDP is needed (Great Britain and Northern Ireland licences)

GOV.UK says an IDP may be needed in some countries, depending on the country visited and how long the stay is. The permit needed depends on the destination, and there are three types: 1926, 1949 and 1968. A traveller passing through more than one country may need more than one type. If a country is not in GOV.UK’s table, the guide says to check with that country’s embassy, and a person hiring a car should check with the hire company. A holder of an existing IDP should confirm it is still valid in the country visited.

Europe (Great Britain and Northern Ireland licences)

GOV.UK says an IDP is not needed to drive in the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein with a photocard licence issued in the UK. An IDP might be needed in some EU countries and Norway if the driver has a paper licence, or a licence issued in Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man, and the guide says to check with the embassy of the country concerned. A holder of a paper licence must update it to a photocard licence or get an IDP. The driver must also carry the licence itself alongside any IDP.

Examples from the country table

GOV.UK’s country table shows the type for each destination. Australia and Argentina are listed at 1949, Austria and Belgium at 1968. Some entries add conditions. The Bahamas entry says an IDP is needed for stays longer than 90 days. The Bahrain entry says an IDP is needed for car hire and for stays longer than 90 days, and that the permit must be certified by the local authorities on arrival. For Botswana, an IDP is needed for car hire. The Belgium entry says a UK photocard licence can be used for up to six months without an IDP.

Getting an IDP (Great Britain and Northern Ireland)

GOV.UK says an IDP is obtained in person from certain shops with PayPoint, and it costs £5.50. The applicant must live in Great Britain or Northern Ireland, hold a full UK driving licence and be 18 or over. A 1926 or 1949 permit lasts for 12 months, and a 1968 permit lasts for three years or until the UK licence expires, whichever is sooner. The guide notes that a separate permit might be needed for each country visited.

Other paperwork and equipment

The overview lists extras depending on the destination:

• a reflective jacket and a warning triangle, which are needed in many countries;
• emission stickers in some European cities, which may need to be bought weeks before departure;
• headlight converter stickers; and
• a UK sticker.

A hire company may ask to see licence information, which can be shared through a licence “check code” obtained up to 21 days before the trip. A driver with a Northern Ireland licence shows the paper counterpart instead. Towing a trailer over 750kg abroad requires category BE to be shown on the licence, added free through form D1. The guide also says to check whether a trailer needs registering and whether a green card or additional insurance is needed, and that hired cars carry insurance for which the cover should be checked with the hire company.

If you are moving abroad

GOV.UK says not to apply for an IDP when moving abroad. Instead, the driver should check with the licensing authority in the new country about exchanging the UK licence or applying for a local one. In some countries a UK licence can be exchanged without another driving test, and the guide points to separate rules for exchanging a licence in the EU. This site’s article on converting a foreign driving licence to drive in the UK or Ireland covers the reverse situation.

Common questions

Is a paper licence enough in Europe? GOV.UK says a paper licence holder might need an IDP in some EU countries and Norway, or must update to a photocard licence.

Can an IDP be bought online? GOV.UK says it is obtained in person from certain shops with PayPoint.

How long does an IDP last? 12 months for a 1926 or 1949 permit, and three years or until the licence expires for a 1968 permit.

The bottom line

A driver with a Great Britain or Northern Ireland licence must check, for each country, whether an IDP is needed and which of the 1926, 1949 or 1968 types applies. In the EU and some other European countries a UK photocard licence is enough, a paper licence can require action, and an IDP costs £5.50 in person at certain PayPoint shops, with 12 months or up to three years of validity depending on the type.

Sources

• GOV.UK, “Driving abroad: Overview”
• GOV.UK, “Driving abroad: Check if you need an international driving permit (IDP)”
• GOV.UK, “Driving abroad: Get an international driving permit (IDP)”
• GOV.UK, “Driving abroad: Driving if you move abroad”

An alternative to points that many drivers are offered

Drivers caught speeding at a low level may be offered a course instead of a fine and penalty points. This article summarises GOV.UK guidance on speeding penalties and the final report of a Department for Transport evaluation of the National Speed Awareness Course (NSAC), published in May 2018. The report describes the course as offered by nearly all police forces in England and Wales, and the evaluation used records from police forces in England. The GOV.UK speeding guidance covers the UK and notes that fines are paid by different routes in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Scotland and Northern Ireland are outside the scope of this article. It is general information, not legal advice.

What a speeding penalty involves

GOV.UK says the minimum penalty for speeding is a £100 fine and three penalty points. A driver caught by a speed camera is sent a Notice of Intended Prosecution and a Section 172 notice within 14 days, which must be returned within 28 days to say who was driving. A driver who accepts a fixed penalty notice pays the fine and gets the points, unless offered a speed awareness course.

GOV.UK says a course may be offered if the police decide it is appropriate for the offence and the driver has not been on a speed awareness course in the past three years. For new drivers, it says a licence is revoked if the driver builds up six or more penalty points within two years of passing the driving test. Courses are an alternative, and they matter to new drivers for that reason.

How the evaluation was done

Ipsos MORI, working with George Barrett and the Institute for Transport Studies at the University of Leeds, was commissioned by the Department for Transport to assess effects on subsequent speed reoffending. The team used speeding records from 13 police forces in England for 2012 to 2017, covering 2.2 million drivers, of whom 1.4 million had accepted an offer to take part. Records were matched to licence details, injury accident information and course provision data by the DVLA.

It was not a randomised trial. Instead, the researchers used two comparison groups: drivers who were offered the course but declined, and drivers detected at speeds marginally above the upper threshold for a course offer under police guidance. They used several analytical approaches, including regression analysis, propensity score matching, a regression discontinuity design and an instrumental variables method, to give greater confidence that differences reflected the course rather than differences between drivers.

What it found on reoffending

The report concluded that taking the course was more effective at reducing speed reoffending than a fixed penalty notice, which comprises a fine and penalty points, over the three years after the offer. It gave estimated reductions in the rate of reoffending of 12 to 23 per cent at six months, 9 to 17 per cent at one year, 9 to 11 per cent at two years and 6 to 13 per cent at three years, with the range reflecting the different analytical approaches. The effects appeared larger among drivers who had held a licence for longer.

The authors said that, as far as it is possible to assess within the constraints of the available data, the effects can be interpreted as a causal effect of the course, not a result of differences between drivers who took it and those who did not. The data did not allow assessment beyond three years.

What it did not show

The evaluation did not find a statistically significant effect of the course on the number or severity of injury collisions compared with a fixed penalty notice, though some results were on the border of significance. The report explained that injury collisions were rare, so the numbers available were too small for definitive conclusions, and said a national study may be needed. It described it as probable that the course has positive road-safety effects that could not be demonstrated, an inference from the link between reoffending and collisions rather than a measured result.

The reductions in reoffending are relative figures. The report gave an illustration: if the three-year reoffending rate for course participants was 21 per cent, a 10 per cent reduction would mean it would otherwise have been 23.3 per cent. The absolute difference is therefore small in percentage points, though it applies across a very large number of drivers.

Reading the findings sensibly

The design was quasi-experimental and used matched or threshold-based comparisons, so it is not proof in the way a randomised trial would be. The authors said the results were consistent across the different methods, and that is the basis for the conclusion. The findings also apply to the drivers the course was offered to, who were low-level speeders, and to the course as it was run in England during the study period, 2012 to 2017.

The report is also from 2018. Course content and eligibility rules may have changed since, and GOV.UK should be checked for the current position.

What this means for learners and new drivers

For new drivers, a course offered instead of points may keep the licence clear of penalty points, which is significant within the first two years. Drivers cannot assume they will be offered one, since GOV.UK says it depends on the police decision and on not having attended a course in the previous three years. Driving instructors and learners should treat speed limits as a first-lesson topic, not a matter of luck with enforcement.

The bottom line

A Department for Transport evaluation of more than a million course participants found that taking the National Speed Awareness Course reduced speed reoffending more than a fine and points over three years, and interpreted the effect as causal within the limits of the data. It did not demonstrate an effect on injury collisions because too few occurred. The course is offered at police discretion to low-level speeders, and it is not available to everyone.

Sources

• Department for Transport, GOV.UK, “National Speed Awareness Course: impact evaluation”
• Ipsos MORI and Institute for Transport Studies, University of Leeds (for the Department for Transport), “Impact Evaluation of the National Speed Awareness Course: Final Report (May 2018)”
• GOV.UK, “Speeding penalties”

A rule that applies to the passenger seat too

Learner drivers, and the people who supervise them, often assume the handheld phone ban is about the person with their hands on the wheel. In Great Britain, the regulation also reaches supervisors. This article summarises regulation 110 of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986, which legislation.gov.uk shows as extending to England, Wales and Scotland, and the GOV.UK guidance “Using a phone, sat nav or other device when driving”. The GOV.UK page does not state its geographical coverage, and Northern Ireland is outside the scope of this article. It is general information, not legal advice.

What the regulation prohibits

Regulation 110 forbids drivers from using a hand-held mobile phone or similar device while driving on a road. Legislation.gov.uk shows that it also prevents supervisors of provisional licence holders from using such devices while supervising. A device counts as hand-held if it is, or must be, held at some point while being used, wording added by a 2022 amendment. The regulation covers phones and devices capable of transmitting and receiving data, whether or not those capabilities are enabled, and excludes two-way radios.

The regulation defines “using” broadly, through a list of activities that includes illuminating the screen, checking notifications, unlocking the device, making calls, sending or receiving content, recording, drafting text, accessing stored data, using applications and browsing the internet. In practice, that covers far more than calls and texts.

What GOV.UK says

GOV.UK says a driver must not use a device in their hand for any reason, whether online or offline. Prohibited uses include texting, making calls, taking photos or videos and browsing the web. It says the law applies even when the driver is stopped at traffic lights, queuing in traffic or supervising a learner driver. That wording matters for anyone accompanying a learner.

Hands-free use is permitted where the device is operated through a Bluetooth headset, voice commands, a dashboard holder or a windscreen mount, provided it does not obstruct the driver’s view of the road. The GOV.UK page also says a driver can get 3 penalty points if they do not have a full view of the road and traffic ahead or proper control of the vehicle.

Full control and the view of the road

The GOV.UK guidance adds a separate duty. Hands-free devices must not block the driver’s view of the road and traffic ahead, and a driver must stay in full control of the vehicle at all times. It says the police can stop a driver they think is not in control because they are distracted, and that the driver can be prosecuted. This means a device used hands-free can still be a problem if it distracts the driver or obstructs the windscreen.

The exceptions

Hand-held use is permitted only in limited circumstances. Regulation 110 lists emergency calls to 112 or 999 when it is unsafe to stop, remote-controlled parking, contactless payments when the vehicle is stationary, added in 2022, and communications by emergency services using approved networks, added in 2024. GOV.UK summarises the exceptions for drivers as emergency calls when it is unsafe to stop, being safely parked, contactless payments at drive-throughs and remote vehicle parking.

Because the drive-through payment exception applies only when the vehicle is stationary, and a supervised learner is still subject to the same regulation, the simplest approach for a lesson or practice drive is to set navigation and music before starting.

Penalties

GOV.UK says the standard penalty for illegal use of a device is six penalty points and a £200 fine. If the case goes to court, it says a driver may be banned and the maximum fine is £1,000, or £2,500 for drivers of lorries and buses. Because these amounts are set by government, the GOV.UK page is the reference for the current figures.

For drivers who passed their test in the last two years, GOV.UK says they will also lose their licence. That follows from the six-point threshold for new drivers, which the drink-driving article on this site and the New Drivers Act article explain in more detail. A learner is therefore building a record from the first day: penalty points on a provisional licence carry over to the full licence.

Practical points for learners and supervisors

A learner should not touch their phone while driving, and a supervising driver should not use one in the passenger seat while supervising, according to regulation 110. Both should put phones away or use a hands-free arrangement that meets the GOV.UK conditions, and agree beforehand who handles directions.

The bottom line

In Great Britain, holding and using a phone or other data-capable device while driving is illegal for any reason, and regulation 110 extends the prohibition to supervisors of provisional licence holders. Exceptions are narrow, penalties include six points and a £200 fine at the fixed-penalty stage, and a new driver risks losing their licence. Set up navigation before the journey and use hands-free options that leave the road view clear.

Sources

• legislation.gov.uk, “The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986, regulation 110”
• GOV.UK, “Using a phone, sat nav or other device when driving”