Guidance

Approved driving instructor (ADI) online services user guide

Updated 21 November 2022

Applies to England, Scotland and Wales

1. About this guide

This guide tells you how to use approved driving instructor (ADI) online services to apply to become a driving instructor or manage your registration if you’re already a qualified ADI.

It tells you:

• what information you need to give
• the questions you’ll be asked
• how your information will be used

The ADI register guide sets out your responsibilities teaching people to drive a car, your suitability for the job, and how to qualify.

Services this guide explains

This guide explains what you need to:

2. Your account, personal information and data

User ID

You need your user ID from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) to use online ADI services.

You get this from DVSA when you apply to start the qualifying process. It’s also included on any correspondence you get from the ADI Registrar.

When you use ADI online services for the first time, you’ll be asked to:

• confirm your personal details
• select a memorable phrase as a security measure
• create a password

If you do not have your user ID

Email irdt@dvsa.gov.uk including 2 of the following:

• your ADI personal reference number
• your driving licence number
• your date of birth

DVSA will then email your user ID to you.

Paying for services

The payment will be taken from your account as soon as your application has been received.

DVSA will give you a full refund if your application is unsuccessful.

Driving licence details

When you’re asked for your driving licence number, enter the 16 characters shown on your licence, for example, ABCDE123456AB9QZ.

Do not include the separate 2 digit number that might also be shown on some licences.

You’ll be asked to tick a box if your licence is from the Republic of Ireland. Don’t tick this box if your licence is from Great Britain or Northern Ireland.

Criminal record check

In most cases, you need to have a criminal record check before you apply. The way you do this depends on what you’re applying for.

DVSA can also ask you to get a certificate at any time during your ADI registration.

Character details

You need to tell DVSA about any motoring or non-motoring offences (including fixed penalties and simple and conditional cautions).

You have to declare spent as well as unspent convictions.

You must also tell DVSA if you are now or ever have been a registered sex offender and/or banned or barred from working with children in any way.

DVSA will take this information into account when considering whether you are suitable to be an ADI.

If you have more than one conviction

1. State ‘More to follow’ in the ‘Penalty Imposed’ box.

2. Send the details to DVSA by email or post.

What happens next

DVSA can contact the relevant court or organisation to check any declarations you have made.

You could be committing an offence if you seek to work in regulated activity if you’re banned or barred from working with children under 18.

Correspondence details

Learner drivers can use the find driving schools, lessons and instructors service on GOV.UK to find an instructor.

If you give your consent, your name, telephone number and email address will be shown on the service when you’re a fully qualified ADI.

You can select if you want your home or correspondence contact details to be published.

Photo

DVSA needs a photo of you to put on your trainee licence or ADI certificate of registration (commonly known as an ‘ADI badge’).

If you have a photocard driving licence

You can give DVSA permission to use the photo held by DVLA for your driving licence.

You can ask DVSA to stop using this photo later by updating your ADI registration. However, DVSA will not issue you with a new ADI badge with a different photo until your registration is next renewed.

If you don’t have a photocard licence

You need to send a recent passport-sized photo to DVSA if you do not have a photocard licence or do not want DVSA to use your the photo on your driving licence.

Additional voluntary information

You do not have to complete any part of this section.

Release of information

DVSA is asked by other organisations for the names and addresses on the ADI register, for example, to send marketing information.

You can give your consent for DVSA to supply your information. If you give your consent, DVSA does not allow other organisations to sell it to anyone else.

Tick the box if you are happy for DVSA to release your name and address to any company or organisation.

Leave the box blank if you do not want DVSA to release your name and address to any company or organisation. However, DVSA will still send important information to you.

Ethnic origin

DVSA wants to make sure it considers everyone who applies to be an ADI equally.

To do this, DVSA needs you to answer the questions in this section. Your answers will not influence your application, as long as you meet the qualifying criteria.

DVSA will keep this information confidential and only use it for monitoring purposes. DVSA will store this information in its electronic document archive and ADI register database.

Processing your personal data

Our personal information charter explains how we handle and share your personal information.

3. Start the ADI qualifying process

To apply to start the ADI qualifying process, you need:

• your driving licence number
• your criminal record check disclosure number

Photo

You do not need to supply DVSA with a photo when you apply to start the ADI qualifying process.

However, you’ll be asked if you consent to DVSA using your driving licence photo. If you give consent, DVSA will use that photo for any later applications you may make for a trainee licence or ADI certificate, unless you change your mind.

Sending your application

By clicking ‘Finish’ you will submit your application to DVSA for consideration.

You must also send any extra character details, such as further details of any motoring or non-motoring offences.

DVSA aims to process your application within 10 working days once they have received all the information.

4. Apply for a trainee driving instructor licence

You cannot use the online service if you have a trainee licence and need to change schools. Email customerservices@dvsa.gov.uk to get a copy of form ADI3L to apply.

To apply for a trainee driving instructor licence, you need:

• your driving licence number
• your ADI personal reference number
• a debit or credit card
• a photo
• a printer

Criminal record check

You do not need to get a criminal record certificate when you apply for a trainee licence.

Options when you apply for a trainee licence

You have 2 options to choose from when you apply for a trainee licence. You must either:

• be supervised for 20% of all lessons you give while you have your trainee licence
• do at least 20 hours of extra training while you have your trainee licence

Make sure you choose the correct option. Once you’ve applied, you cannot change your option.

Submitting your application

1. Click ‘Finish’ to submit your application.

2. Use your browser print button to print a copy of the final page.

3. Write the details of your driving school at the bottom of the page.

4. Post this to DVSA with the supporting documents.

Supporting documents

You need to include:

• a passport-sized photo with your ADI personal reference number written on the back (unless you’ve given DVSA permission to use your driving licence photo)
• the complete and signed ADI21T form which is the declaration of your 40 hours training
• the complete and signed ADI3L(MD) form which is the declaration by the manager/owner of your school
• any extra character details, such as further details of any motoring or non-motoring offences

ADI Registration
DVSA
1 Unity Square
Nottingham
NG2 1AY

DVSA aims to process your application within 10 working days once it has received all the information.

The guide to getting a trainee driving instructor licence tells you the rules for using your licence, and what happens when it runs out.

5. Register as an ADI

To apply for your first ADI badge when you’ve passed the qualifying tests, you need:

• your driving licence number
• your ADI personal reference number
• a debit or credit card
• a photo
• a printer (if you don’t have a photocard driving licence)

Criminal record check

You do not need to get a criminal record certificate when you apply for your first ADI badge.

Submitting your application

How you submit your application depends on whether or not you have a photocard driving licence.

If you have a photocard driving licence

1. Click ‘Finish’ to submit your application.

2. Email padi@dvsa.gov.uk with details of your driving school, where you would like to take your ADI standards check and any extra character details, such as further details of any motoring or non-motoring offences.

Put the following information in the subject line:

• your surname
• your ADI personal reference number
• the type of application you are making, for example, ‘ADI registration’
• the reason why you are emailing, for example, ‘School and standards check’

If you don’t have a photocard driving licence

You need to send information by post if you don’t have a photocard driving licence, or do not give DVSA permission to use your photocard driving licence photo.

1. Click ‘Finish’ to submit your application.

2. Use your browser print button to print a copy of the final page.

3. Write the details of your driving school and where you would like to take your ADI standards check at the bottom of the page.

4. Post this to DVSA with the supporting documents.

You need to include:

• a passport-sized photo with your ADI personal reference number written on the back
• any extra character details, such as further details of any motoring or non-motoring offences

ADI Registration
DVSA
1 Unity Square
Nottingham
NG2 1AY

DVSA aims to process your application within 10 working days once it has received all the information.

6. Renew your ADI registration

To apply to renew your ADI registration, you need:

• your driving licence number
• your criminal record check disclosure number
• your ADI personal reference number
• a debit or credit card
• a photo
• a printer (if you don’t have a photocard driving licence)

You can only renew your ADI registration in the month that its due to expire.

Example
If your ADI registration runs out on 31 March, the earliest you can send your application is 1 March.

Criminal record check

You must get a criminal record disclosure check before you renew your registration.

You can apply for your criminal record check up to 6 months before your ADI registration expires.

It usually takes around 3 months to arrive, but can take longer.

DVSA can ask you to send your certificate so it can consider any information on it.

If your application cannot be considered by the ADI Registrar before your current ADI badge expires, you might not be legally allowed to continue giving paid instruction and your name could be removed from the ADI register.

Submitting your application

How you submit your application depends on whether or not you have a photocard driving licence.

If you have a photocard driving licence

1. Click ‘Finish’ to submit your application.

2. Email padi@dvsa.gov.uk with details of your driving school, where you would like to take your ADI standards check and any extra character details, such as further details of any motoring or non-motoring offences.

Put the following information in the subject line:

• your surname
• your ADI personal reference number
• the type of application you are making, for example, ‘ADI renewal’
• the reason why you are emailing, for example, ‘School and standards check’

If you don’t have a photocard driving licence

You need to send information by post if you don’t have a photocard driving licence, or do not give DVSA permission to use your photocard driving licence photo.

1. Click ‘Finish’ to submit your application.

2. Use your browser print button to print a copy of the final page.

3. Write the details of your driving school and where you would like to take your ADI standards check at the bottom of the page.

4. Post this to DVSA with the supporting documents.

You need to include:

• a passport-sized photo with your ADI personal reference number written on the back
• any extra character details, such as further details of any motoring or non-motoring offences

ADI Registration
DVSA
1 Unity Square
Nottingham
NG2 1AY

DVSA aims to process your application within 10 working days once it has received all the information.

7. Re-register as an ADI

To apply to re-register as an ADI if your registration ran out in the last 12 months, you need:

• your driving licence number
• your criminal record check disclosure number
• your ADI personal reference number
• a debit or credit card
• a photo
• a printer (if you don’t have a photocard driving licence)

Criminal record check

You must get a criminal record disclosure check to re-register. It usually takes around 3 months to arrive, but can take longer.

DVSA can ask you to send your certificate so it can consider any information on it.

Submitting your application

How you submit your application depends on whether or not you have a photocard driving licence.

If you have a photocard driving licence

1. Click ‘Finish’ to submit your application.

2. Email padi@dvsa.gov.uk with details of your driving school, where you would like to take your ADI standards check and any extra character details, such as further details of any motoring or non-motoring offences.

Put the following information in the subject line:

• your surname
• your ADI personal reference number
• the type of application you are making, for example, ‘ADI re-registration’
• the reason why you are emailing, for example, ‘School and standards check’

If you don’t have a photocard driving licence

You need to send information by post if you don’t have a photocard driving licence, or do not give DVSA permission to use your photocard driving licence photo.

1. Click ‘Finish’ to submit your application.

2. Use your browser print button to print a copy of the final page.

3. Write the details of your driving school and where you would like to take your ADI standards check at the bottom of the page.

4. Post this to DVSA with the supporting documents.

You need to include:

• a passport-sized photo with your ADI personal reference number written on the back
• any extra character details, such as further details of any motoring or non-motoring offences

ADI Registration
DVSA
1 Unity Square
Nottingham
NG2 1AY

DVSA aims to process your application within 10 working days once it has received all the information.

8. More information

Check the teaching people to drive topic if you need more information.

Email padi@dvsa.gov.uk if you cannot find the answer to your question.