To become a fully qualified ADI you need to pass three parts of the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) qualifying examination. The DSA is the Government body setup to control driving tuition in the UK. By law to give driving instruction in the UK for money or monies worth you have to pass this exam. Other qualifications such as NVQ or BTEC in driving instruction, for example, are not considered adequate and do not entitle you to operate as a driving instructor in the UK or anywhere else in Europe.
Before you can consider becoming an Approved Driving Instructor you must have held a clean driving licence for 3.6 years out of the previous 6 and not have any criminal convictions. You must be able to provide two character references and you must be able to read a number plate at 90 feet (23 feet more than required for the L test) with glasses if normally worn. Certain criminal convictions may also exclude you from becoming a driving instructor.
Because the ADI examination is structured into three parts it inevitably takes a few months to qualify. However, if you train with a driving school such as G&M Driving Centre you are allowed to operate and earn money as a trainee driving instructor after you have passed the second part of the exam. This enables you to get up to a maximum of six months practical experience in preparation for the third part of the exam as a trainee instructor. However, it is not essential that you do this, you can wait until you have passed all three parts of this exam before you take up your guaranteed position within our company.