Is 2026 a good time to become a driving instructor?

There is steady work for driving instructors in 2026. There is also more competition than the "instructor shortage" headlines suggest, and a qualification where fewer than three in ten Part 3 tests end in a pass.

An earlier version of this post said the UK had about 38,000 instructors, down from 43,000 before the pandemic. DVSA's figures show the register is bigger than that and growing, so we have rewritten it.

The numbers in 2026

Demand for tests is real

DVSA carried out more than 2.13 million car tests in the 12 months to August 2026, its highest rolling 12-month total on record. Its annual report says "demand for driving tests continued to exceed capacity", and the target of a 7-week wait now has "No date set".

About half of tests end in a fail (the pass rate was 50.0% in 2025/26), and a learner who fails has to book and pay again. A learner who waits months for a test still needs lessons to stay test-ready.

Automatic demand has more than tripled

DVSA carried out 589,483 automatic car tests in 2025/26, 29.5% of all car tests. In 2018/19 it was 185,043, or 11.1% (DRT122E, our calculation against DRT121A).

This matters when you choose a car. If you hold a manual licence you can take your ADI tests in a manual or an automatic and teach in both once you qualify. If you hold an automatic-only licence, you can only teach in an automatic (GOV.UK).

Competition is growing too

The ADI register grew by 3,445 in the two years to March 2026, and 5,742 people held trainee licences at the end of that period. DVSA received over 20,000 applications to start qualifying in 2025/26. DVSA's Director of Enforcement put the rise in applications at 152% since 2018/19.

Car tests grew faster than the register between 2018/19 and 2025/26 (up 20% against 12%), so there is more test activity per instructor than there was. But plan for a diary that takes time to fill. Don't bank on a shortage that the register doesn't show. The full breakdown is in our post on whether there is a driving instructor shortage.

If you are thinking of joining a franchise to get pupils quickly, the weekly fee comes off the top whether your diary is full or not. Our franchise cost calculator and franchise vs independent comparison show what it does to your take-home.

What you could earn

DVSA doesn't publish lesson prices or instructor earnings, so treat any national "average" you see with care. Work from your own numbers instead.

A worked example, not a forecast: charge £35 an hour, teach 30 paid hours a week and work 46 weeks a year, and you take £48,300 before costs. Take off an assumed £12,000 for your car, fuel, insurance and other running costs and your profit is £36,300. On 2026-27 rates outside Scotland, that means £4,746 of income tax and £1,423.80 of Class 4 National Insurance, leaving about £30,130.

Change any of those inputs and the answer moves a lot. Put your own local rate, hours and costs into the earnings calculator, and compare regional lesson prices in the lesson rate calculator.

The qualification

You must qualify within 2 years of passing Part 1, or you start the application again (GOV.UK).

Part 1: theory test

• What: 100 multiple-choice questions in 1 hour 30 minutes, then 14 hazard perception clips
• Pass mark: 85 out of 100 overall with at least 20 out of 25 in each of the 4 categories, and 57 out of 75 on hazard perception (GOV.UK)
• Pass rate 2025/26: 37.0%
• Fee: £81

Part 2: driving ability test

• What: a test of around one hour covering an eyesight check, 5 vehicle safety questions, general driving, 2 reversing exercises and about 20 minutes of independent driving. You pass with no more than 6 driving faults and no serious or dangerous faults (GOV.UK)
• Attempts: 3. Fail all 3 and you go back to Part 1
• Pass rate 2025/26: 55.3%
• Fee: £111

Part 3: instructional ability test

• What: you bring your own pupil and an examiner watches you give a client-centred lesson of about 45 minutes. You are scored 0 to 3 on 17 competencies. You need at least 31 out of 51 to pass, and a score of 7 or less on risk management is an automatic fail (GOV.UK)
• Attempts: 3
• Pass rate 2025/26: 27.8%
• Fee: £111

Trainee licence (optional)

After passing Part 2 you can apply for a 6-month trainee licence, which lets you charge for lessons while you prepare for Part 3. You need at least 40 hours of training from a qualified ADI first, at least 10 of them in a car. You can apply for another licence when it runs out, but DVSA says one is unlikely to be granted if the only reason is more time to pass Part 3 (GOV.UK).

Fixed fees

Sources: GOV.UK step-by-step and DBS check page. On top of these come training fees, which vary by trainer, and the cost of any retakes. Registration costs £300 again every 4 years.

DVSA doesn't publish a completion rate, and you can't get one by multiplying the three pass rates, because those include retakes. What the tables do show: in 2025/26, 3,784 Part 3 tests were passed out of 13,606 taken. For more on each stage, read how hard it is to become a driving instructor.

Risks worth taking seriously

Income is not guaranteed

Self-employment means variable income. Your first months will be lean while you build a pupil base, and cancellations eat into takings. Have savings to cover your costs before you give up other work.

The physical demands are real

A full day in a passenger seat is hard on your back and neck. If you already have musculoskeletal problems, factor that in.

Competition is local

A growing national register tells you little about your postcode. Research your area before committing: how many instructors cover it, what they charge, whether they have waiting lists or are advertising discounts. Our instructor marketplace is one place to look.

The qualification is hard

Fewer than three in ten Part 3 tests are passes. Part 3 tests your teaching, not your driving. Be honest with yourself about whether you have the patience and communication skills for it.

Your car choice

Automatic tests have gone from 11.1% to 29.5% of all car tests since 2018/19. Think about which pupils your car lets you teach before you buy or lease one.

Who it suits

You will repeat the same instruction thousands of times, so you need to stay patient and calm. Tax returns, marketing and admin come with self-employment. You have to explain skills clearly and adapt to each pupil, and you need savings to carry you through the qualification and the first lean months. If the motivation is only money, the repetition will wear you down.

2026 is a reasonable time to qualify if you go in knowing the register is growing and Part 3 is hard. Start with our guide to becoming a driving instructor for the full process.