The latest meeting between the DVSA and the UK’s three main national driving instructor associations has covered a wide range of issues affecting ADIs, PDIs and the wider driver training industry.

The discussions included waiting times for ADI Part 2 and Part 3 tests, Standards Checks, trainee instructor applications, examiner recruitment, test fraud and the development of a new industry Code of Practice.

The meeting also established several priorities for the next Car Driver Training and Testing Forum, scheduled for October.

Pressure on ADI services

One of the main subjects was the current pressure on services for approved and prospective driving instructors.

This included the delivery of Part 2 and Part 3 tests as well as Standards Checks.

Waiting times continue to be an important concern for instructors progressing through the qualification process. Discussions therefore considered the work being undertaken to reduce delays.

There was also consideration of how national associations and ADI training organisations could help candidates prepare more effectively and potentially improve performance and attainment.

Examiner recruitment was another part of the conversation, reflecting the relationship between examiner capacity and the DVSA’s ability to deliver sufficient tests and assessments.

Standards Checks

Standards Check delivery was discussed separately, including efforts to increase the number being conducted.

The meeting also looked at the types of performance issues being identified during assessments and whether these could be addressed through additional training and professional development.

For established ADIs, this could become particularly relevant if future guidance or training increasingly reflects patterns identified through Standards Checks.

Bringing new instructors into the industry

PDI applications and trainee development were also on the agenda.

The DVSA provided updates on trainee application numbers, while discussions considered how the agency and industry could work together to improve the onboarding and development of new instructors.

The outcomes of a recent ORDIT workshop were also considered, together with the next steps resulting from that work.

With learner demand and test availability continuing to place pressure on the driver training sector, the process of attracting, training and retaining professional instructors remains an important part of the industry’s longer-term capacity.

Test fraud remains a priority

Investigations into test fraud were another significant subject.

The DVSA provided an update on investigative activity and action being taken to tackle fraud within the testing and qualification system.

Protecting the integrity of both learner testing and the instructor qualification process is clearly important to legitimate instructors, particularly where fraudulent activity risks undermining public confidence or consuming already limited testing capacity.

A new Code of Practice

The meeting also discussed a new Code of Practice being developed with industry stakeholders.

Attention is now turning to its further development, eventual launch and how it will be communicated to the profession.

The details will be important.

For instructors, the practical significance will depend on what the final Code contains, how it interacts with existing professional standards and what expectations it creates for individual ADIs and training organisations.

Communication between the DVSA and the industry

Another notable part of the meeting concerned the way the DVSA engages with the driver training profession.

The national associations provided feedback about what they believe the industry needs from DVSA leadership, particularly regarding communication and engagement outside the existing formal meetings and channels.

This is potentially important because operational decisions made by the DVSA can have immediate consequences for instructors’ businesses and their pupils.

Clearer and more timely communication can therefore help driving schools plan for changes rather than simply react to them.

What should driving instructors watch next?

Several subjects have now been identified for the next Car Driver Training and Testing Forum in October.

These include Category B test recovery and delivery, examiner recruitment and retention, and continued development of the new driving test booking platform.

For ADIs, these discussions are worth following.

Individually, issues such as Standards Checks, Part 2 and Part 3 waiting times, examiner recruitment and the booking platform may appear separate. In practice, they’re closely connected to the capacity and effectiveness of the driver training and testing system.

The latest meeting doesn’t provide immediate solutions to all of those pressures, but it does provide a useful indication of where the DVSA and industry representatives are currently concentrating their attention.

The next important development will be seeing which of these discussions translate into measurable changes for instructors and their pupils.

Source: Driving Instructors Association, summary of the latest DVSA and NASP meeting, 18 September 2026.