What qualifications do I need to become a driving instructor ?
To become a driving instructor you need to have no more than 3 points
on your licence, be at least 21 years of age and have held a full
driving licence for at least 3 years. You also need to be considered
to be a "fit and proper person" by the Registrar of Driving
Instructors.
If you fit these criteria you are then able to train to become a driving instructor. To be a fully qualified instructor you need to pass three qualifying exams
Part One: Theory Test. This is a much harder version of the normal car drivers theory test with 100 questions including questions relevant to driving instruction.
Part Two: Test of Driving Ability. This lasts for one hour and requires a much higher standard of driving than the normal driving test.
Part Three: This is now in the same format as the driving instructor standards check and is a test of your instructional ability.
You have a maximum of three attempts at each part, otherwise you have to wait for two years from when you started and go back to the beginning.
At present you can get a trainee (pink) licence when you have passed part two and while you aretraining for part three. This enables you to teach learners under strict conditions.