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United Kingdom · Theory test

Driving instructor tests: ADI Part 1, the theory test

To become an approved driving instructor (ADI) in England, Scotland or Wales, you pass three driving instructor tests in order: a theory test, a test of your own driving and a test of your teaching. Part 1, the theory test, comes first. It’s 100 multiple-choice questions in 90 minutes, then 14 hazard perception clips, in one sitting at a theory test centre, and you have to pass both parts. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) runs all three tests. Once you pass Part 1, you have 2 years to pass Part 2 and book Part 3.

  • 100Multiple-choice questions in 90 minutes
  • 4Categories of 25 questions each
  • 14Hazard perception video clips
  • 2 yearsHow long a Part 1 pass lasts
Where to studyHow the test works

Updated October 2026 · Written from the Highway Code, Know Your Traffic Signs, Driving: the essential skills and the Driving Instructor’s Handbook

Key facts

At a glance

Who runs it
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), in England, Scotland and Wales
Where you take it
On a computer at a theory test centre
Fee
£81, booked on GOV.UK
Before you can book
DVSA has to accept your application to start qualifying
If you fail
Book the whole test again, at least 3 working days later
Northern Ireland
A separate process, run by the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA)

How it works

How the driving instructor theory test works

Multiple-choice overall · 85 to pass
Each of the 4 categories · 20 to pass
Hazard perception points · 57 to pass
To pass you need 85 of 100 on the multiple-choice questions overall, 20 of 25 on the questions in each of the 4 categories, and 57 of 75 on the hazard perception test.
  1. ADI Part 1 has two parts, multiple-choice questions and hazard perception. You book and take them as one test, on a computer at a theory test centre, and you have to pass both.
  2. You get 1 hour 30 minutes for 100 multiple-choice questions, 25 in each of 4 categories: road procedure; traffic signs and signals, car control, pedestrians and mechanical knowledge; driving test, disabilities and the law; and publications and instructional techniques.
  3. Before the questions start you get instructions and a practice question. You can flag a question to come back to, change any answer, and finish early once every question has an answer.
  4. The multiple-choice pass needs two things at once: at least 85 overall and at least 20 in each category. An overall 85 with one category under 20 is a fail.
  5. After a break of up to 3 minutes, a short video explains hazard perception. Then 14 clips of everyday road scenes play. Each has at least one developing hazard, and one has two.
  6. Click as soon as you see a hazard starting to develop. Each one scores up to 5 points, the earlier the better. Clicking all the time or in a pattern scores nothing, and you get one go at each clip.
  7. You get your result at the test centre. A pass letter gives your pass certificate number, which you need for Part 2.

Topics

What’s on the test

01

Road procedure

The first category of 25 questions is about using the road the way the Highway Code says, from priority at junctions to the space you give other road users.

Key points (4)
  • Rule H1: people in charge of the vehicles that can do the most harm carry the greatest responsibility to take care and reduce the danger they pose.
  • At a junction, give way to pedestrians crossing or waiting to cross the road you’re turning into or out of (Rule H2).
  • Leave at least a two-second gap on high-speed roads and in tunnels. Double it on wet roads, and allow up to ten times the gap on icy roads (Rule 126).
  • Leave at least 1.5 metres when overtaking a cyclist at up to 30mph, and pass horse riders at under 10 mph with at least 2 metres of space (Rule 163).
02

Signs and signals, car control, pedestrians and mechanical knowledge

The second category mixes traffic signs and signals with how you control a car, how you treat pedestrians and what you know about the car itself.

Key points (3)
  • Signs with red circles are mostly prohibitive, signs with blue circles but no red border mostly give a positive instruction, and warning signs are mostly triangular.
  • Pedestrians have priority on a zebra crossing, on a parallel crossing, and at a light-controlled crossing when they have a green signal (Rule H2).
  • A car or light van must have a tread depth of at least 1.6 mm across the central three-quarters of the tread, all the way round (Highway Code annex 6).
03

Driving test, disabilities and the law

The third category covers how the learner driving test works and is marked, how examiners adjust it for disabilities, and the law on learners and driving instruction.

Key points (4)
  • A learner passes the car driving test with no more than 15 driving faults and no serious or dangerous faults.
  • Anyone supervising a learner in a car must be at least 21 and have held a full licence for that type of car (automatic or manual) for at least three years.
  • Every driver must be able to read a number plate from 20 metres away, with glasses or contact lenses if they use them.
  • Only someone on the approved driving instructor (ADI) register, or holding a trainee licence, can legally charge for driving lessons in a car.
04

Publications and instructional techniques

The fourth category tests the books and standards on GOV.UK’s reading list and the teaching methods behind them, such as client-centred learning and coaching.

Key points (4)
  • The National standard for driver and rider training expects instructors to deliver an agreed syllabus with a ‘client-centred’ approach.
  • Its units cover meeting the legal requirements, designing learning programmes, enabling safe and responsible driving, managing risk to instructor, learner and third parties, and developing your own skills.
  • Its ‘Coach’ element is a conversation that helps the learner find what’s getting in the way of their learning and how to get past it.
  • The National standard for driving cars and light vans sets out five roles, from preparing for a journey to reviewing your driving over a lifetime.
05

Hazard perception

The second part of the test is 14 video clips. You score points for spotting developing hazards as soon as they start to happen.

Key points (4)
  • A developing hazard is something that would make you take action, such as changing speed or direction.
  • Every clip has at least one developing hazard, and one clip has two.
  • Each developing hazard scores up to 5 points, and you need 57 of 75 to pass.
  • Clicking all the time or in a pattern scores nothing, and you can’t review a clip.

Test day

What to take to the theory test centre

  • Your UK photocard driving licence. If you don’t bring the right things, the test is cancelled and you don’t get your money back
  • A Northern Ireland licence: bring the photocard and the paper counterpart
  • An old paper licence: bring a valid passport with it
  • Proof of a name change made after you booked, such as a marriage certificate or deed poll
  • No bags, coats, phones or watches in the test room: they go in a locker, or a clear plastic box if the centre has no lockers

Before you go

  1. Try the driving instructor suitability assessment on Safe Driving for Life to see what the job involves.
  2. Get a new criminal record check from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), even if you have one. You apply online through Complete Background Screening (CBS), and its fee is on the booking page.
  3. Read the ADI register guide, then apply to the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) to start qualifying. You declare that you’ve read the guide when you apply, or, once the new code of practice takes effect, that you’ve read and agreed to the code.
  4. If you’d like a trainer, GOV.UK’s finder lists trainers on DVSA’s official register of driving instructor training (ORDIT).
  5. Book Part 1 once DVSA accepts your application. Say then if you need an English voiceover, extra time or a medical monitoring device in the test room.
  6. Arrive 15 minutes early, with phones, smart watches and fitness trackers switched off. If you’re late, the test is cancelled and you lose the fee.
  7. Expect identity and security checks: staff check your face against your licence photo, and you’ll empty your pockets, roll up your sleeves and show your ears.
How to book your driving instructor testsPart 1 costs £81 and you book it on GOV.UK once DVSA has accepted your application. Parts 2 and 3 use the driving test booking service.

Study options

Where to study

GOV.UK lists the books and guidance the questions are based on, from the Highway Code to the Driving Instructor’s Handbook. Safe Driving for Life, a collaboration between DVSA and its official publisher, The Stationery Office (TSO), has two free ADI mock tests and sells DVSA’s full revision kit. Three apps on the UK App Store sell DVSA-licensed questions too.

OptionPriceFree to useLinks
Official and free
Safe Driving for Life ADI mock testsOfficial · webFrom Safe Driving for Life, which DVSA runs with its official publisher, TSO. Each mock gives you 57 minutes with 43 to pass, and has a test view like the real screens plus a voiceover. Half the real test’s 100 questions, so treat it as a sample.
Free2 mock tests of 50 questions
Mock test 1 ↗Mock test 2 ↗
Official, on GOV.UK
The Highway CodeOfficial · webFirst on GOV.UK’s Part 1 reading list, and the base for the road procedure questions. It opens with the H rules on the hierarchy of road users.
Online on GOV.UK; print copy £4.99The whole Code on GOV.UK
Read on GOV.UK ↗
Know Your Traffic SignsOfficial · web and PDFThe Department for Transport’s full guide to signs and road markings in Great Britain, by sign type. Long, so use it alongside the Highway Code’s sign pages rather than reading it cover to cover.
Online on GOV.UK; print copy £5.99Chapters online and a 172-page PDF
GOV.UK page ↗
DVSA national standards and code of practiceOfficial · webThe National standard for driving cars and light vans, the National standard for driver and rider training and the driving instructor code of practice are all on the Part 1 reading list. The trainer standard is also what Part 3 is marked against.
Online on GOV.UKAll three documents
Trainer standard ↗Driving standard ↗Code of practice ↗
Official and paid
Theory Test and Hazard Perception Kit for Approved Driving InstructorsOfficial · online courseDVSA’s own e-learning kit, sold by Safe Driving for Life, and the one GOV.UK points to for hazard perception. More than 790 revision questions, over 130 interactive hazard videos, timed mocks and a voiceover, on any device. Subscriptions don’t renew on their own.
£15 for 30 days, £20 for 90 days, £30 for 365 daysThe 2 mock tests on the same site
Safe Driving for Life ↗
The Driving Instructor’s HandbookOfficial · bookThe 23rd edition, sold as the 2026 edition and updated with DVSA. Safe Driving for Life says it covers training, exam preparation, driving tests, theory and the ADI register, and that DVSA lists it as essential material for the ADI tests.
£26.99Not listed
Safe Driving for Life ↗
Practical Teaching Skills for Driving InstructorsOfficial · bookThe 13th edition, sold as the 2026 edition. It’s about client-centred teaching: structuring lessons, communication, problem solving and coaching, which feed the instructional techniques questions and Part 3.
£26.99Not listed
Safe Driving for Life ↗
The Official DVSA Guide to Driving: the essential skillsOfficial · bookSafe Driving for Life calls it key source material for the car and driving instructor theory tests. It covers driving techniques, bad weather, motorways and driver assistance systems.
£19.99Not listed
Safe Driving for Life ↗
The Official DVSA Guide to Learning to DriveOfficial · bookWritten for learners preparing for the practical car test, with advice for parents and friends who supervise practice. It’s on GOV.UK’s Part 1 reading list.
£14.99Not listed
Safe Driving for Life ↗
Apps and websites
ADI Theory Test 2026 UK KitApp · iPhone and iPadSays it has all DVSA-licensed revision questions with explanations, mock tests, flagged questions and a voiceover. 4.8 stars from 1.7k ratings on the UK App Store.
Free download, in-app purchases £5.99 to £7.99Not listed
App Store ↗
ADI Theory Test Kit (Deep River)App · iPhone and iPadSays it has 860 DVSA-licensed revision questions across all four categories, and a mock test with the real scoring and time limit. Some purchases are monthly. 4.8 stars from 940 ratings on the UK App Store.
Free download, in-app purchases £1.99 to £9.99Not listed
App Store ↗
ADI Theory Test Study Kit 2026 (RAC)App · iPhone and iPadFrom RAC Motoring Services. Says it has DVSA-licensed questions and hazard perception clips, road signs and a voiceover, and works offline. 4.7 stars from 615 ratings on the UK App Store.
Free download, in-app purchases £1.99 to £8.99Not listed
App Store ↗
In person
ORDIT driving instructor trainersOfficial finder · in personGOV.UK’s finder lists trainers on DVSA’s official register of driving instructor training (ORDIT), and GOV.UK points to it if you need help preparing. A trainee licence needs at least 40 hours of training from a qualified ADI first.
Set by each training organisationThe postcode search on GOV.UK
Find training on GOV.UK ↗

Prices and ratings checked October 2026.

Explore

Everything else, in one place

Where to learnPart 2Part 3Booking

FAQ

Common questions

What are the 3 driving instructor tests?

Part 1 is the theory test on this page. Part 2 is a test of your own driving ability, about an hour long, taken in your own car or a suitable one. Part 3 tests your ability to teach: a DVSA examiner watches you give a lesson to a real pupil. You need a pass at each part before you can book the one after it.

Can you take the ADI theory test online?

No. You book it online, but you sit it on a computer at a theory test centre, after identity and security checks. Revision is where the online part comes in: mock tests and DVSA’s revision kit are online.

Who can become a driving instructor?

Under section 125 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, joining the ADI register means holding a full car licence, having been without one for no more than 2 of the 6 years before you apply, not being disqualified from driving at any time in the 4 years before you apply, and being a ‘fit and proper’ person. DVSA checks your motoring record and a new DBS check. A criminal record won’t necessarily stop you, but the ADI register guide lists offences that make it unlikely.

What happens if you fail ADI Part 1?

You get a letter at the test centre showing which parts you didn’t score enough on. You then book and pay for the whole test again, both parts, on a date at least 3 working days after your last try. The ADI register guide says there’s no limit on Part 1 attempts.

Is the ADI theory test run by DVSA, DSA or DVLA?

DVSA, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency. Older books and products say DSA, for the Driving Standards Agency, which existed from 1 April 1990 to 31 March 2014 and then merged with the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) to form DVSA. DVLA, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, holds driving licence records, and DVSA checks them for motoring offences when you apply.

Can I get help with dyslexia or other reading difficulties?

Yes. Say so when you book. You can ask for an English voiceover, which reads the instructions, questions and answers through headphones as often as you like. You can also ask for extra time on the multiple-choice part if you send DVSA proof, such as a letter from a teacher, doctor or occupational therapist, or an online dyslexia screening report.

Is anything changing for driving instructors in 2026 or 2027?

Yes. When DVSA updated its ADI register guide on 23 September 2026, it said a new mandatory code of practice would replace the guide and the voluntary code sometime between late 2026 and early 2027, and the new code’s GOV.UK page gave its effective date as ‘to be confirmed’. Once it takes effect, you declare that you’ve read and agreed to the new code when you apply to become an instructor, apply for a trainee licence or renew your registration.

Sources: GOV.UK · DVSA on GOV.UK · legislation.gov.uk and 9 more. Checked October 2026.

Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.

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