As a driving instructor in the UK you will need to undergo a DBS check. A DBS check is a statutory criminal check undertaken by the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Most DBS checks are carried out on behalf of your employer – only basic DBS checks can be requested by both an employer and an individual.

A DBS check for a driving instructor is an enhanced DBS check because of the level of contact you will have with the public in role.

An enhanced DBS check is a comprehensive search for any spent convictions, reprimands, cautions, warnings and non-conviction information held by relevant police forces.

The need for DBS checks for driving instructors and a range of other frontline roles came into force in 1974 with the 1974 Rehabilitation of Offenders Act. There are four types of DBS checks.

An enhanced DBS check is one of the top level CRB checks that are in place to ensure the public, particularly children and vulnerable adults, are properly safeguarded.

As part of your entry to the profession you will need to join the ADI register.

On applying to join the Approved Driving Instructor Register (ADI) the ADI will carry out an enhanced DBS check. The results of your search will need to meet the Driving and Vehicle Standards Agency’s ADI Register criteria for ‘fit and proper’ conduct.

Without approval, you will not be able to work as a driving instructor.

The assessment process for the ADI register will consider motoring and non-motoring cautions and convictions, inclusion on the children’s barring list, pending court proceedings and more.

In some cases your application may not be successful. Visit unlock.org/ becoming-a-driving-instructor to find out more. More..