DVSA · 2025 survey
What instructors reported.
Explore lesson-price bands, working patterns, pupil demand, professional development and wellbeing. Use the findings to ask better questions about your own business.
3,448Survey responses
81Published tables
2025Survey edition; historical comparisons included
Survey responses, with limits.
Participation was voluntary: around 8% of the September 2025 ADI register responded. Question bases, periods and multi-select answers differ. Historical regional price bands are not current provider quotes or live availability.
12 matching tables.
What is the average price that you charge for a standard one-hour lesson?
3,342 people answered this question.
| Average one-hour lesson price | Response rate |
|---|---|
| £25 or less | 0.4% |
| £26 to £30 | 2.0% |
| £31 to £35 | 18.2% |
| £36 to £40 | 50.3% |
| £41 to £45 | 22.5% |
| £46 to £50 | 5.0% |
| £51 or more | 1.6% |
Average one-hour lesson price over time
This chart shows how the average one-hour prices compare over time when put into 3 main price ranges.
| Year | £35 or less | £36 to £40 | £41 or more | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 2022 | 74.3% | 21.4% | 4.3% | 100% |
| June 2023 | 61.5% | 31.1% | 7.4% | 100% |
| September 2024 | 31.5% | 47.7% | 20.8% | 100% |
| October 2025 | 20.6% | 50.3% | 29.1% | 100% |
Average one-hour lesson price by region
This chart shows a breakdown of October 2025 one-hour lesson prices by region put into 3 main price ranges. The chart is ordered from highest to lowest region charging £41 or more.
| Region | £35 or less | £36 to £40 | £41 or more | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South-west | 7.6% | 37.8% | 54.6% | 100% |
| South-east | 13.4% | 47.3% | 39.3% | 100% |
| Scotland | 10.4% | 53.7% | 36.0% | 100% |
| London | 34.2% | 40.5% | 25.2% | 100% |
| East of England | 17.2% | 58.4% | 24.3% | 100% |
| North-west | 27.1% | 51.4% | 21.5% | 100% |
| East Midlands | 20.1% | 58.8% | 21.1% | 100% |
| Wales | 27.8% | 52.8% | 19.4% | 100% |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 30.4% | 51.9% | 17.8% | 100% |
| West Midlands | 37.0% | 48.9% | 14.1% | 100% |
| North-east | 27.7% | 64.2% | 8.1% | 100% |
Average one-hour lesson price by ADI gender
This chart shows a breakdown of October 2025 one-hour lesson prices by the ADI’s gender, put into 3 main price ranges.
| Gender | £35 or less | £36 to £40 | £41 or more | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male | 22.3% | 49.8% | 27.9% | 100% |
| Female | 16.4% | 51.7% | 31.9% | 100% |
Average one-hour lesson price by time qualified as an ADI
This chart shows a breakdown of October 2025 one-hour lesson prices by how long ADIs have been qualified, put into 3 main price ranges.
| Time qualified as an ADI | £35 or less | £36 to £40 | £41 or more | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Less than a year as an ADI | 24.5% | 54.7% | 20.8% | 100% |
| 1 to 4 years as an ADI | 20.7% | 53.6% | 25.7% | 100% |
| 5 to 8 years as an ADI | 16.2% | 54.6% | 29.2% | 100% |
| 9 to 12 years as an ADI | 19.5% | 54.5% | 26.1% | 100% |
| More than 12 years as an ADI | 21.5% | 45.6% | 32.9% | 100% |
Average one-hour lesson price by average weekly hours worked by ADIs
This chart shows a breakdown of October 2025 one-hour lesson prices by the average weekly hours ADIs work, put into 3 main price ranges.
| Average weekly hours worked | £35 or less | £36 to £40 | £41 or more | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 hours or fewer | 34.1% | 44.1% | 21.8% | 100% |
| 16 hours to 24 hours | 22.9% | 50.2% | 26.9% | 100% |
| 25 hours to 34 hours | 17.4% | 52.8% | 29.8% | 100% |
| 35 hours or more | 14.5% | 49.8% | 35.6% | 100% |
Has the average price that you charge for a one-hour lesson changed over the last year?[footnote 1]
3,330 people answered this question in October 2025.
| Survey | The price has decreased | The price has remained the same | The price has increased | Not sure[footnote 2] | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 2022 | 1.0% | 8.6% | 90.5% | 0.0% | 100% |
| June 2023 | 0.8% | 29.6% | 68.5% | 1.0% | 100% |
| September 2024 | 1.0% | 32.6% | 64.50% | 2.0% | 100% |
| October 2025 | 1.9% | 47.7% | 48.0% | 2.4% | 100% |
Have any of the following affected your business in the last few months?
5,471 people answered this question.
ADIs were asked to select all options that applied to them. This means the totals do not add up to 100%.
| Response | October 2022 | June 2023 | September 2024 | October 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Increased lesson prices | 43.5% | 22.3% | 57.9% | 42.2% |
| Increased my hours working as an ADI | 28.3% | 19.4% | 22.0% | 18.6% |
| Pupils wanting less frequent lessons | 45.8% | 39.8% | 44.5% | 56.2% |
| Pupils taking extended breaks from lessons (3 or more weeks) | 50.4% | 46.0% | 51.7% | 60.7% |
| Requests from pupils I have not trained asking to be taken to a test | 81.1% | 75.1% | 81.8% | 83.4% |
| None of these | 5.9% | 10.7% | 3.8% | 3.3% |
What are the key challenges you are currently facing within your role as an approved driving instructor?
The table shows a summary of what each category covered.
| Theme | Description |
|---|---|
| Driving test availability and waiting times | Severe shortage of practical test slots and extraordinarily long wait times (often 5 to 6 months or more) for learners’ driving tests. Instructors find it impossible to plan lessons or progress because pupils cannot secure timely tests. Many noted this is the single biggest challenge impacting their work. |
| DVSA management and policy issues | Criticism of DVSA’s handling of the situation and policies. Instructors feel the DVSA has failed to address the backlog and resent rules like the 10 day cancellation policy and the standards check trigger system. Many commented that DVSA surveys are conducted but nothing is being done with the feedback. |
| Test booking system exploitation (bots and resellers) | Frustration with external interference in test bookings. Many ADIs reported that third-party apps, bots and individuals take test appointments and sell them at high prices. This practice makes it even harder for genuine candidates to find tests through the official system. |
| Pupil retention and scheduling difficulties | The test backlog is causing learners to put lessons on hold for months, leading to gaps in training and income loss for instructors. Many instructors struggle to manage their diary as they take on new students to fill the gap, only to have former students return last-minute when they finally get a test date. This stop-start cycle makes running a stable business challenging. |
| Managing pupil expectations and readiness | Instructors frequently have to convince students to delay or cancel tests because they are not truly ready. Many learners and their parents push to just have a go since tests are so hard to get, creating conflict when instructors refuse to take unprepared pupils to the test. Several ADIs mentioned the awkward task of explaining that passing the theory test or completing a certain number of hours does not mean a student is test-ready. |
| Heightened student anxiety and test pressure | The long waits have dramatically raised the stakes of each test. Instructors observed that pupils are far more nervous and stressed, knowing that failing means waiting many months for another chance. Some ADIs also noted more students with anxiety or neurodiverse conditions, who require additional support and can be disadvantaged by the high-pressure test conditions. |
| Aggressive or impatient other road users | A significant number of instructors complained about the poor behaviour of other drivers toward learners, including tailgating, horn honking, unsafe overtaking and general impatience. Such road aggression adds difficulty to lessons, as ADIs must keep students calm and safe. |
| Financial pressures (fuel and cost of living) | Economic challenges of operating as an ADI. Many mentioned rising fuel prices, insurance and vehicle maintenance costs, which cut into their earnings. At the same time, instructors feel unable to raise lesson prices too much without losing students. |
| Inconsistent or harsh examiner practices | Some instructors noted variability in driving examiners’ assessments. Comments included reports of certain examiners being overly strict or unfriendly, which can unsettle learners. Inconsistency between examiners or centres causes frustration as instructors feel results can depend on who conducts the test. |
| Industry competition and low-quality instructors | Respondents in some areas face an influx of new or unqualified instructors undercutting the market. Others complained of illegal instructors teaching without a licence or insurance, sometimes attracting students by offering bargain rates. This undermines legitimate ADIs and can tarnish the profession’s reputation. |
Availability to take on new pupils by average one-hour lesson price
This chart shows a breakdown of the October 2025 results by the average one-hour lesson price ADIs charge.
| One-hour lesson price | Has availability to take on new pupils | Does not have availability to take on new pupils | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| £25 or less | 46.7% | 53.3% | 100% |
| £26 to £30 | 62.7% | 37.3% | 100% |
| £31 to £35 | 51.1% | 48.9% | 100% |
| £36 to £40 | 44.9% | 55.1% | 100% |
| £41 to £45 | 43.1% | 56.9% | 100% |
| £46 to £50 | 37.3% | 62.7% | 100% |
| £51 or more | 31.5% | 68.5% | 100% |
Waiting list by average one-hour lesson price
This chart shows a breakdown of the October 2024 results by the average one-hour lesson price ADIs charge.
| One-hour lesson price | Has a waiting list | Does not have a waiting list | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| £25 or less | 33.3% | 66.7% | 100% |
| £26 to £30 | 35.8% | 64.2% | 100% |
| £31 to £35 | 39.7% | 60.3% | 100% |
| £36 to £40 | 47.3% | 52.7% | 100% |
| £41 to £45 | 51.4% | 48.6% | 100% |
| £46 to £50 | 57.2% | 42.8% | 100% |
| £51 or more | 57.4% | 42.6% | 100% |
CPD completed by average one-hour lesson price
This chart shows whether or not ADIs have done any CPD in the last 12 months, split by the average hourly lesson price they charge.
| One-hour lesson price charged | CPD done in last 12 months | No CPD done in last 12 months | Not sure if they’ve done CPD in the last 12 months | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £25 or less | 60.0% | 40.0% | 0% | 100% |
| £26 to £30 | 37.3% | 49.3% | 13.4% | 100% |
| £31 to £35 | 51.9% | 42.8% | 5.3% | 100% |
| £36 to £40 | 60.9% | 33.2% | 5.9% | 100% |
| £41 to £45 | 69.5% | 26.5% | 4.0% | 100% |
| £46 to £50 | 74.7% | 21.7% | 3.6% | 100% |
| £51 or more | 83.3% | 16.7% | 0% | 100% |
Source footnotes
- In the October 2022 survey, ADIs were asked if they had changed the price over the last 2 years.
- The ‘Not sure’ option was added to this question from the June 2023 survey onwards
DVSA source report · checked 2026-09-29 · Open Government Licence v3.0. Download all tables with context and metadata.