Criminal record checks
- Potential Driving Instructors
- However, you should NOT obtain your disclosure if:
- Approved Driving Instructors (ADI) - extending your registration
- Approved Driving Instructors (ADI) - Re-registering
- Checks of established ADIs
- Use and retention of criminal record information
- Disputes and Appeals
- Useful articles
- Code of Practice
- Useful contacts
The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) introduced criminal record checks for Potential Driving Instructors and Approved Driving Instructors in March 2007. We use the services of the Criminal Records Bureau to obtain criminal record disclosures for individuals normally resident in England and Wales, and of Disclosure Scotland for individuals normally resident in Scotland.
Potential Driving Instructors
If you wish to apply to start the qualifying process you will have to have an enhanced level criminal record check before you can be granted permission to take your theory test.
You should apply for your criminal record check by ringing our contractor, Capita Recruitment Vetting Service, on 0870 850 2455. They will then send you a disclosure application form and guidance on how to complete it. The form should then be returned to them. There is no charge for this service.
When they have checked it to make sure it is completed properly, they will send it to either the Criminal Records Bureau if you normally live in England or Wales, or Disclosure Scotland if you live in Scotland. A criminal record report, or disclosure, will then be sent to you and a copy to our contractor, who will forward it to us.
You do not need to send us your copy of your disclosure - all you need to do is provide us with its reference number on your application.
However, you should NOT obtain your disclosure if:
- You have any endorsements (including disqualifications or more than 3 fixed penalty points) on your driving licence
- Because of a disability you are only permitted to drive vehicles with an automatic transmission
- You have not held a full UK or European Union driving licence for four out of the last six years.
If you fall into any of these categories this may affect the way in which your application is processed. Please complete your application giving full details and submit it to DSA. You will then be advised when you should obtain a criminal record disclosure.
Registration application form (ADI 3)
Approved Driving Instructors (ADI) - extending your registration
Shortly after we issue your reminder you should receive a disclosure application pack from our contractor, TMGCRB. It may take many weeks for a disclosure to be provided to you by the CRB or Disclosure Scotland so please apply for your disclosure promptly.
If your application cannot be considered by the Registrar before your current licence expires, you may not be legally permitted to continue giving paid instruction and your name could be removed from the Register.
If you have not received your reminder of disclosure application pack five months before your expiry date you should contact us to request them.
If you have any endorsements or more than 3 fixed penalty points on your licence that you have not already told us about you should contact us, by phone in the first instance, before applying for your disclosure. We will then advise you what you should do next.
Once you receive your disclosure you do not need to send it to us. When completing the ADI37A extension of registration application form ensure that you enter your disclosure reference number in the relevant box.
Approved Driving Instructors (ADI) - Re-registering
As soon as you have decided that you wish to re-register you should ring us to let us know that you require a criminal record disclosure. We will then arrange for our contractor, TMG CRB, to send you a disclosure application form and guidance on how to complete it. The form should then be returned to them. When they have checked it to make sure it is completed properly, they will send it to either the Criminal Records Bureau if you normally live in England or Wales, or Disclosure Scotland if you live in Scotland. A criminal record report, or disclosure, will then be sent to you and a copy to our contractor, who will forward it to us.
You do not need to send us your copy of your disclosure. When completing the ADI37B re-registration application form ensure that you enter your disclosure reference number in the relevant box.
Checks of established ADIs
We are also undertaking checks of all ADIs on the Register in a one-off exercise. Our contractor, TMG CRB, will contact you in due course with further information and instructions.
Use and retention of criminal record information
Having a criminal record will not in itself be a bar to becoming, or remaining, a driving instructor. Our statement on the suitability of ex-offenders to apply to join or to remain on the Register of Approved Driving Instructors is available as a download. This may help you decide if any conviction you may have could affect your application or registration.
Disclosure information will only be seen by those who need to see it as part of the suitability assessment process. In accordance with the Criminal Records Bureau and Disclosure Scotland guidance, we will not retain dislcosures for longer than is necessary. Under normal circumstances this will be a maximum of six months.
Our policy statement on the storage, handling, use, retention and disposal of disclosures and disclosure information is available as a download.
Storage and Retention Statement
Disputes and Appeals
If you do not agree with the information contained in your disclosure, you may dispute this with the issuing body (Criminal Records Bureau or Dislosure Scotland). Details on how to do this will be sent with your disclosure.
If the Registrar should decide that you are not a “fit and proper” person to join or remain on the ADI Register based on information he has obtained about you from your disclosure, driving records and application forms, DSA will write to you notifying you of the reasons why. You then have 28 days to write and put forward any information which you think is relevant, for example, about the nature or circumstances of a conviction. The Registrar will then take your representations into account before making a final decision.
If the Registrar still considers that you should be refused entry to or removed from the ADI Register, you have the right of appeal to the independent Transport Tribunal.
Useful articles
We publish articles about the criminal record check procedure in Despatch (see Newsletters for information).
Code of Practice
DSA aims to comply with the Codes of Practice of both the Criminal Records Bureau and Disclosure Scotland. Copies can be found on their websites (see below) or on request from DSA.
Useful contacts
If you have any queries about what impact the criminal record check may have on your application or Registration, please contact the Driving Standards Agency:
Tel: 0115 901 2618
Fax: 0115 901 2820
Email: adireg@dsa.gov.uk
Other useful sources for information:
Page last updated: 06/09/2008