As a driving instructor you have a responsibility to set up drivers to be safe and follow the rules of the road. This can be achieved through carefully planned lessons, hours of practice and supporting learners every step of the way. However, becoming a safe driver is a lifelong skill and does not happen as soon as a learner passes their test. Continued practice and new experiences help to shape a driver on the road, and you can continue to be a part of that journey. ADI’s have the option to offer a Pass Plus course to support learners even after a driving test pass. Giving them new skills and potentially further confidence on the road.
Pass Plus is an optional course for new drivers. It is often completed within the first year of passing their test and allows them to diversify their driving skills. Upon completing the course, the driver will be given a certificate, which may reduce their premium as a full licence holder with specific insurers.
As a driving instructor you do not need any additional training to offer Pass Plus to your students. You only need to be an approved driving instructor and have your user ID from the DVSA as you will need this to register online.
To register as a Pass Plus approved driving instructor you need to sign-up and pay an initial fee of £37 to register, this will give you an instructor guide to Pass Plus, 10 pupil guides, 10 progress reports and an insurance directory of participating insurers. After you have used up the progress reports you will pay £29 for a refill pack (includes everything but the instructor guide). Once you receive the pack and understand how the course works you will be able to offer Pass Plus courses to students.
Once you have the course paperwork you will be able to start conducting Pass Plus courses. The course takes at least 6 hours to complete, this can be done in one lesson, or split into smaller lessons, and covers 6 different topics:
Town driving: Complex junctions, bus lanes and heavy traffic.
All-weather driving: Handling rain, fog, ice and low light safely.
Rural roads: Bends, hidden dips and safe overtaking.
Night driving: Using your lights and judging speed in the dark.
Dual carriageways: Joining, leaving and lane discipline at speed.
Motorways: The confidence to tackle them for the first time.
Over the lesson you will check their driving against the mark sheet and evaluate their ability to drive in the different conditions. There is no final test and instead it is only marked on their driving ability during the course. To make sure the student has reached the required standards for each module to a satisfactory level.
Depending on the conditions it may be difficult to complete all sections. In this case, there may be theory-based questions that the learner driver can answer to show their knowledge. This could be for sections such as all-weather driving or night driving that require specific conditions to complete.
When the course is over you will have the completed training report showing that the student has completed all sections to a satisfactory standard. You and your student will need to sign and date the form for it to be valid, then the student will send it off to:
Pass Plus
DVSA
1 Unity Square
Nottingham
NG2 1AY
Within 2 weeks they should receive their certificate. If there are any issues you can log-in to the drivers services and check on your pupil’s certificate status or the student can email passplus@dvsa.gov.uk including your name to locate the certificate.
By offering Pass Plus courses you can gain additional income. It costs £37 to sign up and this will give you enough material for 10 students. There is no set price on how much to charge your students for the course, often instructors offer Pass Plus courses anywhere from £150-£300. Giving additional income at a good return on investment.
Along with the additional income it means you have more offerings for existing students and can keep them as customers for longer. Usually after a student passes you will no longer work with them. Pass plus gives an additional option for them to continue as a student, get potential insurance discounts and become a safer and more confident driver.
Not every instructor offers Pass Plus, so it could be an opportunity for you to stand out in your area. If a learner knows they want to do Pass Plus after they pass, they may be more likely to choose you as their instructor if you offer this as a service. Check local instructors to see how many offer Pass Plus to see if there is a gap in the market.
A small downside to offering these services is that your booking schedule may become more complicated. Since there are 6 hours of driving for Pass Plus this means you may end up with full days blocked out or days with a mix of driving lessons and Pass Plus courses. This may make planning more difficult.
If you end up with a lot of interest in Pass Plus booking you may need to order refill packs more often as you only get 10 forms in the pack. This means there will be an extra admin task for you to take care of for your business.
Depending on where you are located and the demand for Pass Plus, there may not be much interest. This means you may not have any bookings for the service and not make additional income. To try and avoid this make sure current students are aware you are now offering it and what the benefits are. Since it only costs £37 to sign up, the risk is fairly low. Even if there isn’t much interest to begin with, it’s not a significant loss, and demand may build over time as more people become aware of it through marketing.
Applying to become a Pass Plus certified instructor could help to grow your business and support your students even further. With a low cost to apply, it offers potential benefits to your practice, but may increase your admin and timekeeping. You understand your business the best and can consider all your options before you sign-up to make sure it is the right fit for you and your business development.
No, you do not ned any additional training to become Pass Plus certified. You just need to be an ADI and apply online.
By completing a Pass Plus course drivers may get discounts on car insurance. Not all insurers offer discounts and the level of and discounts can vary.
No, Pass Plus is only for recently passed drivers to enhance their driving skills.
No, Pass Plus courses are optional and are designed for new drivers to get practice in new driving conditions.
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