Criminal record checks
- Potential Driving Instructors
- However, you should NOT obtain your disclosure if:
- Approved Driving Instructors - extending your registration
- Checks of established ADIs
- Re-registering as an ADI
- 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.
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 - extending your registration
If your registration expires on or after 1 April 2008 you will need to have a criminal record check before applying to extend your registration. If your registration expires before that date, you don’t need to obtain a disclosure at this stage.
If your registration expires on or after 1 April 2008, please read the instructions below.
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.
Re-registering as an ADI
If you wish to re-register on or after 1 April 2008 you will need to have a criminal record check before you apply. If you want to re-register before that date, you don’t need to obtain a check at this stage.
If you wish to re-register on or after 1 April 2008, please read the instructions below.
You should ring us to let us know that you intend to re-register after that date and 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- all you need to do is provide details of its reference number in your application.
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 6 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 on the basis of the 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 he has come to this decision. You then have 28 days to write to him to 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 he 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). For ease of reference, the link to these articles can be found in the related items box
Code of Practice
DSA aims to comply with the Criminal Records Bureau’s and Disclosure Scotland’s Codes of Practice. 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: 04/09/2007