Guidance

Approved driving instructor (ADI) registration and services: privacy notice

Updated 2 December 2024

1. About these services

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) provides the services to apply to become an approved driving instructor (ADI) and then manage your registration if you qualify. DVSA is an executive agency of the Department for Transport (DfT).

We regulate ADIs in Great Britain. These services let you:

• apply to start the ADI qualifying process
• apply for a trainee driving instructor licence
• transfer a Republic of Ireland driving instructor registration to Great Britain
• apply for your first ADI certificate (badge)
• update your ADI registration details (for example, changing your address)
• register to teach Pass Plus and order refill packs
• renew your ADI registration or re-register

The data controller for DVSA is DfT - a data controller determines the reasons and how personal data is processed. For more information see the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) Data Protection Public Register. DfT’s registration number is Z7122992.

2. What data we need

The personal data we collect from you will include:

• full name
• address
• driving licence number
• email address
• telephone number
• ethnicity (optional)
• website address
• convictions (motoring and non-motoring)
• photograph
• Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) reference number
• which trainer you used while qualifying, if any
• which driving school you work for (optional)
• ADI standards check history, including dates and results
• payment details - including card number (numbers are encrypted and access is restricted), dates the card is valid from and to, issue number and card type (for example, MasterCard)
• whether you take voluntary continuing professional development
• whether you agree to the voluntary ADI code of practice
• whether you want your details to appear in the service for learner drivers to find driving instructors
• whether you’re registered as a Pass Plus instructor
• whether you want to receive marketing materials

We will collect

• personal data about you from any complaints we receive from learner drivers or other members of the public
• driving test information from candidates you present for test, such as number of tests conducted, driving test passed, pass rate, driver faults broken down by type and category, average number of faults per test, percentage of tests where examiner had to take action
• your vehicle registration when you present candidates for test

The legal basis for processing this data is:

• The Road Traffic Act 1988 (as amended) specifically Part III and V (vocational licences), sections 125, 132, 159a and 162A
• The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations 1999 (SI 1999/2864) (as amended), specifically Part III, Schedule 8, Schedule 11
• The Road Traffic (Driving Instruction by Disabled Persons) Act 1993
• Road Safety Act 2006 (changes not enacted), section 36 to 43 and Schedule 6
• The Motor Cars (Driving Instruction) Regulations 2005 (SI 2005/1902) (as amended), specifically part II and V, schedules 1 and 2
• The Transport Act 2000
• The Driving Instruction (Suspension and Exemption Powers) Act 2009)
• The Driving Instruction (Compensation Scheme) Regulations 2012

3. Why we need it

We need the personal data we collect from you to:

• register your application when you begin the qualifying process
• check that you’re eligible to be an ADI
• update driver details so that they match those on the DVLA database
• process applications and payments for a trainee instructor licence and to send it to you
• process applications and payments for your ADI badge and to send it to you
• process applications and payments to renew your ADI registration and send an updated ADI badge to you
• send you Pass Plus packs that you can use with your pupils
• display your information in our service for learner drivers looking for a driving instructor if you’ve asked us to
• carry out ADI standards checks to make sure you continue to meet the relevant standards
• where necessary, to contact you to discuss your ongoing performance
• use your pupils’ driving test data to support your ongoing performance and provide you with your driver test analysis report
• identify tests using your vehicle registration number where your approved driving instructor badge has not been displayed to provide your driver test analysis report
• carry out and verify checks of endorsements against the DVLA database
• investigate complaints we receive about you from learner drivers or members of the public
• contact you if the way ADIs are regulated is changing, and you need the information to prepare for the changes
• contact you if the way the learning to drive or driving test process works is changing, and you need the information to properly prepare your pupils
• produce anonymised statistics and reports
• ask you to take part in research projects to help us understand how easy our services are to use and to improve road safety

4. What we do with it

We collect, use and store the data you give us for the reasons set out in this policy.

We will not:

• sell or rent your data to third parties
• share your data with third parties for marketing purposes

We scan paper forms about your registration. The digital scans are then stored by an external company called Iron Mountain.

We will tell DVLA when you become an ADI. They will then tell us if you get any motoring convictions. This is because being an ADI is considered as a ‘notifiable occupation’ for motoring convictions.

We will share your data with the driving instructor associations who are members of the National Associations Strategic Partnership (NASP). We’ll only share your data with them if you’ve given permission. You can withdraw your permission by updating your ADI registration details and opting out of ‘mailings’.

We will share your data if required to do so by law - for example, by court order, or to prevent fraud or other crime.

5. How long we keep your data

We will keep your personal data only for as long as it is needed for the reasons set out in this policy or for as long as is required by law.

We will hold your personal data for:

• 10 years from the last activity when its held on our system
• 15 years from the last activity when it’s a scanned record stored by our contractor

6. Where it might go

Our IT infrastructure and technology has been checked to make sure it’s safe and secure.

All your data is held on DVSA servers based in the UK or hosted within cloud servers (Amazon Web Services) in Ireland.

7. Protecting your data and your rights

The DVSA personal information charter sets out what steps are taken to protect your data, and the rights you have over your data.

You may have provided your permission to feature on the Approved driving instructors website and no longer wish your contact details to be displayed.

You can manage this via the ADI Portal or you can contact the ADI team at PADI@dvsa.gov.uk. Your request will be completed within 10 working days.

8. Automated decision making and profiling

Your data is not subject to automated decision making or profiling as defined in data protection legislation.

9. Changes to this notice

We may change this privacy notice at our discretion at any time.

When we change this notice, the date on the page will be updated. Any changes to this privacy notice will be applied to you and your data as of that revision date.

We encourage you to periodically review this privacy notice to be informed about your data is protected.

10. How to contact us

If you have any questions about anything in this document or if you consider that your personal data has been misused or mishandled you can contact the DVSA data protection manager.

DVSA data protection manager

Data Protection Manager
DVSA
1 Unity Square
Nottingham
NG2 1AY

Email information.handling@dvsa.gov.uk

Contact DVSA customer services if you have a query that is not about how your personal data is used.

You may also make a complaint to the Information Commissioner, who is an independent regulator.