Guidance

Renew or manage your driving instructor trainer (ORDIT) registration

Manage your official register of driving instructor training (ORDIT) details if you train instructors, and renew your certificate (badge) every 4 years.

Applies to England, Scotland and Wales

When you’ve qualified as a driving instructor trainer and joined the voluntary official register of driving instructor training (ORDIT) you need to:

  • manage your registration details, for example, changing your address or contact details
  • renew your registration every 4 years
  • follow the rules about training

Display your ORDIT certificate in the car windscreen when you provide training.

If you’re registered with more than one training establishment, display the certificate for the one you’re working for at that training session.

Manage your ORDIT registration

Email or write to the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) within 7 days if you:

  • change your name, address or contact details
  • get a caution or conviction

DVSA ORDIT team
ordit@dvsa.gov.uk

ORDIT Team
DVSA
1 Unity Square
Nottingham
NG2 1AY

DVSA will update your details on both the ORDIT register and ADI register.

You do not need to separately update your ADI registration details. DVSA will do this for you.

Renew your ORDIT trainer registration

If your registration is due to expire

DVSA is not currently accepting ORDIT applications.

You will not be removed from the register if you are waiting to apply to renew your registration.

DVSA will tell you when you can apply again.

There are 2 stages to renewing your ORDIT trainer registration.

  1. Book and pass the ORDIT re-assessment.

  2. Re-register as an ORDIT trainer.

You have to do this every 4 years, before your ORDIT registration runs out.

Book and pass the ORDIT re-assessment

You have to take an ORDIT trainer re-assessment before your ORDIT registration runs out.

Apply at least 3 months before your ORDIT registration runs out. You’re responsible for remembering to do this - DVSA will not remind you.

Download and fill in the application form to apply.

Book an ORDIT trainer re-assessment

Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email accessible-formats@dvsa-publishing.zendesk.com. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Send the form to DVSA with the £151.20 assessment fee (which includes VAT). You can pay by:

  • debit or credit card
  • cheque or postal order made payable to ‘DVSA

DVSA ORDIT team
ordit@dvsa.gov.uk

ORDIT Team
DVSA
1 Unity Square
Nottingham
NG2 1AY

What happens next

Before your assessment, a DVSA ADI examiner will call you to arrange a date and time for a 30-minute phone call. They will ask you to send copies of training records that you have completed with your trainees and other relevant documents. These can be:

  • scans of paper copies
  • digital records

Your training records should include:

  • your name
  • your personal reference number (PRN)
  • name of your organisation
  • name of the trainee
  • date, time, location and duration of a training session
  • subject matter
  • your appraisal of the session
  • the trainee’s feedback and reflections on the session
  • signatures by you and trainee

During the 30-minute call, the examiner will give you feedback about your records. If the examiner is satisfied with your training records, they will arrange your practical assessment and confirm the time, date and location.

You will not be able to take the practical assessment until the examiner is satisfied with the standard of your records.

Practical assessment

The practical assessment lasts up to 1 hour 30 minutes. This includes:

  • a short time at the start where the examiner will ask you about the trainee you’ve brought with you
  • around one hour where you give a training session to your trainee
  • 15 minutes at the end where the examiner will give you your result and feedback

The re-assessment works in the same way as the qualifying assessment.

You will need to act as the learner driver during your assessment. You will need to simulate faults where appropriate for your trainee to correct. You cannot bring a real learner driver for your trainee to instruct.

What to take to your assessment

You need to take:

  • your ADI certificate (badge)
  • your ORDIT certificate (badge)
  • a suitable car (it must meet the same rules as cars used for the ADI part 3 test)
  • a trainee
  • your trainee’s ADI certificate or trainee instructor licence where appropriate

You can take your trainer or mentor with you, but they cannot take part in the assessment.

Your trainee

Your trainee must be either:

  • someone training to become an ADI
  • a qualified ADI

Before the assessment

The examiner will ask you some questions about your trainee. You need to be able to tell them:

Training themes

The training themes include:

  • prepare to train learner drivers
  • design learning programmes
  • enable safe and responsible driving
  • deliver driver training programmes
  • manage risk to the instructor, learner and third parties
  • evaluate and develop knowledge, understanding and skills in the driver training industry

Other training themes might also be appropriate, depending on your trainee.

During the assessment

The examiner will look for evidence that you meet the national standard for driver and rider training.

You’ll be marked on 17 areas of competence that are grouped into 3 categories:

  • trainer’s lesson planning
  • trainer’s management of risk
  • trainer’s teaching and learning strategies

The 17 areas of competence are listed in the ORDIT assessment report (PDF, 30.4 KB, 2 pages)- the examiner will fill this in at the end of your assessment.

You’ll get a score from 0 to 3 for each of the 17 competencies, which are added up to work out if you’ve passed the assessment.

You need to score at least 43 out of 51 to pass the assessment.

After the assessment

The examiner will:

  • tell you the result of your assessment
  • give you a copy of the ORDIT assessment report (PDF, 30.4 KB, 2 pages)
  • give you feedback on the assessment

If you pass the assessment

You can re-register as an ORDIT trainer.

If you fail your first attempt

You need to book another re-assessment and pay again if you fail the first attempt.

If you fail your second attempt

If you fail the second attempt, you will stop being an ORDIT trainer, but you can continue to be an ADI.

DVSA may invite you for an ADI standards check.

You need to pass the ADI standards check with a grade A if you want to try again to qualify as a driving instructor trainer.

You can be removed from the ADI register if you fail the standards check.

Re-register as an ORDIT trainer

You need to re-register as an ORDIT trainer after you pass the re-assessment, and before your current registration runs out.

This is separate to renewing your ADI registration.

You’re responsible for remembering to re-register.

Download and fill in the form to apply.

Re-register as an ORDIT trainer

Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email accessible-formats@dvsa-publishing.zendesk.com. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

You need to state which training establishment you’re working for on the application form. This could be:

  • your own business (if it has 5 or more ORDIT trainers you’ll need to get it approved by DVSA)
  • someone else’s training establishment

You can re-register with more than one training establishment.

Send the form to DVSA with the £120 re-registration fee (which includes VAT). You have to pay £18 for each additional establishment you re-register with.

DVSA ORDIT team
ordit@dvsa.gov.uk

ORDIT Team
DVSA
1 Unity Square
Nottingham
NG2 1AY

You’ll be sent an ORDIT certificate (badge) for each training establishment you re-register with.

Replace a lost or stolen ORDIT certificate

Contact DVSA straight away to:

  • tell them that your ORDIT certificate has been lost or stolen
  • request a replacement certificate

You need to give your crime reference number if your certificate was stolen - contact the police to get this.

It costs £3.60 to replace a lost or stolen certificate.

DVSA ORDIT team
ordit@dvsa.gov.uk
Telephone: 0300 200 1122 (press the 2-digit fast track code)
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm
Find out about call charges

If your ADI badge has also been lost or stolen, you need to report this to DVSA separately.

Leave a training establishment

Write to DVSA within 10 working days if you stop working for a training establishment. Include your ORDIT certificate for that training establishment with the letter.

ORDIT Team
DVSA
1 Unity Square
Nottingham
NG2 1AY

Leave ORDIT

You can leave ORDIT but still be an ADI. Send your ORDIT certificates with a letter to DVSA.

ORDIT Team
DVSA
1 Unity Square
Nottingham
NG2 1AY

You also need to send your ADI badge to DVSA if you want to leave the ADI register.

Fees

Fee type Price
ORDIT trainer re-assessment £151.20
Re-registration with a training establishment £120
Re-registration for each extra training establishment you work for £18
Replacement ORDIT certificate £3.60

Updates to this page

Published 13 January 2020
Last updated 29 November 2023 + show all updates
  1. Added note to explain that DVSA is not accepting ORDIT applications until April 2023.

  2. Added an email option to send the application forms.

  3. Added information about the pre-assessment phone appointment and training records.

  4. Updated the address to write to DVSA.

  5. First published.

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