Compiled by DrivingLessonDocs from the sources listed below, checked on 5 November 2026. We sell the templates linked on this page.
Driving instructor franchise or independent: which costs less? (UK, 2026)
A franchise swaps a fixed weekly fee for pupils, branding and often a car. Reported fees run from about £70 a week using your own car to around £210 a week with a car supplied. Going independent avoids the fee, but you pay for the car, dual controls, insurance and marketing yourself and must find your own pupils.
What does a driving instructor franchise cost?
Franchise fees are set by each school, so they vary widely. These are figures published by schools at the time of writing. Fuel is normally on top.
| School | Package | Weekly fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| My Four Wheels | Own car | £75 to £125 | Car optional, adds £140 to £170 a week depending on the car |
| My Four Wheels | Car supplied, worked example | £210 in year 1, £190 in years 2 and 3 | Plus a £10 weekly insurance contribution in its example |
| The Driving Academy | Own car with stickers | £70 | Roof sign only is £80. No lock-in period stated |
| National schools | Car supplied | £150 to £300, reported | Range reported by independent guides and insurers |
What do you get for the fee?
The main thing a franchise sells is pupils. Schools typically supply leads, a brand pupils recognise, marketing, and with car packages a dual-controlled car and spare cover. Some include booking apps, CPD and free weeks for holidays.
The fee is usually due every week whether or not you work, so check how many free weeks you get and what happens if you are ill. If you trained with a school, check whether your course price was tied to joining its franchise, as with refund schemes paid back over your first 24 months.
What does going independent cost?
As an independent you keep every lesson fee, but you carry every cost. These are typical figures from an insurer's 2026 start-up guide, so treat them as estimates.
| Cost | Reported figure | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Leased car | £300 to £500 a month | Often includes servicing, road tax, tyres and breakdown cover |
| Bought car | £15,000 or more | Before maintenance and depreciation |
| Dual controls for a bought car | £300 to £500 | One-off |
| Driving instructor insurance | £500 to £1,000 or more a year | Depends on where you live, your age and record |
| Roof sign | £100 to £150 | One-off |
| Fuel or charging | £60 to £120 a week | Depends on hours and the car |
| Accountant | £200 to £400 a year | Optional but common |
How to compare the two fairly
Work out a weekly cost for each route, then the hours you need to cover it. On the franchise side, add the fee, fuel and any insurance contribution. On the independent side, add the car, insurance spread over 52 weeks, fuel, marketing and software.
Then be honest about pupils. A franchise fee buys a supply of pupils from week one. An independent instructor with no local reputation may spend months filling a diary, and every empty hour costs money either way. Many ADIs start on a franchise and go independent once they have a waiting list.
Tax and paperwork are the same either way
Franchised instructors are usually self-employed too, so both routes mean registering for Self Assessment by 5 October after the tax year in which trading income goes over £1,000. For 2026/27, Class 4 National Insurance is 6% on profits between £12,570 and £50,270 and 2% above, and you must register for VAT if your taxable turnover passes £90,000.
Making Tax Digital for Income Tax applies in three stages: from 6 April 2026 if your qualifying income was over £50,000 in 2024/25, from 6 April 2027 if it was over £30,000 in 2025/26, and from 6 April 2028 if it was over £20,000 in 2026/27. Qualifying income is your self-employment and property income added together, before expenses. If you are in scope you keep digital records and send quarterly updates through compatible software, and you still submit a tax return every year by 31 January. Either way you need clear pupil terms and records. Our guide to going independent covers the paperwork, and the step by step ADI guide covers qualifying.
Questions to ask before you sign a franchise
- What is the weekly fee, and does it ever rise during the agreement
- How long is the agreement and how much notice is needed to leave
- How many pupils or leads can I expect in my area
- Who owns the pupil relationship and their contact details if I leave
- What insurance is included, and what is the excess
- How many free weeks are included for holidays and illness
Get the free Franchise or Independent Cost Comparison: 16 questions and a signed declaration, emailed to you as a print-ready form.
Free template
Get the print-ready Franchise or Independent Cost Comparison
A print-ready worksheet for comparing a franchise offer with going independent, week by week, before you commit. Free, and yours to keep.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a driving instructor franchise per week?
Published fees range from about £70 a week using your own car to around £210 a week with a car supplied, and national schools are reported at £150 to £300. Fuel is usually extra.
Is it cheaper to be an independent driving instructor?
You pay no franchise fee, but you pay for the car, dual controls, insurance and marketing and must find your own pupils. It tends to cost less once your diary is full, and more while it is not.
Are franchised driving instructors self-employed?
Usually, yes. That means registering for Self Assessment, paying Class 4 National Insurance on profits over £12,570 and keeping records, the same as an independent instructor.
Can I leave a franchise and take my pupils?
It depends on your agreement. Check who owns the pupil relationship and contact details, and the notice period, before you sign.
Sources
- Become a driving instructor: step by step, GOV.UK
- Set up as a sole trader, GOV.UK
- Register for Self Assessment, GOV.UK
- Self-employed National Insurance rates, GOV.UK
- VAT registration, GOV.UK
- Making Tax Digital for Income Tax, GOV.UK
- Join our franchise, My Four Wheels
- Driving instructor franchise, The Driving Academy
- How much does driving instructor training cost?, RED Driving School
- Driving instructor business startup costs in 2026, BG Insurance
- Find out if and when you need to use Making Tax Digital for Income Tax, GOV.UK
- Work out your qualifying income for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax, GOV.UK
- Using Making Tax Digital for Income Tax for the first time, GOV.UK
Stop chasing no-shows
Lesson terms your pupils sign at lesson one, so the 8am cancel is paid for and not argued about.
The instructor pupils turn up for.
These articles are general guidance for UK driving instructors, not legal advice, and they are not DVSA guidance. Our forms are editable templates: adapt them to your own business, your insurer's terms and the current DVSA rules for your registration.