Trainee instructor paperwork: what a PDI should give every pupil
A trainee instructor should give each pupil a short written sheet that says they hold a trainee licence, what the lesson charge covers, who supervises and when the licence ends. GOV.UK says a trainee can charge for lessons to cover costs such as insurance and vehicle costs, so the sheet should show the charge is a cost contribution and not a full professional fee.
What a trainee licence allows
GOV.UK says a trainee licence helps you get experience instructing pupils so you can prepare for the ADI part 3 test, and that it lasts for 6 months. To apply you must have passed ADI part 1 in the last 2 years and ADI part 2, and have had at least 40 hours of training from a qualified ADI, at least 10 of them in a car.
GOV.UK also says you can charge for lessons to cover the cost of things like your insurance and vehicle costs. That wording matters for your paperwork: the pupil should be able to see what the charge is for.
Supervision or extra training: the record you must keep
When you apply, you choose one of two options and cannot change afterwards. GOV.UK says that under the first you must be supervised for 20% of all the lessons you give while you hold the licence. Under the second you must do at least 20 hours of extra training while you hold it.
Record-keeping is part of the rules. For supervision, GOV.UK refers to the ADI 21S supervision record form, signed by you and your sponsoring ADI. For extra training, it refers to the instructor training declaration form. Keep your own lesson log alongside these, so you can show which lessons were supervised.
Displaying the licence and describing yourself
GOV.UK says you must display your trainee licence on the nearside edge of the front windscreen. It also says you must describe yourself as a trainee driving instructor. So your pupil paperwork, your adverts and your messages should say trainee, not fully qualified.
GOV.UK also says that if you leave a driving school and join a new one, you must apply for a new trainee licence, and there is no fee for doing so. Tell pupils if that could affect their lessons.
What to put in writing for the pupil
No rule we found prescribes a pupil information sheet for trainees, but it prevents the commonest misunderstandings. A sensible sheet covers the following.
- Trainee status: that you hold a trainee licence, the date it ends, and the driving school or ADI you train with.
- The charge: the price per lesson and what it covers, in line with the GOV.UK wording on costs.
- Supervision: that some lessons may be supervised by your ADI, and that the pupil agrees.
- Insurance: that you have confirmed cover with your insurer for paid trainee lessons.
- If the licence ends early: what happens to booked or prepaid lessons.
Insurance and the car
A common question is whether a pupil should pay for short-term cover on the car. We found no rule that settles it. GOV.UK only says the charge may cover costs such as insurance and vehicle costs. So the answer depends on your own policy and the school's arrangements.
Ask your insurer in writing what cover applies to paid trainee lessons, and keep the reply. Then say on the pupil sheet what the pupil is and is not expected to pay for. Do not take extra fees for insurance unless the cover has actually been arranged. See our guide for going independent for the wider paperwork once you qualify.
A trainee pupil information sheet and lesson log
A preview of our free Trainee Pupil Information Sheet. The complete, print-ready version is sent to you by email.
Pupil details
- Pupil full name
- Pupil phone number or email
- + 1 more in the full form
Trainee instructor details
- Trainee instructor name
- Driving school or sponsoring ADI
- + 3 more in the full form
Charges and insurance
- Charge per lesson and lesson length
- What the charge covers (for example fuel, car and insurance costs)Free text
- + 2 more in the full form
Supervision
- Option chosen on the trainee licenceSupervision of 20% of lessons · 20 hours of extra training
- The pupil understands a supervising ADI may sit in on some lessonsYes / No
- + 1 more in the full form
If the licence ends or the arrangement changes
- What happens to booked or prepaid lessons if the licence ends before the course is finishedFree text
- How much notice either person will give to stop lessons
Lesson log
- Date, length and topic of each lesson, and whether it was supervisedFree text
The full form has 18 questions in 6 sections, a signed declaration and space for your business details. Get it free below.
Free template
Get the print-ready Trainee Pupil Information Sheet
A print-ready sheet that tells your pupil you are a trainee, what the charge covers and how supervision works, with a lesson log and space for both signatures. Free, and yours to adapt.
Frequently asked questions
Can a trainee driving instructor charge for lessons?
GOV.UK says you can charge for lessons to cover the cost of things like your insurance and vehicle costs. Keep the charge in line with that wording and show the pupil what it covers.
How long does a trainee licence last?
GOV.UK says a trainee licence lasts for 6 months. Put the end date on your pupil sheet, and check the GOV.UK pages for what happens when the licence runs out.
Do I need to tell pupils I am a trainee?
GOV.UK says you must display the trainee licence on the nearside edge of the front windscreen and describe yourself as a trainee driving instructor. Saying so in writing before the first paid lesson is the simplest way to follow that.
Should my pupil pay for temporary insurance on my car?
We found no rule on this, so it depends on your own policy and your driving school's arrangements. Ask your insurer in writing, keep the reply, and say on your pupil sheet exactly what the pupil is expected to pay.
Sources
The paperwork behind every pupil, in one pack
Pupil agreement, cancellation terms, block booking terms, progress records and a GDPR notice as editable templates. One payment, no subscription.
See the packs, from £29 →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.