Maintain your ADI qualification

Acquiring a driving instructor's licence and permit and registering as an Approved Driving Instructor (ADI) comes with significant responsibilities. Yours is a vitally important role in helping to develop socially responsible drivers which in turn will help make our roads safe for all road users.

That is why, every two years, you will be required to undertake and pass a check test to ensure the correct instruction standards are being applied. You will also have to renew your ADI registration every two years.

This helps ensure that you are continuing to instruct learners using the latest best-practice techniques and according to the latest standards and regulations.

The ADI voluntary code of practice

The ADI voluntary code of practice was developed jointly by the RSA and the ADI Stakeholders Forum. It outlines the expectations that the RSA, your colleague ADIs and your learner driver customers expect of you. As an ADI you are invited to sign up to this voluntary code of practice. Once you do, you will have the quality approved Q-Mark added to your ADI contact details on the RSA website.

The voluntary code of practice falls under three main headings, with the following examples:

Personal conduct

This relates to behaving in a professional manner at all times. You should be mindful of the cleanliness of your training vehicle, your own personal hygiene and appropriateness of physical contact with the learner driver. Your vehicle is a place of work, so you should adhere to appropriate workplace regulations, e.g. no-smoking regulations.

Business conduct

This relates to good business practice when providing a service to the public. This includes keeping up to date with legal and financial requirements, branding, and dealing with complaints. It is also good practice to publish your terms and conditions and make sure all new learners understand them.

Lesson structure

Each lesson should be prepared in advance and broadly follow a structure outlined in the RSA check-test report. Each lesson should be structured so that it has a beginning, middle and an end. Proper records must also be kept, e.g. all EDT and IBT entries made in logbooks or online.

Read more information on the RSA's voluntary code of practice.

Important regulations you should know as a qualified ADI.

Maintaining EDT in the MyEDT portal

With the MyEDT Portal, you will be able to:

• upload session records
• view completed sessions
• manage logbooks
• order logbooks

Using the MyEDT portal, your learners will be able to login and view their own EDT records.

It is essential that you upload your learners' records to the MyEDT portal in a timely, accurate and efficient manner. This should be done as soon as possible after each lesson. Remember, your learners will want to track and review each of their learning sessions so that they can monitor their progress.

You should also record any additional appropriate notes on what they have learned and their progress towards being safe, competent drivers and passing the driving test.

Helpful documents to support the ADI

The RSA has produced a number of helpful booklets and online material to support your role as an ADI. Here are just some:

The EDT Syllabus covers lesson content and expected outcomes for the 12 EDT lessons

The Essential Driver Training booklet provides information on the practical aspects of EDT for learner drivers. The EDT syllabus is included in the booklet

The ADI EDT Guidelines provides information on the implementation of EDT for ADIs

This sample of the EDT logbook shows where the learner's progress is recorded and allows for input by the ADI, the sponsor, and the learner

Reduced EDT guidelines in relation to foreign licence holders

The RSA has also produced an ADI Information Pack to help all ADI candidates know what's needed to become an Approved Driving Instructor. It covers:

• ADI Assessment Guide - how ADI performance is judged
• standards and Applying for Registration - to check if your qualifications comply with RSA standards or if you are exempt from either all or part of the stages of the ADI registration process
• The Driving Instructor's Handbook - a professional resource for ADI candidates considering applying to register as a driving instructor
• RSA Approved Instructor Booklet - information for qualified instructors
• Driver Theory - sample questions from stage one of the RSA qualification process
• Driving Test information - marking guidelines, preparation, check test and vehicle standards
• Ricability car controls - a guide to adaptions on vehicles suitable for older or disabled drivers
• Essential Driver Training (EDT) and Initial Basic Training (IBT) booklets - handy information on how learner driver and learner motorcyclist training courses work
• Replacing Lost EDT and IBT Stamps and lost logbooks - pre-written forms to help replace lost documentation
• Rules of the Road.

Staying qualified

Like every organisation that issues professional qualifications, the RSA requires the holders of ADI qualifications to maintain and update their skills. Every two years you must:

• renew your registration with the RSA 
• pass a check test with the RSA