Driving examiner

Driving examiners carry out tests to see whether people drive well enough to be given full driving licences.

Work activities

Driving examiners sit alongside people while they take their practical driving tests. They watch the way the person drives to check that it’s done in a safe way. Driving examiners are based at test centres. Each working day, they will have a list of people who have passed their driver theory test and who are eligible to take the practical test. On the day of their test, learner drivers will go to the centre and wait to be called by the examiner. In the test centre, the examiner will call out the learner’s name. They will then ask whether the learner’s car is properly insured. The examiner will then check the learner’s provisional licence and theory test pass certificate. If all paperwork is correct, the examiner will ask the learner to lead them to their car. At the car, the examiner will ask the learner to read a number plate from a distance. The examiner will ask some vehicle safety questions known as the “show me, tell me” questions before and during the test.

Before the test starts, the examiner will do a simple check of the car the test will be taken in. The examiner needs to be certain that the car is roadworthy.

Once the test starts, the examiner will be checking that the learner is driving in a safe way and is, at all times, following the rules of the road. During the test, the examiner will check certain driving manoeuvres, for example, turning in the road or reversing around a corner. Throughout the test, the examiner will be marking a driving test report sheet. At the end of the test, the examiner will tell the candidate whether they have passed or failed. They will also give them feedback on their performance, whether they have been successful or not. Finally, the examiner will go back to the test centre and write a short report.

Personal qualities and skills

To do this job well, you’ll need:

Excellent driving ability.
To be happy working alone.
The ability to put people at ease.
Good decision-making skills.
To be a calm and patient person.
Good concentration skills as you could be carrying out up to seven tests in a day.
A flexible approach to working as you may have to work evenings and weekends.
The ability to deal with difficult clients.

The following future skills shortages have been identified:

Foreign languages.
IT skills.
Disability awareness.

Pay and opportunities

Information is limited about the pay you can expect as a driving examiner. However, according to one Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) recruitment pack from February 2023, pay starts at around £27,000.

Driving examiners work full time or can choose from a range of part-time options.

What’s happening in this work area?

Driving instructors/examiners have been reporting a downturn in business over recent years. There is some evidence that more people may be being attracted into the industry after being made redundant, resulting in more instructors chasing less work. However, eco-driving and fuel-efficient driving techniques are becoming more popular and the industry is experiencing increasing demand for training of this type. For instance, eco-driving tips now form part of the police force driving school manual. This has opened up a new market, and one that is predicted to grow in the future. The driver training industry has suffered with the high cost of fuel. Fluctuation in fuel prices in recent years has had an impact on running costs and therefore profit margins. The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) has closed. It’s been replaced by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) and employs around 1,600 driving examiners.

Driving examiners are civil servants employed by the Driving Standards Agency (DSA). There are further career opportunities to train to conduct tests for motorcycles, Heavy Goods Vehicles and Passenger Carrying Vehicles. Examiners are allocated to ‘home’ test centres, in towns and cities throughout the UK. Examiners may be required to work at other test centres in their area.

Where are vacancies advertised?

Vacancies are advertised on all the major job boards, on the Government’s Find a Job service. Vacancies are also advertised on the Civil Service Jobs website.

Entry routes and training

To become a driving examiner, you must be 24 or over, have had a UK or EU driving licence continuously for the last four years, and have no more than three penalty points on your licence

You will take an online driving examiner assessment which helps make sure you have the right attitudes and behaviours for the job. You’ll answer questions about your:

Personality: Questions about your attitudes, opinions and experiences in a work environment.
Interpersonal skills: You’ll be given three behaviours and asked to choose the one that’s most and least important to you at work.
Situational judgement: You’ll watch a video and need to choose the best and worst thing you could do from a list of possible actions.

You will also have to pass a driving assessment – you also have to pass a riding assessment if you’ve applied for a motorcycle examiner post. The assessment is more rigorous than a driving test, and you have to drive to a higher standard. You’ll take the assessment in a hire car. This is so every applicant has the same opportunity to drive or ride a modern car or motorcycle. You’ll be given time to familiarise yourself with the controls. You’ll have to pass an eyesight test before the assessment starts. The rest of the assessment won’t go ahead if you can’t read a number plate from 20 metres.

When you’ve passed the assessment, you’ll be put on the merit list and be considered for a job offer. You may then be invited to take training to learn how to carry out driving tests. DVSA cannot guarantee you a job even if you do pass the assessment. The driving examiner training course takes around five weeks and covers what you need to know to carry out driving tests safely and effectively. You’ll do some training at your driving test centre, and some at one of DVSA’s regional training centres. You’ll be paid the full-time driving examiner salary while you’re taking the training. If your training is successful, you’ll start working at a driving test centre.

Qualifications

You do not need any academic qualifications to enter this job. Driving examiners must hold a full and current driving licence.

Adult opportunities

Age limits apply to this occupation. The minimum age for training is 24.

Some previous experience working with the public, for example, in a training or teaching role is an advantage.

Related careers

Driving instructor
Road safety officer