On a pink badge and running out of road?
Call or text Clint on 07870 809 373. Confidential, and no pressure to move.
For PDIs on a trainee licence
Trainee licence support across the North East
Six months goes quickly.
You are teaching, you are earning, and somewhere in the middle of it you are meant to be preparing for Part 3. Most PDIs we speak to are getting on fine with the teaching. What they are not getting is the training that was promised when they signed up.
If that is you, you have more options than you think. You are not tied to the trainer who sponsored your licence. You can change sponsor mid licence, the DVSA reissue the licence free of charge, and you do not have to stop working while it happens.
We sponsor trainee licences and we supply the Part 3 training that goes with them. This page sets out how it works, what it costs, and where the traps are.
What the pink badge actually gives you
A trainee licence lets you charge for lessons before you have passed Part 3. It costs £140, it lasts six months, and you need to have passed Part 2 and completed at least forty hours of training before you can apply.
It is not a soft version of the green badge. The clock runs whether you are ready or not.
The bit that catches people out. When you apply you choose one of two supervision routes, and you cannot change it afterwards.
Either twenty per cent of every lesson you teach is supervised by your sponsoring ADI, or you complete twenty hours of additional training within the first three months.
Pick supervision and you are relying on somebody else turning up, every week, for six months. That is the option that goes wrong most often, and it is the one nobody explains properly before you tick the box.
If you already picked supervision and your sponsor has stopped showing up, that is worth a conversation. It is fixable.
Changing sponsor
You are not stuck with your trainer
It is a form, not a fight
Changing the training school named on your trainee licence is an administrative step. You notify the DVSA of the change and they reissue the licence with the new details on it.
There is no charge for the reissue. You are not applying again and you are not starting the six months over.
You keep teaching
Your licence stays valid while the change goes through. You do not have to park your diary or tell your pupils anything.
Nobody has to know
We will not announce it. No welcome post, no social media, nothing. You have a conversation with Clint, we sort the paperwork, and you carry on.
What we would need from you
Your PRN, your licence number, how long you have left on the six months, and which supervision route you chose. That last one matters most, because it decides what we can do and how fast.
The money
What it costs from here
| What you pay for | Cost |
|---|---|
| Changing the school on your trainee licence | Free |
| Part 3 training with an ORDIT registered trainer, per hour | £45 |
| Part 3 test, per attempt, three attempts maximum | £111 |
| Extra training required after a failed Part 3 | 5 hours |
| ADI registration once you pass, lasts four years | £300 |
| Weekly fee while you are on the licence | Nothing until 10 paying pupils |
Most people need twenty to thirty hours of Part 3 coaching before their first attempt. If you have already had some, you may need fewer. We will not tell you a number before we have sat in the car with you, because anyone who does is guessing.
You pay for training as you use it. There is no package and nothing up front.
What you get from us
Part 3 training, from people who marked it
Our training team includes former DVSA driving examiners. Not trainers who read the guidance. People who sat in the passenger seat and filled the form in. You learn what the marking actually looks like, not what a course book says it looks like.
Pupils, in your area
We are short of instructors and long on learners. If you have space, we have work. You do not pay a weekly fee until we have put ten paying pupils in front of you.
Supervision that turns up
If you are on the supervision route, that only works if somebody is actually there. We will tell you honestly whether we can cover your area and your hours before you commit to anything.
A straight answer about your six months
Sometimes the honest answer is that there is not enough time left to do this properly, and that you would be better sitting Part 3 with what you have and planning for the next step. We will say so.
After you pass
What happens when the badge turns green
You stay on the same terms. Weekly fee is £53 with Total Drive or £50 without, dropping to £43 and £40 after twelve months. No percentage cut of your lessons. No charge while you are sick or on holiday.
Your pupils are yours and they stay yours, including the ones you built up on the pink badge. If you ever leave, you take them with you.
See The Full Franchise TermsFAQ
Questions we get from PDIs
Can I change my trainee licence sponsor mid licence?
Yes. You notify the DVSA that your training school has changed and they reissue the licence. There is no fee for the reissue and your six months does not restart.
Will I have to stop teaching while it goes through?
No. Your licence remains valid throughout.
Does my current trainer have to agree?
The DVSA process is between you and them. Whether you owe your current trainer anything depends on what you signed, and that is a question for you and a solicitor rather than for us. We will not tell you to walk away from an agreement.
How much is Part 3 training?
£45 an hour with an ORDIT registered trainer, paid as you use it. Most people need twenty to thirty hours before a first attempt.
What if I fail Part 3?
You must complete five hours of further training, signed off, before you can sit it again. You get three attempts in total.
What happens if my six months runs out?
Talk to us before that happens rather than after. The options narrow considerably once the licence expires, and they narrow again if you have used your Part 3 attempts.
I chose the supervision route and my sponsor never shows up. What now?
Get in touch. That is the most common reason a PDI rings us, and it is the one where the clock hurts most.
Do I have to teach in an automatic?
With us, yes. Automatic is all we teach. If you qualify in an automatic you can only teach automatic, so it is worth understanding that before you commit either way.
I have not applied for a trainee licence yet. Is this page for me?
Partly. Have a look at our driving instructor training page first. It covers Parts 1 and 2 and what the whole thing costs.
Where to go next
Whichever stage you are at, there is a page for it.
Six Months Is Not Very Long
If the training you were promised is not happening, the worst thing you can do is wait and hope. Every week you spend hoping is a week off the clock.
Call or text Clint on 07870 809 373. Tell him where you are up to and how long you have left. Confidential, and no pressure to move.
Trainee licence enquiry
Tell us how long you have left and which supervision route you chose. Treated in strict confidence.
