Illegal driving instructors are a danger to learner drivers and other road users and they undermine your business. Their fraudulent activities threaten to devalue the professional qualifications you've worked hard to achieve.
As qualified professionals, you are essential to road safety. That's why we're actively protecting your profession and livelihoods by investigating and prosecuting illegal instructors, working with you to identify unlawful practice, and making sure only qualified approved driving instructors (ADI) can legally charge for instruction.
How we're tackling illegal instruction
We’re working in 2 complementary ways to stop illegal instructors:
1. Investigative enforcement
Our Intelligence Unit reviews all suspected cases of illegal instruction, including reports from you, driving examiners and the public.
When credible evidence is found and further action is needed, the case is escalated to our Counter-Fraud and Investigations team for full investigation – then onto our Prosecution and Legal Services team for court action.
We’re unable to update anyone who submits a report as doing so could risk compromising any ongoing investigation, but every report is reviewed and contributes to our enforcement efforts.
2. Proactive enforcement operations
We're running targeted operations to catch illegal instructors and unsafe vehicles before they're reported, creating visible deterrence across the country.
Investigations secure convictions
Here’s a recent example of what happens when DVSA investigate reports of illegal instructors.
Mobashir Gujar: sentenced at Newport Crown Court on 7 August 2025
After being spotted at Llanishen driving test centre with a failing pupil, our investigation revealed Gujar had been operating illegally despite earlier warnings. He was disqualified from driving and his licence had expired in 2021. Gujar charged unsuspecting students:
- £35 per hour for lessons
- £120 for test vehicle use
- £87 for insurance
- total fraud: £1,972 from multiple victims
He was sentenced to:
- 18 months imprisonment (suspended for 2 years)
- 180 hours unpaid work
- 15-day rehabilitation requirement - which includes mandatory learning on topics such as fraud which are designed to reduce the risk of reoffending
- proceeds of crime proceedings ongoing
These cases show that illegal instruction leads to serious criminal convictions and substantial financial penalties.
Targeted operations: proactive protection
Since September 2024, we've been running nationwide enforcement operations targeting learner vehicles. It aims to:
- catch illegal instructors
- check instructor certificates are displayed
- make sure driving school cars are safe to drive
This joint operation involves DVSA working alongside law enforcement and other government departments.
So far, we've run operations in 5 locations – including Leeds, Nottingham, Rotherham and Sheffield.
During these operations:
- more than 150 learner vehicles have been stopped and checked – with a number of immediate and delayed prohibitions issued for vehicle defects
- 3 potential illegal instructors have been identified and are now under investigation
- 2 vehicles have been taken off the road by law enforcement for insurance offences
This activity is creating a visible deterrence, while catching illegal operators before they can exploit more learners.
Real consequences for illegal operators
Both enforcement routes deliver serious consequences:
- prison sentences (including suspended sentences)
- substantial fines and compensation orders
- community service requirements
- proceeds of crime investigations
- criminal fraud convictions affecting future employment
Every prosecution sends a clear message that illegal instruction is high-risk criminal activity with lasting consequences.
Your role
Report suspected illegal instruction
The intelligence you share with us drives our investigations and leads directly to prosecutions.
We’re in the process of developing a new reporting form to improve how suspected illegal instruction is shared with our Intelligence Unit. The new form is being designed to make it easier for you to share your concerns, ensure the right information reaches the team who investigate and help us to act more quickly.
It’s important we get the new form right so it may take a little more time before it’s live, but we’ll share more about this as soon as we can.
Support our operations
When you see DVSA enforcement activity in your area, know that it's creating deterrence and catching illegal instructors your reports might not have identified yet.
If you're stopped during an operation:
- cooperate fully with DVSA enforcement officers
- have your ADI certificate clearly displayed and readily available
- ensure your vehicle insurance covers driving instruction
- be patient – checks help protect your profession
What officers will check:
- valid ADI or trainee instructor certificate
- current registration status
- vehicle insurance for driving instruction
- vehicle safety and roadworthiness
Why this helps you:
- demonstrates you're operating legally
- shows the difference between qualified and illegal instructors
- helps officers identify who should and shouldn't be teaching
- builds evidence of professional standards in the industry
Your cooperation:
- makes operations more efficient
- helps target enforcement on actual illegal instructors
- shows legitimate instructors support action against illegal operators
- contributes to protecting the profession's reputation
You have nothing to fear from these checks – they're designed to protect your business by stopping those operating illegally and undercutting professional standards.
Together, we can stop illegal instruction.
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