A driving examiner carries out driving tests, to assess whether candidates can drive well enough to get a full driving licence. Driving examiners may do tests for driving cars or large goods vehicles, or riding motorcycles.
The Work
When carrying out a driving test for a car licence you would:
conduct the necessary eyesight test and ask vehicle safety check questions
check the candidate's preparation for driving, such as adjusting mirrors and seat belt
direct the candidate around a set test route, including 10 minutes of ‘independent driving’, where they have to follow traffic signs or directions from a sat nav
ask the candidate to carry out exercises in reversing the car, turning the car to face the opposite direction or parking
decide when it is safe to carry out an emergency stop and then give the candidate the signal to do so
assess how safely the candidate is driving and note down any faults, stopping the test if you feel that the driver is a danger to other road users
count up the number of faults, passing the candidate if there are no major faults and fewer than 15 minor faults
tell the candidate whether the result is a pass or a fail, hand over the pass certificate or fail sheet and offer feedback on the reasons for your decision
return to the test centre and write a short report on the test.
Pay
The DVSA is part of the Civil Service. Driving examiners are on the EO pay scale. The current starting salary is £25,915 a year, with allowances of up to £4,000 in some areas, rising to £27,116 with more experience.
Conditions
You would work mainly Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 4.30pm, and sometimes on Saturdays.
You would assess up to seven candidates a day.
Part time work is available.
You would spend a lot of your day sitting in a car.
You would be based at one test centre, but sometimes work from other tests centres in the local area.
You do not usually need specific academic qualifications, though you do need to be a safe driver.
You should have held a UK or EU driving licence continuously for the last three years and have no more than three current penalty points.
To get in as a fast-track motorcycle or large goods vehicle (LGV) examiner, you must hold the full licences for the relevant categories.
You have to pass an online driving examiner assessment, which measures your ability to demonstrate judgement and decision making.
Following that, you complete an online interview and after that, if successful, undertake a driving assessment.
You will have to pass a medical test and mandatory Civil Service entry checks.
You will require a satisfactory criminal record check from Disclosure Scotland to show that you are suitable for this type of work. Contact Disclosure Scotland for details on the type you would need.
Driving examiners work for the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) who have 400 test centres across the UK.
The DVSA replaced the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) in April 2014. Its aim is to promote road safety through improving driving standards, testing drivers, motorcyclists and driving instructors, maintaining the registers of Approved Driving Instructors and Large Goods Vehicle Instructors and supervising training for learner motorcyclists.
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