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 £24,876 a year, with allowances of up to £4,000 in some areas, rising to £25,259 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.

Getting In

• You must be aged 23 or over.
• 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, consisting of personality, interpersonal skills and situational judgement tests.
• Following that, you attend an assessment event which includes a strict test of driving ability.
• 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.

Job Outlook Scotland

Job Outlook Scotland and UK

  Scotland

2019

4797

1.2 %

RISE

2024

4855

  United Kingdom

2019

45882

1.6 %

RISE

2024

46602

LMI data powered by EMSI UK

What Does it Take?

You need to be:

• patient and tolerant
• calm and able to put others at ease
• alert and observant
• able to deal with nervous, upset and angry people
• able to explain instructions in simple terms
• able to write clear and concise test reports
• consistent and fair with good judgement
• flexible and able to work as part of a team
• decisive, assertive and firm.

Training

• Initial training lasts five weeks and takes place at both your local test centre and at a regional training centre.
• On successful completion of the course you begin work at your local test centre. You are on probation for the first nine months.
• Once your probationary period is over, you'll still be monitored regularly to make sure you keep up the same high standards.
• You must keep up to date with all changes in legislation and in testing procedures.

Getting On

With experience you may be able to progress to senior driving examiner or supervising examiner of a test centre.

Contacts

The following organisations may be able to provide further information.