Professional drivers

What it is

How to become and ADI and what it is.

The Road Safety Authority (RSA) is the regulatory body for driving instruction in Ireland. Driving instructors who meet the standard set by the RSA will become Approved Driving Instructors (ADI). An ADI Registrar based in the RSA heads up the unit responsible for the registration process. The ADI Registrar will work with a stakeholders’ forum to develop the industry.

The objective of regulating the industry is to standardise instruction and give the ADI instructor a leading role in developing better safer drivers.

Becoming an RSA Approved Driving Instructor

A person who wishes to become an ADI must in the first place satisfy the Registrar, that s/he is a person of good repute to have their name entered on the ADI register and in particular must meet the following general requirements:

Be tax compliant and in possession of a tax clearance certificate, (Provide a tax clearance access number so the RSA can view and confirm your certificate)
Hold a full driving licence for a minimum of two years in the category for which instruction is to be delivered.

In assessing whether a person is of good repute the Registrar will make necessary enquiries with An Garda Síochána and or other bodies.

A person applying will need to make a declaration that s/he has not been convicted of a serious offence such as murder, manslaughter, Drug Trafficking, Fraud or other offences including any that may cause a persons name to be entered onto the Sex offenders register. (See Appendix 2 for the process relating to Garda vetting).

There are two possible ways of becoming an Approved Driving Instructor.

Undergo the three stage RSA qualification process, or
Demonstrate that your existing qualifications/experience are adequate to meet the ADI standard.