Driving examiner
Test people's driving skills and decide whether they are safe to get their full driving licence.
About the job
What it's like
You would test people’s skills at driving a car. You’d see whether a person is a safe and competent driver and decide whether they can get their full driving licence.
You would go out in a vehicle with a learner driver and assess their skills to see if they reach the national standard for driving cars and light vans.
You would:
prepare the paperwork for the test
meet the driving test candidate
set them tasks so you can check their eyesight
ask them questions to confirm the vehicle is safe
give them instructions as part of the test
watch how well they drive and if they are a safe driver
check their skill and safety in carrying out manoeuvres like reversing the car
take notes throughout the test
tell the person if they have passed or failed
give feedback to the candidate and their instructor
fill out the driving test report form and give a copy to the candidate
complete a more detailed report on the driving faults.
You would sometimes have to tell people that they have failed the test. They may be upset or angry but you would need to be firm and fair.
Being observant would be important. Throughout the test you’d need to concentrate on the person’s driving and pay attention to other traffic or people on the roads.
You might also carry out tests for other types of vehicles such as motorcycles or large goods vehicles.
Driving examiners work for the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) which is an executive agency of the UK Government’s Department for Transport.
Some haulage and bus companies also employ driving examiners to assess their lorry, bus or coach drivers.
Environment
You would be based at a local driving test centre with other driving examiners.
Travel
You need to have had a UK or EU driving licence continuously for the last four years and not have any more than three penalty points on your licence. You'll also need to have a full category A licence if you're applying for a vacancy where fast-track motorcycle examiners are needed. Some of your training would require you to be away from home for up to 7 weeks.
Explore more information about this job
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Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Top specialised skills
These are the top specialised skills that have been found in job vacancies across Scotland. From March 2024 to March 2025.
- test management
Meta skills
Here are some of the meta skills you'll need to do this job.
- observation
- empathising
- respecting
- verbal communication
- understanding
- attention to detail
- time management
- making decisions
- resilience
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore each section to find more information about getting into this career.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
Skills for Work: Automotive Skills
You do not need formal qualifications to enter this job.
Some understanding of cars, automotive skills, may be helpful.
You don’t need to have been a driving instructor to become a driving examiner.
Qualifications or experience that show driving skills, good communication skills and the ability to deal calmly and effectively with pressured situations.
You need to be 24 years of age or over.
You must have had a UK or EU licence continuously for the last four years with no more than three penalty points on your licence. Any endorsements will be taken into account on a case by case basis. can this also be added into the helpful to have column:
You must have a full category A licence if applying to fast-track motorcycle examiners jobs.
As part of the recruitment process you must pass judgement test, a theory and hazard perception test, assessment of driving or riding ability where you need to pass an extended version of the practical driving test, known as a ‘special driving test’.and behavioural assessment.
You need to be approved for membership of the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme run by Disclosure Scotland.
You may need to pass a medical.
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