On average, it currently costs over £2,500 to learn to drive and get your licence. That represents a rise of 215% over the past 30 years, according to a report by Quotezone.co.uk.

The car insurance specialist believes that such costs are too expensive, leading to young people choosing to delay learning to drive – or not bothering at all – because they cannot afford it.

And that’s before considering how much you’ll need to cough up to get your hands on a car once you have your driving licence.

Costs breakdown

Quotezone.co.uk research reveals the typical costs you can expect to incur over the course of your training:

  • To get started, you’ll need to spend £43 to apply for a provisional licence by post or £34 online.
  • On average, it will cost you £1,350 for an instructor. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) says it takes 45 hours of lessons to be test ready; with the average cost of a one-hour lesson standing at £30, the costs soon mount up (see ‘Invaluable learnings’ below).
  • The associated costs of private practice are high too as the DVSA recommends 22 hours, and that means spending money on fuel and insurance.
  • The current cost of the theory test is £23 while the practical test is £62 for a weekday slot or £75 for a weekend slot.
  • Using apps to practise your theory test questions can also add to the expense. Do bear in mind Theory Test Pro is offered for free by many instructors as part of their tuition process plus you can practise with our app at selected libraries.

Adding that up means you will pay £2,707 to learn to drive, says Quotezone.co.uk. To tackle these costs, the company is calling for more regulation to manage the impact on learners’ bank balances.

“More regulation on the cost of driving lessons and other mandatory fees would help young people get out on the roads and also help ensure they don’t cut corners,” says Greg Wilson, founder and CEO of the insurance specialist.

However, how lesson pricing could be regulated and by what criteria is not clear.

Invaluable learnings

Reacting to the increase in costs, some instructors have said you need to take into account inflation, the introduction of the minimum wage, and the rising costs of, well, everything. Within this context, some believe the typical price of a lesson is arguably less expensive than it was 30 years ago.

The bottom line? It’s important to remember the tuition provided by a great driving instructor is essential. It not only sets you up to pass your test but gives you the best possible chance of enjoying a lifetime of safer driving.

As far as we are concerned, that makes driving instructors and their tuition priceless – and in need of greater support and recognition.

Know Your Code

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