What was once ‘avoid inappropriate behaviour’ is now a clear set of musts, including a plain ban on romantic or sexual relationships with pupils and on inappropriate contact through personal social media.
In a nutshell
- You must protect all pupils from harm, especially under-18s and vulnerable adults.
- You must not make unnecessary physical contact, or have inappropriate contact outside lessons, including on personal social media.
- You must not have a sexual or romantic relationship with someone you are instructing.
Why this matters so much
A driving lesson puts two people in a small space, often alone, for an hour or more, week after week. Many of our pupils are 17. Some are vulnerable adults. That is exactly why DVSA has strengthened this part of the code more than almost any other.
What you must do
- protect all pupils from harm, especially children under 18 and vulnerable adults
- create and maintain a safe learning environment
- understand safeguarding principles
- maintain professional boundaries at all times
What you must not do
- discriminate against anyone because of a protected characteristic
- use inappropriate language
- behave in an aggressive or intimidating way
- make unnecessary physical contact with pupils
- have inappropriate contact with pupils outside lessons, including through personal social media accounts
Relationships with pupils
The code is blunt: you must not enter into a sexual or romantic relationship with someone you are instructing. If a pupil or a relative complains of this, the Registrar could remove you from the register, and DVSA could ask the police and local authority safeguarding teams to investigate.
What you should do
- treat pupils with respect and consideration at all times
- consider completing a safeguarding course
- know how to recognise safeguarding concerns and who to report them to
- respond to safeguarding concerns quickly and appropriately
- avoid discussing your own or your pupil’s personal relationships, and stay out of their private life
Then and now
| THEN: the voluntary code | NOW: the new mandatory code |
|---|---|
| Avoid ‘inappropriate’ physical contact. | Must not make ‘unnecessary’ physical contact. A higher bar. |
| Avoid inappropriate language. | Must not use inappropriate language, or behave aggressively or intimidatingly. |
| No mention of relationships with pupils. | Must not have a sexual or romantic relationship with a pupil. |
| Social media: respect privacy and others’ views. | Must not have inappropriate contact through personal social media. |
| Know what to do if a client reveals concerns. | Must understand safeguarding; should train in it and know who to report to. |
‘Unnecessary’ is not the same as ‘inappropriate’
This is the change I would ask every experienced instructor to sit with. Under the old code the test was whether contact was inappropriate. Under the new code the test is whether it was necessary. A hand on the arm to reassure a nervous pupil may not be inappropriate, but is it necessary? If you have to take control of the wheel in an emergency, that is necessary. Most other contact is not.
If you are new to the industry
Build good habits from day one. Keep your hands to yourself and use the dual controls rather than touching the pupil. Communicate through your business account, not your personal one. Do not follow pupils on your personal social media or accept their friend requests. And do a safeguarding course now, while you are setting up. It will help you spot the signs and know who to call.
If you have been doing this a while
Some habits that felt harmless for years now need a second look: the friendly pat on the shoulder after a good drive, messaging pupils from your personal phone and account, being Facebook friends with past and present pupils. None of these is automatically wrong, but each one needs to pass the new test. If in doubt, stop.
What to do now
- Book a safeguarding course if you have not done one recently.
- Find out who your local safeguarding contact is and save the number.
- Move pupil messaging to a business number or account.
- Review your personal social media for any pupil connections.
This is Part 3 of 9 in The New Code of Practice — Plain and Simple. Read the whole series here.
Sources
Current voluntary code: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/driving-instructor-code-of-practice/approved-driving-instructor-adi-code-of-practice
New mandatory code (published 23 September 2026, effective date to be confirmed): https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/driving-instructor-code-of-practice/driving-instructor-code-of-practice-effective-date-to-be-confirmed
This article summarises the code in plain English. Always read the code itself, as the wording on GOV.UK is what DVSA will use.
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