In Victoria, professional driving instructors must hold a driving instructor authority when teaching an unlicensed person to drive a car. This page details the applicant criteria and application process.

This definition doesn’t include motorcycles, a vehicle that weighs more than 4.5 tonnes or a vehicle with seating for more than 12 adults, including the driver.

Requirements for driving instructors in Victoria

Victorian drivers licence

Have a valid Victorian driver licence issued under section 19 of the Road Safety Act 1986.

Identification

Provide the proper identification documents.

Certification

Successfully complete the Certificate IV in Transport and Logistics (Road Transport – Car Driving Instruction) course. This must be accompanied by a letter advising if training was completed in a manual or automatic vehicle. Please see ‘Training requirements’ below.

Medical assessment

Meet the medical standards for commercial vehicle driving, as detailed in the publication Assessing Fitness to Drive 2016 produced by Austroads.

Traffic history check

Pass a traffic history check to ensure that you do not have any serious or frequent traffic offenses. If you have a history of serious or frequent breaches of the Road Safety Act 1986, you may not be granted an authority, unless there is compelling evidence to the contrary.

Working with children

Hold a current Working with Children Check for ‘employment’ purposes if you plan to teach students under 18 years of age on a regular basis.

Driving instructor authority applicants must successfully complete a Certificate IV in Transport and Logistics (TLI41216, TLI41218, TLI41221, or TLI41222) course at an Australian Skills Quality Authority registered training organisation.

For a current list of registered training organisations offering the courses above, please search a course code on the training.gov.au website.

How to apply to become a driving instructor

There are six steps to becoming a registered driving instructor.

Refer to the video below for all the supporting documentation needed to complete your application. 

You need an account with the CPV user portal to apply for driver accreditation.

If you don’t already have an account, sign up here, then follow the prompts.

If you already have an account, log in here.

You will need to upload a copy of your current Victorian driver licence and a self-captured photo (selfie) showing you holding your Victorian driver licence next to your face.

Please make sure we can see your face clearly and that the driver licence you are holding is clear and legible. This helps us confirm the link between you and the identity you are claiming.

You must provide one (1) document from this list. Documents must be clear and easy to read:

  • full Australian birth certificate (not an extract or birth card)
  • current Australian passport (not expired)
  • Australian visa current at time of entry to Australia as a resident or tourist
  • ImmiCard issued by Immigration and Border Protection that enables the cardholder to prove their visa and/or migration status and enrol in services
  • certificate of identity issued by Foreign Affairs and Trade to refugees and non-Australian citizens for entry to Australia
  • document of identity issued by Foreign Affairs and Trade to Australian citizens or persons who have the nationality of a Commonwealth country for travel purposes
  • certificate of evidence of resident status.

We cannot accept credit or debit cards as proof of identity.

You must also provide two (2) different documents from this list:

  • certificate of identity issued by Foreign Affairs and Trade
  • document of identity issued by Foreign Affairs and Trade
  • convention travel document secondary (United Nations) issued by Foreign Affairs and Trade
  • foreign government-issued documents (for example, driver licence)
  • Medicare card
  • enrolment with the Australian Electoral Commission
  • security guard or crowd control photo licence
  • evidence of the right to an Australian government benefit (Centrelink or Veterans’ Affairs)
  • consular photo identity card issued by Foreign Affairs and Trade
  • photo identity card issued to an officer by a police force
  • photo identity card issued by the Australian Defence Force
  • photo identity card issued by the Australian government or a state or territory government
  • Aviation Security Identification Card
  • Maritime Security Identification card
  • credit reference check
  • Australian tertiary student photo identity document
  • Australian secondary student photo identity document
  • certified academic transcript from an Australian university
  • trusted referee’s report.

What if my name has changed?

If your name is different to those on your documents, you must provide one of the following:

  • marriage certificate issued in Australia
  • divorce papers showing the name you reverted to
  • deed poll (issued before November 1986 in Victoria)
  • Change of Name Certificate (issued after November 1986 in Victoria).

Upload evidence of completing the Certificate IV course

You will need to provide proof that you finished the Certificate IV in Transport and Logistics (Road Transport – Car Driving Instruction) course (TLI41216, TLI41218, TLI41221 or TLI41222). This should be a letter from the training organisation (on company letterhead) stating which course you completed and whether you did it with a manual or automatic vehicle.

Working with Children Check:

Provide your Working with Children Check employment number if you intend to instruct students under the age of 18 years on a regular basis.

To ensure you’re fit and well enough to provide services, you must complete your medical self-assessment.

Your application may be approved or declined based on the result of your medical check. You’ll need to repeat the check at least once every three years.

You can do this via the User Portal.

All driving instructor applicants will need to pay for a three-year authority, as per the current Road Safety (Driving Instructors) Regulations 2020.

The current fee is listed below:

Driving instructors (3 years) $572.40

The fee can be paid by card through the user portal. Please note, this fee is not refundable.

This fee will be invoiced to you every three years on the anniversary of your authority, unless you request to cancel before that date.

What happens next?

We will assess your application and let you know as soon as possible if it has been successful. We may also contact you for more information or documentation to support your application.

We may refuse your application based on your medical or police check. You can ask us to review this decision.

Registered driving instructors from other Australian states, territories or New Zealand

If you have held a driving instructor authority in another state or territory, you can apply for ‘mutual recognition’.

To do this, you must complete a mutual recognition form and provide the required documentation as outlined in that form.

Renewing your driving instructor authority

You need an account on the CPV user portal to renew your driving instructor authority (DIA).

If you don’t already have an account, sign up here, and follow the prompts.

If you already have an account, log in here.

Ensure your DIA number is linked to the Portal.

The following documents will be required with each application:

  • Most recent driving instructor qualification
  • Current Victorian driver licence
  • Proof of Identification documents
  • Self-captured photo (selfie) showing your Victorian driver licence next to your face
  • Current Working with Children Check
  • Passport-like photograph
  • Medical Assessment form – The medical assessment form can be downloaded from the User Portal and specialist reports can be provided if required
  • The 3-year application fee of $572.40 can be paid online through the portal.

The Public Register

If your application is successful, the following will also display on our Public Register:

  • Driver instructor authority number (for example, DI001234)
  • Endorsement type (for example, automatic and/or manual transmission).

Driving instructor conduct

Driving instructors play a crucial role in preparing new drivers for road challenges. It is essential for you to provide feedback about your driving instructor to ensure their effectiveness.

All driving instructors must possess a valid driving instructor authority (Authority) issued by Safe Transport Victoria. To obtain this Authority, instructors must demonstrate honesty, knowledge, and the ability to teach safe driving to young learners.

Safe Transport Victoria can investigate matters related to a driving instructor’s conduct based on public complaints. If you have any complaints or feedback about your instructor’s behaviour, you should direct them to us for review.

To make a complaint, you can provide feedback written or verbally. For an effective investigation, we will require specific details such as:

  • the driving instructor’s authority number
  • the name of the driving school
  • date and time of the incident, and
  • a description of what happened

All complaints are taken seriously, and we will review them when sufficient information is provided.

If you need to complain about the driving instructor’s service, contractual arrangements, training level, or payment dispute, you can contact Consumer Affairs Victoria at 1300 55 81 81.

For more information, read our privacy policy.

You can also read the Victoria Protective Data Security Standards.

What about my data?

Your personal information gets managed in line with industry standards. We only use your contact details to contact you about your driver instructor authority and the industry.