How to Renew Your Green Badge

How to Renew Your Green Badge.

We get lots of queries each year about how to renew your Green Badge, which is officially called your approved driving instructor (ADI) registration.

Your Green Badge (ADI Registration) is valid for 4 years and costs £300. It can only be renewed in the month it expires.

Click here to go to the page to start the process

If your registration expires on March 31 2026, you can only apply to renew it from March 1 2026, however there are some things you must have done before this. The most important is to have applied for a new DBS certificate.

The DVSA will contact you about 6 months before you current Green Badge is due for renewal, please look out for an email or letter from them, so that you can start the process to get an up-to-date DBS check completed.

Here is an example of the email the DVSA will send to you, expect to get this 6 months before your badge expires, make a note in your diary, to look out for it, check your junk mail.

REMEMBER YOU CANNOT WORK WITHOUT A VALID BADGE.

From: padi@dvsa.gov.uk <padi@dvsa.gov.uk>
Sent:
To:  Subject: ADI 6 Month Renewal Registration Notice

Name:

Address:

Postcode:

User Id:

PRN:

Date:

Dear:

REGISTER OF APPROVED DRIVING INSTRUCTORS – 6 MONTH RENEWAL NOTICE

I am writing to remind you that your registration as an Approved Driving Instructor (ADI) expires in six months. Under the Road Traffic Act 1988, registration lasts for four years and in order to remain on the Register and be permitted to provide instruction for reward you must renew your registration before your current registration expires. You can only apply for your renewal certificate up to 30 days before your current certificate expires.

Before you can apply for renewal you will need to obtain a Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) disclosure. You should apply as soon as possible. In most cases you should receive your disclosure within three months of applying, but it can take longer. The Registrar will accept only a disclosure obtained through our contractors. You can apply for your disclosure by completing the enquiry form at https://www.gov.uk/adi-criminal-record-disclosure.

Once you have applied, you will receive an activation email and associated guidance within two working days. If you do not receive the activation email or are unable to apply online, you should contact our contractor, details can be found at https://www.gov.uk/contact-dvsa.

When you have received your criminal record certificate you can apply to renew your registration online at https://www.gov.uk/renew-approved-driving-instructor-adi-registration.

You should do this within the month of expiry of your current registration. We aim to process all applications within ten working days of receipt, so you must ensure that you apply in sufficient time for the Registrar to consider your application.

You should read the guidance notes on how to submit your application; they can be found at https://www.gov.uk/renew-approved-driving-instructor-adi-registration.

If your DBS disclosure is delayed and you do not think you will be able to complete your renewal application in time, you should contact us immediately so we can advise you what to do.

If your application is not received in time for the Registrar to consider it before your current registration expires, your name may be removed from the Register, and you could be giving instruction illegally if you continue after the expiry date.

Once your name is removed from the Register, in accordance with Section 126(3) of the Road Traffic Act 1988, you have one year in which to apply for re-registration.

If you apply after this period, you would need to pass the qualifying tests again before your name can be restored to the Register. It is an offence to give paid instruction whilst you are not on the Register.

If you are unable to apply online to renew your registration you should contact us on 0300 200 1122 (option 25).

Please tell us about any email and postal address changes by going online at https://www.gov.uk/manage-approved-driving-instructor-registration.

Yours sincerely,

Registrar of Approved Driving Instructors

HOW DO I APPLY FOR A DBS?

Below we have copied an example of the email you will receive from the company contracted by the DVSA to supply the DBS checks.

It’s a straightforward process but does need to be done well before your registration needs renewing.

From: First Advantage Customer Care <support@knowyourpeople.co.uk>
Sent:
To:
Subject: FADV | KYP |DBS Application for DVSA – ADI

Dear

Thank you for inquiring about First Advantage’s Know Your People DBS application process offered on behalf of the DVSA.

Please note that the DVSA preferred method is for you to make your DBS application online. To do this you will need access to an online device.

To start your online application:

1. Click here to register (https://app.knowyourpeople.co.uk).
2. Confirm registration process using the information below:
3. Org ID: ORG-TGAQGT0V
4. Org name: DVSA – ADI (PO)
5. Access Code: axisADIPO

Once registered, the system will present you with a blank application form to complete:

1. Complete the online application.
2. Select the Identity Documents (ID) you wish to use for ID verification.
3. The Post Office fee will then require payment via Stripe.
4. Once completed, an email will be sent to you that you can take to the Post Office    (either printed or on your device) along with your original ID selected.
5. The Post Office then scans the QR code and verifies the documents provided.
6. Please go to a participating Crown Post Office, to locate your nearest branch CLICK HERE and then from the drop-down menu select in “branch verification” under “identity services”.

What happens next?

The Post Office will update us electronically 24 hours after the successful verification of your details enabling us to submit your application to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) for processing.

Please do not use the “Amend Application” button once you have made payment at the post office as this will stop your application being processed and require you to return back to the post office.

The DBS will issue your DBS certificate by post to your home address. We will update our records and forward the Disclosure result to DVSA who will contact you if they need to see your DBS certificate.

Your completed Disclosure is only valid for DVSA purposes for a period of 6 months.

Click here to view DVSA’s ADI suitability statement. Further information is available on the GOV.UK website.

Thank you for using First Advantage’s Know Your People service.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Kind regards,

Support Case Number:
First Advantage – Customer Care

Any questions about your renewal should be directed to padi@dvsa.gov.uk quoting your PRN and ADI numbers.