DSA opening hours: Christmas and New Year

DSA will close at times over Christmas and New Year, but its online services will be available as normal.

DSA will be operating a normal service up to and including Tuesday 24 December.

However, DSA’s online services will be available throughout Christmas and the New Year. You’ll be able to:
book and manage your theory or practical driving test
use the DSA online business service
use instructor services

Changing or cancelling a test

If you want to change the date of your test or cancel it, you must give at least 3 clear working days’ notice or you’ll have to pay again. Sundays and public holidays don’t count as working days.

Find out more

Making the grade. Make your view count on how ADIs are professionally evaluated

The DSA have asked us to feedback views from trainers on a new grading system for ADIs. With the advent of the new Standards Check in 2014, comes the opportunity to develop a new grading methodology.

We'd like your ideas and inputs on this one. Click on this link for a very short survey (only 6 questions!), and the results will be fed directly into the DSA, as they consider the options ahead of introducing the new Standards Check itself this coming April.

Some voices (and national associations) within the industry are calling for a simple pass or fail system, where only the fact of whether you have passed or failed would be made public. But does such a system offer an opportunity to reflect the higher standards of those instructors who would naturally wish demonstrate they are not only meeting the standards, but exceeding them?

Is there a more effective way of communicating to the public that there are various standards and levels of quality within in driving instruction?

It has been further suggested by those in favour of a mere pass or fail system that perhaps the actual mark an instructor gains could also be made public (at the instructors own discretion) but would that add any real value, especially as many customers will not be aware of what that mark means (the status quo), and it depends on the instructors own communication of that mark for them to get the message (and when the regulator will only confirm a pass or fail status, will that communication be seen as mere marketing spin by the individual instructor?). Would a publicly available grade or band, ratified by a government agency, be a better way for both trainers to demonstrate their quality, and be a more official rating system for the public to trust in than pass rates, testimonials, unofficial ratings and instructor's own say-so?

Fifty shades of grade

We're not suggesting a myriad and complex grading system but rather than pure black and white, would it better instead to develop a system which reflects higher standards, if we as a profession are truly committed to raising the standards? Many other, familiar educational systems could be utilised and these are already widely recognised and understandable to both pupils, parents, employers, companies and other customers. A fail is a fail, and perhaps needs little other communication, but is just passing a good enough bar to reach for? How about pass, merit, distinction? Or similar to the Ofsted inspection system within general education: grade 1: (outstanding); grade 2 (good); grade 3 (requires improvement); grade 4 (inadequate)? There are even systems used widely in employee appraisals in companies across the UK which could be considered using terms such as Top, High, Performing, Developing, Low. Or are there other systems you could suggest which would be effective in reflecting varying levels of quality and professionalism?

Give us your views now and help shape change on how we rate ourselves, and perhaps better communicate to the wider world the level of our professionalism. 

Top December offers for DIA Training Courses

It's been a great year for our CPD programme, with more members gaining qualifications in our Diploma in Driver Education and we've had a great response to our new courses, DIAmond Coaching & First Aid for Road Users. We're delighted that more driving instructors are engaged in developing their careers, so to celebrate this fact and to help those who want to prepare for 2014, we're offering fantastic Christmas and New Year deals. For DIA Members - until the 31 January 2014 we are offering: Free entry to CPD Programme (worth £30) 10% off DIA courses (excluding DIAmond Certificate in Coaching) 20% off when you purchase the following four Diploma for Driver Education modules in one transaction, saving you £96! - Award in ADI Knowledge - Award in Business Knowledge - Award in Vehicle Knowledge - Award in Driving Theory We've received some glowing reviews for the Diploma for Driver Education, so please click here to read some top comments. If you would like any further information or would like to discuss the courses in more detail please contact training@driving.org. If you would like to join the DIA or view all the benefits available feel free to call 0208 686 8010 or view our benefits online via driving.org

DVLA cuts unnecessary red tape for motorists

Motorists will no longer need motor insurance policies to be checked when getting their vehicle tax.  The change, announced today by Roads Minister Robert Goodwill, is part of a package of measures to get rid of unnecessary red tape.

The changes, which come into force from 16 December 2013, also mean that motorists will only need to tell DVLA once when they declare their vehicle off the road.  Currently, motorists who make a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN) have to renew their SORN every year.  Last year, around 4 million SORNs were made, with over 1 million of those repeat renewals.

Roads Minister Robert Goodwill said:

“We want to make it as easy as possible for motorists to access government services.

“Getting rid of needless bits of paper, making changes to free up motorists’ time, while saving money for the taxpayer, is all part of our commitment to get rid of unnecessary red tape.”

The changes to insurance checks have been made possible because DVLA regularly checks existing databases for insurance under Continuous Insurance Enforcement rules.  DVLA’s records are compared regularly with the Motor Insurance Database to identify registered keepers of vehicles that have no insurance.

Ashton West, Chief Executive at the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB) said:

“Motor insurance remains a legal requirement and these changes recognise the value and importance of the insurance records held centrally on the MID.  The introduction of Continuous Insurance Enforcement in 2011 was always designed to provide a more robust and technology driven solution to ensuring that vehicles have insurance in place.  The successful introduction of the new process by the DVLA and the MIB has enabled these changes to be made now, which will bring benefits to millions of motorists.”

Commenting on the changes to declaring SORN, Geoff Lancaster of the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs said, “DVLA are to be congratulated for making sensible use of their technology to maintain their high standards of service while at the same time simplifying life for road users.”

Press enquiries:

All press enquiries should be directed to:
DVLA Press Office
Tel: 0300 123 0791
Out of Hours: 0300 123 2407
press.office@dvla.gsi.gov.uk
www.gov.uk/dvla

Check out our December newsletter, packed with promotions, Goodyear white paper and updates from DSA & Standards check

Click here to view our full newsletter

£99 Christmas Offer for DIA Tax Service

Want to forget about your tax return this Christmas? To take your mind off the dreaded 31 January deadline for your tax return, we’re offering a fantastic discount on our DIA Tax Service. For a fixed fee of £99* including VAT (normal cost £299) you’ll save £200 on the DIA Tax Service and we’ll prepare your accounts and tax return, calculate your tax liability, provide you with a timetable of payment, and file your tax return electronically. All you have to do is fill out a form and a simple template and then sit back and enjoy a less taxing Christmas. Want to earn a little treat this christmas? Introduce a non DIA member to the DIA Tax Service offer **(quoting you as their referrer) and we will send you a £20 mail order voucher introduction fee as an extra Christmas bonus.  The DIA Tax Service offers: Team of qualified accountants Easy to use bookkeeping template Expenses Guide Annual accounts Calculation of your tax position Timetable of your tax liabilities Filing of your Return online Year round phone and email helpdesk  Don’t delay, for a simple, quick and easy service you can trust, call DIA Tax Service on 020 8686 8010 or click here to find out more or join online. *This limited introductory offer is available exclusively to existing DIA members until 24 January 2014 ** Non-members will need to join the DIA via driving.org or by calling 020 8686 8010 to take up the DIA Tax Service.

Join online today

Direct Debit and abolition of the tax disc

The Department for Transport (DfT) made clear in its recent Motoring Services Strategy consultation that the government is committed to offering high quality and cost effective services to the public and businesses. DfT and DVLA have listened to the views of both businesses and the public to remove unnecessary burden and provide modern and efficient services to meet their needs. This includes getting rid of unnecessary paper where possible and making it easier for people and businesses to use government services.

Today (Thursday 5 December 2013), the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that the government will change the law in 2014 to reduce tax administration costs and burdens associated with vehicle tax.

DVLA will offer motorists the ability to spread their vehicle tax payments should they wish to do so. From 1 October 2014 motorists will be able to pay vehicle tax by direct debit annually, biannually or monthly. There will be no additional handling fees for annual payments but to limit the impact on the public finances there will be a small surcharge of 5% of vehicle tax for biannual and monthly payments. This is half of the 10% surcharge that is currently applied to 6 monthly tax discs and which has been in existence for a number of decades.

Also from 1 October 2014, the paper tax disc, first issued on 1 January 1921, will no longer be issued and required to be displayed on a vehicle windscreen. Vehicle tax will still need to be paid but with DVLA having a digital record of who has and has not paid, a paper tax disc is no longer necessary as proof that vehicle tax is paid. The vast majority of motorists pay their vehicle tax with latest figures confirming that over 99% of motorists’ tax their vehicles on time… Most on-road enforcement action is now based on using Automatic Number Plate Readers. These cameras use the number plate rather than a visual inspection of the tax disc. The police also have access to DVLA records via the police national computer. There are significant savings for fleet operators and other businesses from not having to handle the administration of tax discs.

Read about the Autumn Statement here