Driving lessons costs

Signing up for driving lessons is an important milestone in most of our lives. Along with leaving school, beginning to learn to drive is a step towards independence for young people.

But while many young people are eager to starting learning, driving lessons costs can be a huge barrier that is preventing keen drivers to be from getting the tuition they need in a reasonable amount of time.

At a time when money isn’t exactly overflowing, and most learners are working part-time hours, a large percentage of their wages will be going towards learning to drive.

The best way to ensure you have enough money for driving lessons is to budget accordingly. To help you budget, we’ve put together a guide to the average cost of driving lessons in the UK and other costs you may need to consider when getting behind the wheel for the first time.

What is the average cost of driving lessons?

Prices can vary depending on a number of different factors so there isn’t one set answer to how much does it cost to learn to drive?

The price can differ depending on which part of the UK you’re learning in or if the driving instructor is offering special discounts or offers.

The price can also depend on who your instructor is and whether they’re independent or part of a larger company. According to the RAC depending on where you live in the UK, you can expect to pay £25-£30 per hour.

Many drivers can find cheaper deals when they first sign up with an instructor as they will usually offer a discounted rate when you buy a bulk set of lessons.

On average how many driving lessons to pass your test?

£25 – £30 a week doesn’t sound that much but when you consider the average amount of driving lessons needed to pass your test, this amount can soon add up.

The DSA (Driving Standards Agency) recommends 47 hours of lessons before attempting your first driving test which works out to a whopping total of between £1,128 and £1,363.

That is of course if you pass the first time. If you don’t, you’ll not only have the cost of retaking your test but all the extra lessons required to get your confidence back up before your second test.

What other costs are there when learning to drive?

Obviously, there are a few additional costs that come with learning to drive beyond the cost of lessons.

First and foremost, you’ll have to apply for a provisional licence which costs £34 when bought online or £43 when bought by post. You may also have to pay to update any details on your provisional licence should you need to update your photo and address.

Once you’ve got your licence, you’re essentially ready to go. Some of the additional costs you may face such as your L plates and your insurance are usually covered by your instructor.

That being said, if you want to get some extra practice in between lessons with an instructor, you can always get some private with lessons with a friend or family member.

While you will have to fork out the money for the costs of L plates and get insurance to learn in someone else’s vehicle, there are ways to save money while learning to drive privately.

Saving money while learning to drive privately

Alongside the 47 hours or lessons with an instructor, the DSA also recommends 22 hours of private practice.

With private lessons, you don’t have the expense of a qualified instructor, but you do need to factor in the cost of insurance.

Unless you’re already a named driver on the policy, which is an expensive and excessive idea if you’re considering it, you will need to get insurance to practice in their vehicle.

A great way to save money on learner driver insurance is with temporary learner driver cover from Tempcover. It’s the fast and flexible approach to insurance that allows you to get cover as and when you need it.

From a single day up to 28 days, you can get the cover you need without having to pay for a whole years’ worth of insurance.

You get comprehensive cover as standard and complete peace of mind for the vehicle owner as their No Claims Discount is protected and if you were to have an accident while learning to drive in their car, they wouldn’t lose their No Claims Bonus.

You can get a quick and easy quote online at any time and get covered instantly.

For the insurance you need to get those crucial extra hours practice in a calm and comfortable environment, temporary learner driver insurance is the ideal way to save time and money.