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Can my parents teach me to drive?

Rebecca Goodman
Written by  Rebecca Goodman
Updated: 30 Apr 2025

Key takeaways

  • Supervising drivers must be over 21, have a full licence for at least three years, and avoid distractions like mobile phones

  • The learner driver must have a valid provisional licence and learner driver insurance

  • Any damage the learner driver causes will impact the parent’s insurance

Woman taking a driving lesson, in the car with a male driving instructor

Do I need a driving instructor or can I learn with a parent or friend?

Learning in a parent or friend’s car can cut down the number of lessons you need with a qualified driving instructor, saving you time and money. Yet it needs careful consideration and you both need to be happy with the arrangement.

  • You’ll save money if you’re not paying an instructor for driving lessons

  • It’s more flexible as you can go out whenever you’re both free

  • The experience might be less stressful for you if you’re learning with a parent

  • You can go out for more practice sessions and may pass your test quicker

  • There won’t be dual controls in the car

  • If there’s an accident when you’re driving it will impact your parent’s insurance

  • It will only work if you both get on as it can be a tense experience

  • You may pick up the parent’s bad habits

Should I learn to drive with a professional?

Most people use a professional driving instructor when they learn to drive. If you’re able to go out with a parent or other family member as well, this can give you more hours of experience of driving and can help you pass your test faster. If you’re deciding whether to pay an instructor or not, you’ll want to look at the pros and cons of each option first.

  • The instructor is qualified to teach learner drivers and will be used to lots of different driving situations

  • They will know what is likely to come up in the driving test

  • They will be up-to-date with the latest driving rules

  • The car has dual controls and will be insured

  • Driving lessons are expensive

  • There’s less flexibility over when you can go out in the car

  • It may take longer to learn if you’re only having one lesson a week, instead of going out more regularly with a parent or friend in their car

What legal requirements must I follow?

If these rules aren’t followed, the learner could be fined £1,000 and receive six penalty points on their provisional driving licence.

How to teach someone to drive

If you’re taking your child or a friend out in your car, there are lots of things you can both do in advance to make the experience less stressful.

You should have a conversation in advance to talk about what roads the learner wants to drive on, where they feel comfortable, and places where they may feel stressed or anxious. Before you head out, think about where and when you’re going to go for your practice sessions, which manoeuvres to practice and what the weather conditions are expected to be.

When you are on the drive, you’ll need to make sure you’re following these rules:

  • you must not hold and use a mobile phone, sat nav or tables

  • your alcohol level can’t be above the legal limit and you must not be under the influence of drugs or medication

  • the learner can’t drive on a motorway without an approved instructor in a car with dual controls

The learner drive is allowed to have passengers in the car with them and they are responsible for making sure anyone under the age of 14 has a seat belt on.

Insurance is important for learner drivers and there are a few different options for cover. It protects the driver, the vehicle, and also other people on the road and it’s a legal requirement.

Do I need insurance to learn to drive in my parent’s car?

Yes, you need insurance to learn to drive in a parent’s car as this is a legal requirement in the UK. Whatever type of driving licence you have, whether it’s a provisional licence if you’re learning to drive or full licence if you’ve passed, you can’t drive if you do not have car insurance in place.

You can be added as a named driver on a parent’s car insurance policy if you occasionally use their car. This can be a great way of cutting down your insurance costs as it’s often a cheaper way to buy cover than taking out your own policy.

However, you can only do this is the main driver (your parent) drives the car for the majority of the time. If you are added as a named driver but you are using the car more than your parent, this is called fronting and it is illegal.

If you do have an accident as a named driver, your parent will need to make the claim and it will affect their insurance and their no-claims bonus.

You could buy your own learner driver car insurance policy to cover you when you are driving someone else’s car. You’ll be able to drive any other cars with your own policy, as long as the rules are followed.

This is usually more expensive than being a named driver but it means your parent’s insurance won’t be impacted if you do have an accident.

If you only need cover for a short period, such as for the month before your driving test, then temporary or short-term insurance is an option. This could be a cheaper option than taking out your own policy which will be priced on a yearly basis.

How do I record private driving practice?

After each driving lesson with a parent or friend, you should write down what you’ve practiced. You can then show this to your instructor so they know what extra experience you’ve had. You can print off a free driving record from the Gov.uk website or you can fill in this form online.

What do I need to do after passing my driving test?

Congratulations, you’ve passed your driving test and you have no more driving lessons! All the hard work paid off and you will now need to get your full UK licence sorted. Before you head out, you also need to make sure you have the right cover in place with new driver car insurance.