How Many Driving Lessons Do I Need?

The rough guide

There isn’t a fixed number of driving lessons you need before taking your test. It depends on your previous experience, how regularly you drive, the amount of suitable private practice you get and how quickly you become a safe, independent driver.

There isn’t one number that applies to every learner. A complete beginner starting from their first lesson will usually need more tuition than somebody who already has driving experience, while regular private practice can give you additional time behind the wheel between lessons. Rather than working towards a predetermined number of hours, your progress should be based on whether you can consistently use the skills you’ve learned safely and independently. As your driving develops, your instructor can give you a much better idea of which areas still need work and how close you are to test standard.

What affects how many driving lessons you need?

Several things can affect the amount of tuition you need:

• Previous experience — a complete beginner starts from a different point to somebody who has driven before.
• Lesson frequency — long gaps between lessons can mean spending more time refreshing skills you’ve already covered.
• Private practice — suitable practice between professional lessons can give you more experience applying what you’ve learned.
• Confidence — some learners are comfortable tackling new situations quickly, while others benefit from more time and repetition.
• Consistency — being able to perform a skill once isn’t the same as being able to do it safely every time.
• Independent driving — as you progress, you need to make safe decisions without relying on regular prompts from your instructor.

The number of hours matters less than reaching a point where you can put all of those skills together consistently.

Can I reduce the number of lessons I need?

Regular lessons can help maintain momentum because there’s less time between sessions to forget or become rusty with what you’ve learned.

Suitable private practice can also give you additional experience between lessons, provided you meet the legal requirements and practise safely.

An intensive driving course concentrates lessons into a shorter period, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll need fewer hours of tuition. It changes how frequently you learn rather than guaranteeing you’ll reach test standard in fewer lessons.

How do I know when I’ve had enough driving lessons?

You’re getting closer to test standard when you can drive safely and consistently without needing regular help or reminders from your instructor.

That includes being able to deal with junctions, roundabouts, different road and traffic conditions, manoeuvres and independent driving while making safe decisions for yourself.

Your instructor can identify weaker areas as you progress, and mock driving tests can help show how you perform when you’re receiving less guidance.

Read our driving test preparation guide for more about preparing as your practical test approaches.

How does the number of lessons affect the cost?

The total cost of learning to drive depends partly on how many hours of professional tuition you need.

That means comparing driving schools purely on the hourly lesson price doesn’t tell you what your complete learning journey will cost.

For our current lesson rates and more information about overall costs, see how much driving lessons cost and our driving lesson prices.

Start at your own level

Whether you’re a complete beginner or already have some driving experience, your lessons should start from where you are now rather than from a predetermined number of hours.

Our instructors teach across Torbay and South Devon and will adapt your lessons as your skills and confidence develop.

If you’re completely new to driving, see our beginner driving lessons or read what happens on your first driving lesson.

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