Mohammad Yasin v Registrar of Approved Driving Instructors

Facts

The appellant, Mohammad Yasin, has never been entered on the Register of Approved Driving Instructors. To qualify as an approved driving instructor a candidate must pass a three-part Qualifying Examination, with three attempts permitted at each part, and a candidate who has passed the driving ability test may be granted a trainee licence under s.129 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 allowing paid instruction before qualification. Having passed the Part 2 test on 25 April 2025, the appellant was granted such a licence, valid from 16 June 2025 to 15 December 2025. He applied for a further licence on 11 December 2025, and by an email of 15 December 2025 was notified that the Registrar was considering refusal. He made representations on 5 January 2026, explaining that medical circumstances — gastrointestinal investigations and treatment under an NHS trust — had delayed his training. The Registrar refused the application on 29 January 2026, relying principally on the appellant's failure to complete the minimum 20 hours of training within the first three months of the licence, on the purpose of the licensing system, and on his two failed instructional ability tests and two cancelled bookings. The appellant appealed to the First-tier Tribunal by form GRC1 dated 12 February 2026, contending that the refusal was wrong and disproportionate.