Viktorija Zileviciute v Registrar of Approved Driving Instructors

Facts

The appellant, Viktorija Zileviciute, held a trainee driving instructor licence of six months' duration, running from 28 July 2025 to 27 January 2026, granted so that she could gain sufficient experience to pass the Part 3 instructional ability test and qualify as an Approved Driving Instructor. On 5 January 2026 she applied to the Registrar of Approved Driving Instructors for a second trainee licence. She made representations on 21 January 2026 explaining that she had experienced difficulties with the availability of her trainer, Red Driving School, and had suffered a family bereavement affecting her ability to complete her training on time. By a decision dated 26 February 2026 the Registrar refused the application, on the basis that she had failed to comply with the conditions of her existing licence in that her Form ADI21 training record and training objectives had not been completed within the first three months of the licence period, and that a further six months had already given her more than adequate time to reach the qualifying standard. The appellant appealed to the First-tier Tribunal on 11 March 2026, contending that Red Driving School had not delivered five of her expected 20 hours of in-car training and that the refusal was unfair and damaging to her career and livelihood.