Driving Lessons in Derby
Derby offers extensive choice with 28 driving schools and 40 independent driving instructors, and pricing is notably competitive at £25 to £40 per hour. Schools have excellent 4.9-star ratings, with 14 offering automatic driving lessons and 9 providing female driving instructors, while there are 6 independent female driving instructors. Derby (Alvaston) and Burton on Trent test centres both show strong pass rates above 51%, based on the latest DVSA data.
- £36
- average price
- 28
- driving schools
- 40
- independent instructors
- 3
- test centres
Top driving schools in Derby by what matters most
The standout school for each of the most-asked questions.
Let's Drive Derby
Cheapest manual driving school in Derby.
A1 Driving Academy
Highest-rated manual driving school in Derby.
A1 Driving Academy
Top-rated for automatic driving lessons in Derby.
A1 Driving Academy
Top-rated manual driving school with female instructors in Derby.
Driving lessons in Derby
28 driving schools and 40 independent instructors.
Don't mind who teaches you?
Fill in the form and we'll find an available instructor.
40 instructors across Derby · Free · Takes less than a minute
Showing 21–28 of 28 driving schools, plus every independent instructor in Derby.
Nationwide Driving School
Nationwide Driving School operates across multiple locations with male and female instructors offering both automatic and manual lessons, backed by hundreds of five-star reviews and an excellent first-time pass rate. The school provides intensive courses alongside standard lessons, with flexible evening and weekend availability. Contact them to discuss pricing and book your lessons online.
WrightStart
Derby's only all-electric automatic driving school with specialist Deaf and BSL support. In-car cameras and an online pupil portal enhance learning, while two-hour lessons help nervous learners and those seeking faster progress gain confidence. Multiple five-star reviews highlight patient instruction and high first-time pass rates.
Cruise Driving School
Derby's leading driving school with 38 five-star Google reviews and a track record of first-attempt passes. Instructors are punctual, patient, and flexible around your schedule, with well-maintained vehicles and competitive pricing across manual, automatic, and fast-track intensive courses.
A-Star Auto & Manual Driving School
100% first-time pass rate across 300+ completed courses, with 20+ years of combined instructor experience. Intensive courses range from 9 hours over 3 days to 50 hours over 13 days, with door-to-door pickup included. Lessons available in English, Punjabi, Hindi, and Urdu, seven days a week to fit your schedule.
Derby Driver Training
16 years' experience with an excellent first-time pass rate, run by a single instructor who tailors lessons to each learner's pace and confidence level. Competitive pricing on standard lessons, refresher courses, motorway training, and intensive courses; contact for current rates. Calm, patient approach backed by consistently strong reviews from learners who praise reliability and flexibility with scheduling.
Crash Course Driving School Derby
Specialising in intensive driving courses that get learners test-ready in as little as one week, with test booking included in every package. Courses range from 5 hours (£265 refresher) to 45 hours (£1400 for complete beginners), tailored to your experience level. Flexible scheduling with instructors available days, evenings and weekends, plus Pass Plus courses available.
Amaar Ahmed
Sonia Akbar
Atif Ali
Said Ali
Michal Balog
Karl Bull
Saeeda Butt
Sean Doherty
Safdar Faiz Raja
Tayyab Farrakh
Mohammed Fazahan Akbar
Andre Francis Ian Ogiste
Marats Galstjans
Marek Gontarz
Lal Habib Khan
Shamis Hameed
Ijazul Haq
Amer Iqbal
Sidra Iqbal
Robert James Aherne
Block booking
Best block deals in Derby
Pay for a block of lessons upfront and the hourly rate drops. The best block here saves you £80.
How much do driving lessons cost in Derby?
Most learners pay £35–£40 an hour. Under £35 is a good deal, over £45 is at the higher end.
Based on prices from 12 driving schools in Derby.
Intensive courses in Derby
Want to pass fast?
15 Derby schools run intensive courses, compressing months of training into days or weeks.
Derby Test Centres and Pass Rates
Derby's three centres saw 24,774 tests between 2025 and 2026, with a 52.1% average pass rate. Burton on Trent posted the highest at 54.7%, where roads mix quieter residential routes with A-road approaches to the town centre and industrial zones. Derby at Alvaston had 51.8%, and Nottingham at Chilwell 49.9%. Women passed at 53.3% in Burton compared to 55.8% for men, while automatic learners saw a 43.9% pass rate there. Waits are just 7 weeks at Derby and 8 weeks at Nottingham, but stretch to 17 weeks at Burton.
Burton on Trent
7,273 tests taken · 17 week waitDerby (Alvaston)
8,086 tests taken · 7 week waitNottingham (Chilwell)
9,415 tests taken · 8 week wait| Test Centre | Female | Male | Automatic | Overall | Tests | Wait |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burton on Trent | 53.3% | 55.8% | 43.9% | 54.7% | 7,273 | 17 weeks |
| Derby (Alvaston) | 49.1% | 54.4% | 46.3% | 51.8% | 8,086 | 7 weeks |
| Nottingham (Chilwell) | 49.1% | 50.5% | 43.4% | 49.9% | 9,415 | 8 weeks |