25 Best Driving Schools in Nottingham for 2026

🚗 25 driving schools · 📍 Nottingham
✓ Verified Google reviews · ✓ Reviewed regularly · ✓ Updated 2 June 2026
Mark Reid
Written by Mark Reid, Driving Schools Editor · Verified 2 June 2026
Passing your driving test changes things in a way that's hard to overstate. It's the difference between relying on a bus that doesn't run past 10pm and driving home yourself, between turning down a job because it's not on a tram route and actually taking it, between being the parent who can do the school run and the one who can't. Whether you're a 17-year-old who's just got their provisional licence, an adult who learned years ago but let their skills lapse, someone who's failed a test before and is trying to rebuild their confidence, or a newcomer to Nottingham who needs to get mobile quickly, finding the right instructor makes a real difference to how quickly and calmly that happens.

Every business on this page was drawn from third-party public business listings and ranked by public review rating and review count, with a small lift applied to those that show a working website and phone number. We read each business's homepage to confirm that driving tuition is what they primarily offer, which is how unrelated trades get filtered out. Any listing flagged as permanently closed is removed automatically. Where you see a Trust Verified badge next to a business, that school has additionally passed our full verification process, covering trade qualifications and accreditations, public liability insurance, trading history, customer review history, and registered company information. You can see everything that check covers on our How We Verify page. For any business on this page that doesn't carry that badge, those checks have not been done by us, and it's worth carrying them out yourself before you commit to booking.

Before you hand over any money, there are a few things worth confirming directly with any instructor. Ask whether they're registered with the DVSA as an Approved Driving Instructor and check their ADI badge, which should be green for fully qualified instructors. Find out what car you'll be learning in, whether dual controls are fitted, and whether the car is covered by the instructor's business insurance for learner drivers. Ask what the lesson cancellation policy is, because some schools charge the full lesson fee for short-notice cancellations. If you're buying a block of lessons upfront, clarify what happens to unused lessons if you pass early or decide to move to a different instructor. Comparing two or three schools before booking is sensible, not just on price but on lesson structure and pass rates if the instructor is willing to share them.
How We Select & Rate The Best Driving Schools in Nottingham

Rankings on this page are driven by public review rating and review count from third-party business listings, with a small lift for businesses that show a working website and phone number. We check each business's homepage to confirm that driving tuition is what they primarily offer, keeping unrelated trades off the page. Permanently closed listings are removed automatically. Businesses carrying a Trust Verified badge have additionally passed our full verification, covering qualifications, insurance, trading history, customer review history, and registered company information. See our How We Verify page for the full list. Other businesses on this page have not been independently verified by us, and inclusion here is not an endorsement. Always do your own checks before booking.

Positions 1–5 (Recommended and Featured) may be paid placements. Every other listing is ranked on rating and review count from third-party business listings. How we rank & verify →

Quick Comparison — Driving Schools in Nottingham

# Business Rating Reviews Phone
1 Lesson Plus Driving School - Automatic & Manual. Recommended ⭐ 5.0 434 +44 7577 877335 View →
2 1st Driving School Ltd Featured ⭐ 4.7 468 +44 800 019 7745 View →
3 drivinglesson.com Featured ⭐ 4.8 331 +44 800 107 5724 View →
4 Drive with George Featured ⭐ 5.0 196 +44 7852 990684 View →
5 Gears Driving School Featured ⭐ 4.9 223 +44 7849 232159 View →
6 Secure A Pass Driving School ⭐ 5.0 181 +44 7580 949494 View →
7 DriveBase School of Motoring (Auto & Manual) ⭐ 5.0 162 +44 7411 219977 View →
8 Russ Chaplin Driving Lessons Nottingham ⭐ 4.9 167 +44 7932 458838 View →
9 PassWithMus Driving School ⭐ 5.0 101 +44 7300 500033 View →
10 passquik ⭐ 5.0 100 +44 7306 824037 View →
11 Rana School Of Motoring ⭐ 5.0 87 +44 115 970 5689 View →
12 Esk driving school ⭐ 5.0 85 +44 7378 449948 View →
13 Wicked Pass Driving School ⭐ 4.7 153 +44 7966 353535 View →
14 Pass Intensive Automatic Driving School ⭐ 5.0 134 View →
15 Cruise2pass driving school ⭐ 5.0 71 +44 7898 215538 View →
16 Liam Page Driver Training ⭐ 5.0 68 +44 7460 902024 View →
17 Town driving school ⭐ 5.0 51 +44 7861 630183 View →
18 City Driving Academy ⭐ 5.0 51 +44 7800 752158 View →
19 B&Z Driving School Ltd ⭐ 5.0 45 +44 7309 096666 View →
20 RJ Driving School ⭐ 5.0 43 +44 7838 263618 View →
21 300 Driving School ⭐ 5.0 43 +44 7727 957061 View →
22 CTautolearner - Driving School Nottingham ⭐ 5.0 37 +44 7748 874630 View →
23 Malik Driving School (M.D.S) ⭐ 5.0 36 +44 7508 278883 View →
24 Nirvana Driving School ⭐ 4.9 33 +44 800 122 3944 View →
25 Bilal Driving School ⭐ 5.0 23 +44 7940 060588 View →

Our Top Picks

6
Secure A Pass Driving School
Not Verified
5.0 (181 reviews)
Nottingham +44 7580 949494

Secure A Pass Driving School provides driving instruction services to learners across Nottingham and surrounding areas. Based in New Basford, the school has earned a 5-star Google rating from 180 verified customer reviews. Their qualified instructors offer structured driving lessons designed to help students develop the skills and confidence needed to pass their driving test.

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7
DriveBase School of Motoring (Auto & Manual)
Not Verified
5.0 (162 reviews)
Nottingham +44 7411 219977

DriveBase School of Motoring offers comprehensive driving instruction for both automatic and manual vehicles throughout Nottingham, operating from their NG8 base. The driving school maintains an exceptional 5-star rating from 162 verified customer reviews, reflecting their commitment to quality tuition. Their experienced instructors provide tailored lessons to help learners develop confident driving skills and successfully pass their driving tests.

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8
Russ Chaplin Driving Lessons Nottingham
Not Verified
4.9 (167 reviews)
Nottingham +44 7932 458838

Russ Chaplin Driving Lessons Nottingham provides professional driving instruction services throughout the Nottingham area, operating from St. Alban's Road in the NG6 postcode. The driving school has earned a strong reputation with customers, maintaining a 4.9 out of 5 star rating from 167 verified Google reviews. Students receive comprehensive driving tuition designed to help them develop the skills and confidence needed to pass their driving test.

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9
PassWithMus Driving School
Not Verified
5.0 (101 reviews)
Nottingham +44 7300 500033

PassWithMus Driving School provides driving instruction services throughout Nottingham, operating from their Arnold Road base in the NG5 area. The driving school maintains a perfect 5-star rating from 100 verified Google reviews, indicating consistent customer satisfaction with their tuition methods. Students can access their services through their dedicated website at passwithmus.co.uk.

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10
passquik
Not Verified
5.0 (100 reviews)
Nottingham +44 7306 824037

passquik is a driving school based in Nottingham, providing driving lessons and instruction to learners across the local area. With a perfect 5/5 star rating from 98 verified customer reviews, the school operates from Albert Grove in the NG7 postcode area. The instructors focus on helping students develop the skills and confidence needed to pass their driving test.

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11
Rana School Of Motoring
Not Verified
5.0 (87 reviews)
Nottingham +44 115 970 5689

Rana School Of Motoring provides professional driving instruction services to learners across Nottingham and the surrounding NG8 area. The driving school has earned a perfect 5/5 star rating from 87 verified customer reviews, reflecting their commitment to quality tuition. Based in Newtondale Close, they offer comprehensive driving lessons to help students develop the skills and confidence needed to pass their driving test.

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12
Esk driving school
Not Verified
5.0 (85 reviews)
Nottingham +44 7378 449948

Esk driving school provides comprehensive driving instruction services throughout Nottingham, operating from their base in Lenton. The driving school has earned a perfect 5-star rating from 82 verified customer reviews, reflecting their consistent approach to helping learners develop safe driving skills. They serve the NG7 area and surrounding Nottingham neighbourhoods with professional driving lessons.

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13
Wicked Pass Driving School
Not Verified
4.7 (153 reviews)
Nottingham +44 7966 353535

Wicked Pass Driving School provides driving instruction services across Nottingham, operating from their base in the NG8 area. The school has earned a strong reputation with customers, maintaining a 4.7-star rating from 153 verified Google reviews. Their website offers additional information about lesson packages and instructor availability for learner drivers in the local area.

Read more →
14
Pass Intensive Automatic Driving School
Not Verified
5.0 (134 reviews)
Nottingham

Pass Intensive Automatic Driving School provides intensive automatic driving lessons throughout Nottingham from their base on Melbury Road. The school has earned a perfect 5-star rating from 134 verified customer reviews, reflecting their focused approach to helping learners master automatic transmission vehicles. Their intensive course structure is designed to help students build confidence and skills efficiently in the Nottingham area.

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15
Cruise2pass driving school
Not Verified
5.0 (71 reviews)
Nottingham +44 7898 215538

Cruise2pass driving school provides driving tuition services across Nottingham, operating from their Wollaton base on Elvaston Road. The school maintains an exceptional 5-star rating from 65 verified customer reviews on Google. They offer comprehensive driving lessons to help learners develop the skills and confidence needed to pass their driving test.

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16
Liam Page Driver Training
Not Verified
5.0 (68 reviews)
Nottingham +44 7460 902024

Liam Page Driver Training provides professional driving instruction services across Nottingham, operating from their base on Nethermere Lane in the NG8 area. The driving school has earned a perfect 5-star rating from 68 verified customer reviews on Google. They offer comprehensive learner driver tuition to help students develop the skills and confidence needed to pass their driving test.

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17
Town driving school
Not Verified
5.0 (51 reviews)
Nottingham +44 7861 630183

Town driving school provides driving instruction services to learners across Nottingham, operating from their base in the NG3 area. The school has earned a perfect 5-star rating from 50 verified customer reviews on Google. Students can access further information about their services through their dedicated website.

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18
City Driving Academy
Not Verified
5.0 (51 reviews)
Nottingham +44 7800 752158

City Driving Academy provides comprehensive driving instruction services throughout Nottingham, operating from their base on Staunton Drive in the NG5 area. The driving school maintains an exceptional 5-star rating from 51 verified customer reviews, reflecting their commitment to quality tuition. Their experienced instructors help learners develop the skills and confidence needed to pass their driving test and become safe, competent drivers.

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19
B&Z Driving School Ltd
Not Verified
5.0 (45 reviews)
Nottingham +44 7309 096666

B&Z Driving School Ltd provides professional driving instruction services throughout Nottingham, helping learners develop the skills and confidence needed to pass their driving test. The school maintains a perfect 5-star rating from 45 verified customer reviews on Google. Their qualified instructors offer structured lessons tailored to individual learning needs and progress.

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20
RJ Driving School
Not Verified
5.0 (43 reviews)
Nottingham +44 7838 263618

RJ Driving School provides driving instruction services across Nottingham, operating from their New Basford base in the NG7 area. The school has earned a perfect 5-star rating from 40 verified customer reviews on Google. Their experienced instructors offer comprehensive driving lessons to help students develop the skills needed to pass their driving test.

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21
300 Driving School
Not Verified
5.0 (43 reviews)
Nottingham +44 7727 957061

300 Driving School provides driving instruction services from their base on Middleton Boulevard in Nottingham. The school has earned a perfect 5-star rating from 41 verified customer reviews on Google. They serve learner drivers throughout the Nottingham area, helping students develop the skills needed to pass their driving test.

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22
CTautolearner - Driving School Nottingham
Not Verified
5.0 (37 reviews)
Nottingham +44 7748 874630

CTautolearner - Driving School Nottingham provides driving instruction services from their base on Radford Road in the NG7 area. The school maintains a 5-star rating across 37 verified Google reviews, reflecting consistent customer satisfaction with their tuition. They serve learner drivers throughout Nottingham, helping students develop the skills and confidence needed to pass their driving test.

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23
Malik Driving School (M.D.S)
Not Verified
5.0 (36 reviews)
Nottingham +44 7508 278883

Malik Driving School (M.D.S) provides professional driving instruction services throughout Nottingham, helping learners develop the skills and confidence needed to pass their driving test. The school has earned a perfect 5-star rating from 35 verified customer reviews, reflecting their commitment to quality tuition. Students can find additional information about their courses and booking options through their dedicated website.

Read more →
24
Nirvana Driving School
Not Verified
4.9 (33 reviews)
Nottingham +44 800 122 3944

Nirvana Driving School provides professional driving instruction across Nottingham from their base on Wollaton Street in the city centre. The school has earned a strong reputation with a 4.9/5 star rating from 33 verified customer reviews. Their qualified instructors offer comprehensive driving lessons to help learners develop the skills and confidence needed to pass their driving test.

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25
Bilal Driving School
Not Verified
5.0 (23 reviews)
Nottingham +44 7940 060588

Bilal Driving School provides comprehensive driving instruction services to learners across Nottingham and surrounding areas. Based on Leybourne Drive in the NG5 area, the school has earned a perfect 5-star rating from 23 verified customer reviews on Google. Students can access professional driving lessons through qualified instructors who focus on building confidence and road safety skills.

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Transparency notice: Recommended (#1) and Featured (positions 2-5) listings may be paid placements, so a business's fee affects whether and where it appears in those positions. All other listings are ranked by a combined score drawn from ratings and review counts published on third-party business listings, plus basic completeness signals such as a working website and phone. A Trust Verified badge means we have independently checked that business's documents; businesses without it have not been independently verified by us. How we verify →

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a driving lesson cost in Nottingham?
Most driving instructors in Nottingham charge between £35 and £45 for a standard one-hour lesson. Some instructors in and around the city centre or with particularly strong pass rates sit at the higher end, while instructors based further out in areas like Arnold, Beeston, or Clifton may be slightly cheaper. Block booking deals, where you pay upfront for ten or more lessons, often bring the per-lesson cost down to around £30 to £38. Intensive crash courses that get you test-ready in a week or two typically cost £600 to £900 depending on how many hours are included. It's perfectly normal to get quotes from two or three instructors before deciding, and don't just compare the hourly rate, compare what's included and how structured the tuition is.
How many lessons does it typically take to pass your driving test in Nottingham?
The DVSA's own research has long put the average at around 45 hours of professional tuition, usually combined with some private practice. In practice, the number varies enormously depending on how naturally driving clicks for you, how much private practice you can fit in between lessons, and how consistent your lessons are. Some learners pass in 25 to 30 hours; others take 60 or more. Nottingham's mix of dual carriageways, ring road junctions, and busy city-centre routes means test routes are genuinely varied, so instructors who know the local test centres at Colwick or Watnall will usually spend time on the specific manoeuvres and junction types that come up there most often.
What's the difference between an ADI and a PDI, and does it matter?
An ADI (Approved Driving Instructor) is fully qualified and registered with the DVSA. They carry a green badge, which you're entitled to ask to see before your first lesson. A PDI (Potential Driving Instructor) is a trainee who is allowed to charge for lessons while completing their training. PDIs carry a pink badge and are legally limited to 40 hours of paid tuition until they pass their qualifying test. Lessons with a PDI can be cheaper, sometimes by £5 to £10 an hour, but the quality varies more. If you're a particularly nervous learner or want consistency throughout, booking with a fully qualified ADI is the safer choice.
Should I do an intensive driving course or regular weekly lessons?
It depends on how you learn and how soon you need your licence. Intensive courses, sometimes called crash courses, compress everything into a week or two and can get some learners to test standard quickly, particularly those who've had some previous experience. The downside is that your brain doesn't get the same consolidation time between sessions that weekly lessons allow. Most driving instructors in Nottingham offer both formats. If you're a complete beginner with no previous experience at all, a hybrid approach, a few weeks of regular lessons followed by an intensive block before your test, often works well. Be realistic about the cost too. A full intensive course including the test fee can come to £700 or more.
Can I take driving lessons in an automatic car in Nottingham?
Yes, several instructors in Nottingham teach in automatic cars. The main thing to understand is that an automatic licence only allows you to drive automatic vehicles. If you pass in a manual, you can drive both. Many people choose automatic lessons because they find it much less stressful, particularly if anxiety around gear changes has caused them to fail a test before. For some learners, especially those with certain physical conditions or disabilities, automatic is the practical choice regardless. Lessons in automatic cars tend to cost roughly the same as manual lessons, though availability varies, so it's worth confirming early whether an instructor's automatic car fits your schedule.
How do I check whether a driving instructor in Nottingham is legitimate and worth booking?
Start by asking to see their ADI badge before your first lesson. A green badge means they're fully qualified; a pink one means they're still training. You can also check the DVSA's official ADI register online, which lets you search by name or postcode to confirm they're listed. Look at their public reviews on third-party listings and read a spread of them, not just the most recent five. Ask them directly for their first-time pass rate if they're comfortable sharing it. Check what car you'll be learning in and confirm dual controls are fitted. Ask about their cancellation policy before paying for a block of lessons. If you're buying lessons upfront, get the terms in writing, including what happens to unused lessons. Businesses on this page that carry a Trust Verified badge have been through an additional layer of checks covering qualifications, insurance, and trading history, but for those without that badge, carrying out these steps yourself is important before booking.