Pass Plus is a government-backed training course for new drivers, created by the DVSA, that builds real-world experience after you’ve passed your test. It’s made up of six practical modules, has no exam at the end, and can earn you a discount on car insurance with some providers. Whether it’s worth it comes down to your confidence behind the wheel and whether your insurer rewards it, for many new drivers, it’s a sensible way to gain experience in conditions they barely touched while learning.
What is the Pass Plus scheme?
Pass Plus is a structured set of lessons you take with an approved driving instructor after passing your practical test. The idea is simple: the driving test proves you’re safe to drive unsupervised, but most learners have had little practice on motorways, at night, or in bad weather. Pass Plus fills those gaps with guided experience, so you build judgement in genuinely challenging conditions rather than learning the hard way alone.
The six Pass Plus modules
The course covers six areas of driving, usually over a minimum of six hours:
- Town driving, busy junctions, cyclists, pedestrians and complex traffic.
- All-weather driving, handling rain, fog, ice and reduced grip.
- Out-of-town and rural roads, bends, dips, hidden entrances and higher speeds.
- Night driving, using lights correctly and judging speed and distance in the dark.
- Dual carriageways, joining, lane discipline and overtaking safely.
- Motorways, slip roads, merging, lane use and motorway-speed awareness.
There’s no test or pass/fail at the end. Your instructor assesses you continuously against the DVSA’s standards, and once you’ve completed all six modules to that standard, you receive a Pass Plus certificate.
Does the Pass Plus scheme still exist?
Yes, Pass Plus is still run by the DVSA and delivered by registered instructors across the UK. What has changed over the years is how many insurers recognise it: some still offer a meaningful discount, others have dropped it. So the scheme is alive and worthwhile for the driving experience, but the insurance saving depends entirely on your provider.
How much does Pass Plus cost?
There’s no fixed national price, the cost is set by each instructor and varies by area, typically falling somewhere in the region of a normal block of six lessons. Because it’s six-plus hours of one-to-one tuition in varied conditions, it’s priced like any quality instruction. Always confirm the price and what’s included before booking, and check whether your insurer offers a discount first, so you can weigh the cost against the saving.
It’s also worth asking your instructor how the six modules will be scheduled. Some new drivers prefer to spread them over a few weeks so each session, particularly night and motorway driving, falls at a useful time of day; others do them in a concentrated block while their test-standard driving is still fresh. Either way, the course must cover all six areas to the DVSA’s standard before your certificate is issued, so there are no shortcuts on content.
Is Pass Plus worth it?
For a nervous or inexperienced new driver, the practical value is real: you get supervised time on motorways and in poor weather, exactly the situations new drivers crash in most often, before you face them alone. If your insurer also offers a discount, the course can partly or fully pay for itself in the first year. If you’re already confident in all six areas, or your insurer doesn’t recognise it, the case is weaker. The honest answer: it’s worth it when it closes a genuine experience gap or unlocks a real insurance saving.
A note for intensive-course graduates
If you learned on an intensive course, you’ll have covered a lot of ground quickly, but it’s worth being honest about which conditions you’ve actually driven in. If your course didn’t include much night or motorway driving, Pass Plus is a natural next step. The same principle that makes intensive learning effective, concentrated, guided practice, is what makes Pass Plus useful afterwards. You can see how we structure focused training in our step-by-step process, and if you’re still working toward your test, our Improver course and our guide to passing first time will get you there first.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Pass Plus scheme still exist?
Yes, Pass Plus is still run by the DVSA and delivered by approved instructors. The scheme itself is active; what varies is how many insurers offer a discount for completing it, so check with your provider.
How much does Pass Plus cost?
There’s no fixed price, each instructor sets their own, and it’s typically priced like a block of six lessons since the course is at least six hours of tuition. Confirm the cost and what’s included before booking.
Is it worth getting Pass Plus?
It’s worth it if it gives you supervised experience in conditions you haven’t driven much, like motorways, night or bad weather, or if your insurer offers a discount that offsets the cost. For already-confident drivers whose insurer doesn’t recognise it, the benefit is smaller.
How much cheaper is insurance with Pass Plus?
It varies by insurer, some offer a worthwhile discount, others none at all. Always check whether your specific provider recognises Pass Plus and how much they’d knock off before deciding, as the saving isn’t guaranteed.