Australia Faces Driving Instructor Shortages: Key Findings & Insights

Australia is grappling with a nationwide driving instructor shortage.

As the nation’s largest platform for booking driving lessons, we are dedicated to improving the standards of driver education across Australia and ensuring that learners receive the best possible foundation for safe and confident driving. Our analysis of first-party data reveals a nationwide shortage of driving instructors, despite surging demand. And the situation is only set to worsen, with the ABS reporting a 3.2% decline in instructors over the past year.

There is also a significant gender imbalance in the industry, with women making up only 23% of Australia's 6,000 instructors. This shortage of female instructors impacts learners by making it more difficult to find and book a female instructor. 

With the current shortage of driving instructors in Australia, we set out to identify where the need for more instructors is greatest. By analysing a combination of EzLicence data and ABS statistics, we uncovered the cities and states facing the biggest instructor shortages compared to the number of learner drivers, as well as the areas with the largest shortage of female instructors.

 

The states where driving instructor shortages are most severe

 

Queensland faces a significant shortage of automatic and manual driving instructors. With a national average of 13.1 automatic instructors per 100 learners, QLD has just 8.1 automatic instructors per 100 learners. The same is true for manual instructors, with Queensland’s 7.1 manual instructors per 100 learners well below the national average of 10.7 per 100 learners. We expect this situation to worsen, with massive population influx driving a 17% surge in demand for automatic lessons that far outstrips this state’s 8.5% growth in instructors. Western Australia and South Australia also show shortages, with only 10.5 and 11.3 automatic instructors per 100 learners, respectively. Interestingly, these two states recorded the highest growth in search volumes for driving instructors, highlighting the increasing demand.

 

The cities where driving instructor shortages are most severe

 

Automatic driving instructors 

 

The Sunshine Coast has the most acute shortage of automatic driving instructors, offering less than half the national average at just 6.3 instructors per 100 learners, vs 13.1 to 100 learners nationally. Three other Queensland cities also rank among the top five for instructor shortages. Brisbane comes in third with 8 instructors per 100 learners, followed by the Gold Coast in fourth with 8.4, and Cairns in fifth with 9. La Trobe is the only area outside of Queensland that makes the top five cities with the greatest shortage of instructors. Ranking in second place, La Trobe has 7.7 instructors per 100 learners. 

 

Manual driving instructors 

 

With just 3% of new cars on Australian roads being manual, it’s no surprise that manual driving instructors are in even shorter supply. On average, only 10.7 manual instructors are available for every 100 learners. 

Wollongong has the greatest shortage of manual driving instructors, with just 4.4 instructors per 100 learners. And as with automatic instructors, three Queensland cities feature in the top five - the Sunshine Coast ranks second with 5.4 instructors per 100 learners, followed by Brisbane in third with 7.1, and the Gold Coast in fourth with 7.2. Perth rounds out the top five with 8.5 manual instructors per 100 learners.

 

The states with the most severe shortage of female driving instructors

 

Women remain heavily underrepresented in the driving instructor industry across all states, highlighting a significant gender disparity that limits options for learners. According to ABS data, South Australia faces the greatest imbalance, where only 16% of driving instructors are female. The ACT follows closely behind, where just 18% of instructors are women, while Tasmania sees only a slightly higher figure at 19%.

 

Female driving instructor shortages by transmission 

 

Nationwide, the number of female driving instructors per 100 learners is low, with just 2.9 female automatic driving instructors per 100 learners, and an even lower 1.9 for manual learners. This is true across the country, with no states having more than 4 female driving instructors per 100 learners. 

Victoria leads the way for automatic learners, but still only provides 3.9 female instructors per 100 learners, followed by Western Australia with 3.0. For manual learners, the gender imbalance is even more stark, with most states offering fewer than 2 female instructors per 100 learners.

The shortage of female instructors across the country impacts learners and limits the choice available for students, particularly those who may prefer or feel more comfortable learning with a female instructor. 

 

The cities with the most severe shortage of female driving instructors

 

Automatic driving instructors 

 

Both regional centres and capital cities across Australia are experiencing shortages of female automatic driving instructors. On EzLicence, female instructors are currently unavailable in markets such as Bendigo, Canberra, and NSW’s Central Coast, highlighting the broader challenge of accessibility for learners seeking a female instructor.

Even in major capital cities, the numbers remain low. Adelaide, Brisbane, Sydney, and Perth each have fewer than 3 female automatic instructors per 100 learners. 

 

Manual driving instructors 

 

For manual learners, the shortage is just as concerning, with an average of only 1.9 female instructors to 100 learners, and none currently available to book in Wollongong via EzLicence. Perth, Sunshine Coast and Brisbane all fall under the national average. 

 

If you're a driving instructor—or considering becoming one—now is the perfect time to join the industry and meet this growing demand. Learn more about the platform's tools for success and how EzLicence can connect you with learners in your area!

 

Tobi Pearce, Founder & CEO, at EzLicence comments: 

"Finding a driving instructor can be challenging, especially with growing demand and ongoing shortages. Our research highlights an acute shortage of female instructors across the country, limiting options for learners who feel more comfortable with a female teacher. Addressing this gap presents a significant opportunity to expand learner choices and ensure they can find the right instructor for their needs. 

This shortage also presents a tremendous opportunity for women to step into a rewarding and flexible career as a driving instructor. If you're considering a career change or looking for a meaningful way to make a difference, we encourage you to reach out to EzLicence to learn how to get started.”

 

About the data 

EzLicence leverages exclusive first-party data insights designed to elevate driver education standards across Australia.  The data gathered for this research consists of first party EzLicence data of learner drivers and driving instructors for the 12 month period spanning November 2023 - October 2024, inclusive. The data includes all locations where instructors are available on the platform, analysing more than 3,000 suburbs in over 40 cities and regions across 7 states and territories in Australia (excl. Northern Territory, where EzLicence does not currently operate).

First party data is supplemented by government data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS, 2021 Census and Labour Force Survey, Detailed, August 2024 as compiled by Jobs and Skills Australia). The Count of Driving Instructors includes those who are employed in this occupation as their main job. 

The purpose of this report is to highlight key areas where there are driving instructor disparities by location, transmission type and gender. Instructors per 100 learners is used as a measure of instructor availability. This is calculated by using the average number of monthly learners, divided by the average of monthly driving instructors on the EzLicence platform. States and cities that did not meet minimum numbers for learners have been excluded from rate calculations.

The number of driving instructors is not mutually exclusive across transmission and location, and therefore sums may not be equivalent to totals (i.e. Instructors may be available for automatic and manual, as well as across different locations).

The information on this page is intended as a general guide or indicator only. Percentages may not sum due to rounding.