National Driver Offender Retraining Scheme Terms and Conditions

Please Note: After completing your course booking if you do not receive confirmation within 5 working days, please contact the Driver Training Team below.

Telephone 0330 222 8999 or email driver.training@westsussex.gov.uk
Opening times 08:30 to 16:00 – Monday to Friday

We recommend that you check the date, time and location of the venue prior to your course date. When planning your journey please allow plenty of time to arrive at the venue, taking into account the travelling conditions you are likely to encounter. It is important that you arrive in time for registration; late arrivals will be refused admittance onto the course. The course fee will not be reimbursed and you will be deemed to have not completed the course.

Course Provider

All courses are administered and delivered by East and West Sussex County Councils on behalf of Sussex Police. The scheme is run in accordance with national guidelines set by the National Driver Offender Retraining Scheme (NDORS).

Whilst the courses are offered as an alternative to prosecution, it is subject to availability and Sussex Driver Training are under no obligation to ensure that you are allocated a place on a course. At any time prior to course completion you can still be prosecuted for the original offence.

Clients who decide to attend a course outside of Sussex will be subject to that service provider’s own criterion. We cannot guarantee that clients will be offered a place on another service provider’s course. If a place is accepted, then that service provider’s terms and conditions will apply.

Time Limits

It is a condition of the offer that you complete the course within the time-frame set out by your referring Police Force. If you are unable to complete the course within this time-frame, for whatever reason, then your offer of a course will be withdrawn and returned to the referring Police Force for their consideration.

Course Fees

You are responsible for paying the course fee 10 clear working days prior to course attendance. Failure to make payment within this timeframe will result in you being removed from the course. We regret that we are unable to accept payment by cash, cheque or payments by instalments.

Course Attendance

No one under the age of 16 is permitted to attend the course.

If you fail to attend a course, arrive late, are refused entry because you are unable to produce the required documentation or are asked to leave during the course, then it may be possible to offer you an alternative course date subject to availability and the timeframe set out by your referring Police Force. This will be subject to a course re-booking fee.

When you agree to attend a course, the place is allocated for you and no one else. It is an offence for another person to attend the course in your place. If this occurs, the referring Police Force will immediately be informed and your offer of a course will be withdrawn and may result in prosecution.

To complete the course you must attend in person, arrive on time, produce an acceptable form of photographic identification, be present for the entire duration, complete all course paperwork and participate fully in a respectful manner demonstrating a willingness to improve your driving skills.

Abusive or inappropriate language, threatening or disruptive behaviour towards staff or other clients will result in you being removed from the course. Clients should not wear clothing which is likely to cause embarrassment or offence. The course fee will not be reimbursed in this event and you will be deemed to have not completed the course. Your offer of a course will be withdrawn and returned to the referring Police Force for their consideration.

Electrical Devices including Mobile Phones

All electrical devices, including mobile phones, must be turned off; failure to adhere to this will result in you being removed from the course. The course fee will not be reimbursed in this event and you will be deemed to have not completed the course. Your offer of a course will be withdrawn and returned to the referring Police Force for their consideration.

Photographic Identification – Driving Licence Required for All Courses

A condition of attendance on a NDORS course and subsequent completion will be that when you attend the course, you must produce a driving licence either:

  • A photocard driving licence as proof of identification, or
  • A paper licence which must be supported by another form of corroborative photographic evidence (Contact us or Driver Training on 0330 222 8999 for accepted examples of photographic ID).

We can only accept original identification (electronic copies or photocopies cannot be accepted).

When you arrive at the course, failure to produce a paper driving licence with additional photographic identification or a photocard licence will disqualify you from participating any further and the matter may revert to criminal proceedings. If the photograph has expired (field 4b on your licence gives the expiry date of the photograph) please do not book a course until you have surrendered it to the DVLA for your photograph to be renewed and it has been returned to you.

Renewing your photograph is easy and may prevent you from being summonsed to attend the Magistrates Court if you are found driving a motor vehicle and have an expired photo. It may also prevent you from receiving a criminal conviction and potentially a maximum fine of £1000. To renew your licence please visit your post office to obtain the relevant form or visit https://www.gov.uk/change-photo-driving-licence. The form and website both explain all the options available to you.

If you do not have any of these please contact the Driver Training Team immediately to discuss your options. A suitable alternative can be accepted, but only with the prior arrangement & agreement of the Driver Training Team.

For any queries regarding your UK licence please contact the DVLA on 0300 790 6801 or visit their website at https://www.gov.uk/browse/driving/driving-licences.

Additional Requirements

Please tell us in advance if you have any additional requirements by calling on 0330 222 8999 and every effort will be made to accommodate these.
Additional requirements may include arranging:

  • A private room for breastfeeding / prayer / worship.
  • A BSL Interpreter.
  • An interpreter – you can bring an interpreter with you if you inform us in advance. They must be over 16 years of age and will need to bring suitable photographic identification with them.
  • Private sign in facilities for clients wearing head dress or other garments that cover the face.

If no indication or request for any additional requirements has been made, then we cannot be held responsible should you be unable to complete the course.

Failure to Attend and Refunds

If you are unable to attend a course, you must inform the Driver Training Team either by phone or e-mail as soon as possible.

If you fail to attend a course, rearrange or cancel within 10 clear working days of the course date, arrive late or are refused entry to a course because you are unable to produce the required documentation or asked to leave during the course, then it may be possible to offer you an alternative course date subject to availability and the timeframe set out by your referring Police Force. This is subject to payment of a course re-booking fee.

Please note that difficulties individuals may face with work or childcare issues are not considered valid reasons for non-attendance at a course and will be subject to a re-booking fee.

If an alternative course is not available or requested, your offer of a course will be withdrawn and returned to the referring Police Force for their consideration. You will be issued with a refund minus full course costs.

Under certain circumstances (outlined below) you may either arrange another course date free of charge or receive a full refund:

  • Receipt of a medical certificate or letter (self-certification will not be accepted).
  • Notification of hospital appointment.
  • Bereavement.

Appropriate written proof of these circumstances will be required for the purpose of fee waiver authorisation. Please note that no confidential /personal information will be retained.

Course Alterations or Cancellation

It may be necessary, due to reasons beyond our control for us to cancel or alter the date or time of your course at short notice.

Such instances are rare but in the event of rescheduling for any reason, every effort will be made to offer you another course date at your convenience. This is subject to availability and in all cases must be within the timeframe set out by your referring Police Force. If this cannot be arranged, then a full refund will be given to you and your file returned to the referring Police Force, who will then advise you of the next course of action.

The course provider will not be liable for any additional expenses that may be incurred through any changes.

Complaints Procedure

More information about our complaints procedure can be provided on request from West Sussex County Council.