How DrivingMarket uses your information

Last updated: 2 October 2026

1. Information we collect

Learner information may include name, email address, age, postcode area, lesson preferences, availability, chosen transmission, preferred start date and anything entered in a notes field. School and instructor information may include business and contact details, ADI number, service areas, vehicle information, biography, membership and verification status, offers, an optional logo and job-vacancy details.

We also collect account and service records such as access sessions, shortlists, accepted offers, reports, support messages, notification history and basic technical or security logs. Stripe receives payment and billing information when a school buys membership. We do not receive or store full card details.

2. Where information comes from

Most information comes directly from you. We also create records when you use the service, receive limited payment status from Stripe, and may receive reports from other marketplace users or verification information from lawful public sources.

3. Why we use information and our lawful bases

We use information to provide requested marketplace and account services, deliver and compare offers, administer memberships, respond to support requests and take steps before entering a contract. We use our legitimate interests to operate a useful and safe marketplace, verify schools, prevent fraud and misuse, handle reports, secure and improve the service, and understand the pilot’s performance. We use information to comply with legal, tax, accounting and law-enforcement obligations where required. We will rely on consent before sending optional electronic marketing or using any non-essential cookies that require it.

4. What other users see

Schools see a learner’s first name, age, outward postcode, availability and lesson preferences. They do not see the learner’s email address or full postcode before contact is released as part of the accepted-offer journey. Learners see a school’s trading name, ADI number, profile, logo, vehicle, offer and verification status. Job-board users see information deliberately included in a vacancy or instructor profile.

5. Who we share information with

We share limited information with other users as described above and with suppliers that help us host, secure, support, email and operate the service. Stripe processes school membership payments under its own privacy notice. We may also share information with professional advisers, insurers, prospective purchasers of the business, regulators, courts, law-enforcement bodies or other parties where disclosure is required by law or reasonably necessary to protect people and the marketplace.

6. International transfers

Some suppliers may process information outside the United Kingdom. Where UK data-protection law requires safeguards, we use an adequacy regulation, approved contractual protections or another lawful transfer mechanism and apply appropriate security measures.

7. How long we keep information

We keep information only for as long as reasonably needed for the purposes described here. Requests are normally open for 48 hours, but related account, offer and safety records may be retained afterwards to support users, prevent fraud and resolve disputes. Membership, invoice and transaction records are normally retained for up to six years after the relevant relationship or accounting period. Security records are kept for a shorter period unless needed for an investigation. We may retain a minimal suppression record after deletion where needed to respect an opt-out or prevent misuse.

8. Your rights

Depending on the circumstances, you may ask for access to your information, correction, deletion, restriction, portability, or object to processing based on legitimate interests. You may withdraw consent at any time without affecting earlier processing. We may need to confirm your identity and may retain information where the law permits or requires it. Email hello@drivingmarket.co.uk to exercise a right.

You may complain to the UK Information Commissioner’s Office at ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint. We would appreciate the opportunity to address your concern first.

9. Children and sensitive information

The learner marketplace is intended for people aged 17 or over. A parent or guardian helping a learner should provide only information necessary for the request. Please do not put medical details, financial information, identity documents or other sensitive information in free-text fields unless we specifically ask for it through a secure process.

10. Cookies and security

DrivingMarket currently uses essential session storage or cookies needed to keep accounts signed in and protect the service. We do not currently use non-essential advertising cookies. If this changes, we will update this notice and obtain consent where required. We use restricted administrator access, limited disclosure between users and reasonable technical and organisational safeguards, but no online service can promise absolute security.

11. Changes to this notice

We may update this notice when the service, suppliers or law changes. The latest version will appear here with a revised date, and we will give additional notice where a change materially affects how personal information is used.