How we check instructors

Every instructor on Sawari is a woman, holds a provincial driving instructor licence, and has been reviewed by a person before her profile went live. Here is precisely what that means, and what it does not.

What we check before a profile is listed

• She is a woman. Sawari lists female instructors only. That is the whole point of the network, and it is confirmed during review.
• Her driving instructor licence. We record her licence number and expiry date. In Ontario this is the licence issued by the Ministry of Transportation to people who teach driving for a fee.
• A copy of her licence and insurance certificate. She sends a photo of each with her application or through a link we email her. We check that both are current and record the expiry dates. We do not assess whether her insurance coverage is adequate; that is between her, her school and her insurer.
• Her driving school. Where the province requires instructors to teach through a licensed school, we record which school, and we may contact it.
• Her attestation. She confirms in writing that her information is accurate, that she keeps the licences and vehicle insurance the law requires, that she will tell us within seven days of any change, and that we may ask for documents at any time.
• A human review. A member of the Sawari team reads every application. We may ask for a copy of her licence before approving.

What we do not check today

We do not currently run a police record check, and we do not assess the adequacy of an instructor’s insurance coverage beyond confirming that a current certificate is on file. We say this plainly because a claim of "fully vetted" that is not true would be worse than no claim at all. If we add further checks, this page will say so.

Ongoing

• Licence and insurance expiry dates are tracked. A profile is hidden automatically when either lapses, and restored once we have verified the renewed document.
• After every introduction, Sawari asks the student whether she connected and, if she did, how the experience was. That feedback is private and is read by Sawari.
• A credible safety concern hides a profile while we look into it. See Safety and reporting.

Your own checks

You are always welcome to ask an instructor to show her licence before your first lesson. A licensed instructor expects the question. Her vehicle must be insured for instruction, and she should be able to tell you which school she teaches through.

Sawari introduces you to independent instructors and their schools, who provide the lessons and remain responsible for them. See our terms.