Drilon Hasaj, 30, gave his provisional licence to a person he met through Instagram so they could sit the exam – and they passed.
But investigators later examined CCTV at the centre in Uxbridge and rumbled them
Hasaj later admitted to supplying his driving licence for use in fraud.
He was sentenced to a 12-month community order and fined £1,653 at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, November 5.
The court heard Hasaj sent “a couple of messages” to an account on Instagram with the plan that an impostor would take his driving theory test for him.
The dad-of-two then gave his provisional licence to the unnamed person, who took the exam at a Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) facility.
However, the DVSA’s counter fraud team later checked the centre’s CCTV and realised that the person who took the test was not Hasaj.
The agency wrote to him and informed him of their findings and he did not appeal, the court heard.
He was then interviewed in June 2025 and charged with fraud offences two months later, before he admitted to supplying his driving licence for use in fraud last month.
Prosecutors pushed for a prison sentence in front of magistrates this week.
But defence solicitor Ghulam Sohail said his client had pleaded guilty at the first possible opportunity, the offence was three years old, and that he “generally doesn’t have a criminal inclination”.
A road traffic conviction resulting in a six-month driving ban in January 2024 was “the extent” of Hasaj’s criminality, Mr Sohail added.
Asking magistrates to consider not imposing a custodial sentence, Mr Sohail said: “He works, he’s clearly the breadwinner in his home address.
“His partner has twins 16 months of age now, he provides for them.
“It’s been a massive turning point in his life, arguably the most significant development in his life since October 2022.”
He added: “He works tremendously long hours, with travel he works up to 12 hours a day, five days a week for sure, sometimes a sixth day as well.
“If he had an unpaid work order he’d have very little social time as well.”
Presiding justice Geraldine Richards, flanked by magistrates David Quinton Henning Shaw and David Evans, said: “The offence is a serious one.
“It’s make or supply an article to be used for fraud. It’s not something that the court can take lightly.
“For us, the offence is so serious that we think a community order is to be applied.”
Hasaj will also be required to undertake 15 rehabilitation activity days, including eight days focussed on improving his thinking skills.
The dad-of-two avoided receiving an order to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work.
Mrs Richards added: “We’re not going to take the 150 unpaid work hours, because you are the main breadwinner for your family and we’ve taken what your representative has said.”
