New taxi driver licence

Supporting documents

Driving licence

You must provide proof of your full UK driving licence and that you've had the licence for 12 months or longer. We cannot accept provisional licences or driving test pass certificates.

When applying, you must also declare any motoring offences that are endorsed on your DVLA driving licence. 

DVLA share code

You'll need to provide a share code for your DVLA issued driving licence. You can get a driving licence share code from GOV.UK.

DBS check

You must provide your enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check certificate that has been issued within the last six months. You can apply and pay for a DBS check using the Taxi Plus website.

It is mandatory for all driver licence applicants and licence holders to sign up to GOV.UK's DBS Update Service. You can sign up using your DBS check reference number which:

• will be given after you've applied for a DBS check
• will be shown on your DBS check certificate.

After you've completed a DBS application, you'll receive a reference number to allow you sign up to the DBS Update Service on GOV.UK.

Medical fitness certificate

To get a medical examination report, you should visit your GP and take a copy of the available medical form for the GP to complete it for you. Your GP will need to access your full medical records to:

• complete the medical questionnaire
• confirm you meet DVLA's requirement of 'group 2 medical standard of fitness' to drive a Hackney Carriage or private hire vehicle.

If your GP is not willing to certify that you meet the group 2 medical fitness standard, you'll need to request your medical records from your GP and get a medical report from an alternative GP or doctor at your own expense.

Qualifications

You'll need to evidence you hold any of the following qualifications for maths and English:

• English:
  • GCSE, GCE, Functional Skills Level 1 or 2 or ESOL certificate at Level 1 or 2
• Maths:
  • GCSE, GCE or Functional Skills Level 1 or 2.

If you do not hold a qualification in English, maths or both, you'll need to pass a Communication and Numeracy Skills assessment. This assessment is available from the Bury Adult Learning Centre.

Driver training

You'll need to provide proof that you passed the practical driving assessment for taxi drivers, issued by either of our approved driver training companies:

• Taxi driver assessment with My Taxi Test
• Taxi driver assessment with Mitchells School of Motoring.

Safeguarding training

You'll need to show proof that you've attended safeguarding awareness training provided by Trust2Ride. 

UK right to work

To evidence your right to work in the UK, you can provide your UK passport or share code from GOV.UK to prove your right to work.

If you've not lived in the UK for the last five years, you'll need to provide a 'certificate of good conduct' from the country you were living in.

Alternatively, you should provide the appropriate documents as described on our acceptable supporting documents page.

Digital photo

You should provide a recent digital photo of yourself. This will be used to print on the front of your drivers badge.

Your photo should:

• have a plain, light coloured background
• include your shoulders
• show your face clearly.

Tax share code

Visit our tax check for licences page to find out about HMRC tax checks for taxi licence related applications and how you can get a tax share code.

National Insurance number

You'll need to provide your National Insurance number when applying, so please have this number to hand.

Declaring convictions

When applying for a taxi driver licence, you must declare all criminal and driving related convictions and endorsements, including any fixed penalties.

You must also inform us of any cautions or convictions that arise when you have been issued with a licence.

Private hire drivers conditions

If you're applying for a licence as a private hire driver, we recommend reading and understanding the conditions that will be attached to your licence.

Apply online for a taxi driver licence

When you're confident you have all the supporting documents and information described on this page, you can apply online for a licence to drive a Hackney Carriage or private hire vehicle.

During your application, you'll be prompted to add the supporting information or to upload evidence of any supporting documents.

During your application, you'll need to pay £255. This covers the cost of your licence and knowledge test.

Once you have submitted your application and evidence, we'll contact you to complete your knowledge test.

If you pass the knowledge test and your application meets all the criteria, we'll contact you to issue your license within 28 days.

Licences are valid for three years from the date they are issued.