Becoming a Taxi Driver

1. Do you qualify for a driving licence?

To qualify for a licence application you must:-

• Be aged 21 or more and have held a full current driver's licence for at least 12 months.
• Hold a pass certificate for the Driving Standards Agency Hackney Carriage / Private Hire Assessment Test.
• Be a fit and proper person and be subject to an enhanced Criminal Records check.
• Pass a medical examination.
• Have a good knowledge of your licence conditions, the Highway Code and the local area.
• Have the right to work in the United Kingdom for at least 12 months.

2. Age limit

To hold a Hackney Carriage/Private Hire driver's licence the applicant must be at least 21 years of age but not have reached 70 years of age.

3. Driving Licence

You must have held a full driving licence (not a provisional licence) which authorises you to drive a motor car for at least 12 months.

The driving licence should show your current address and we will not accept any Driving Licence which shows any other address.  Please note it is a criminal offence not to notify the DVLA of a change of address. You could be fined up to £1000.

Your driving licence must be produced at the time of your application. The Council will require checking licence details with the DVLA, Swansea and for this purpose you are required to complete the form of authorisation attached to the application form.

4. Driving Standards Agency Practical Assessment

All new applicants wishing to drive for Erewash Borough Council must take and pass the DSA Hackney Carriage/Private Hire Assessment test and produce a pass certificate on application. This test is designed to improve driving standards and ensure a professional service is offered by our taxi drivers who will take pride in their driving and the service they give to customers.

Tests can be booked by post, on-line or by contacting the Driving Standards Agency on their booking line on 0300 200 1122.

More advice and guidance about the DSA test can be obtained from the licensing section at Erewash Borough Council or by downloading their booklet and guidance and information from Related Documents below.

5. Criminal Records Check

You will need to do the following to apply for your criminal record check:-

• Complete an enhanced disclosure application form. These can be obtained from the Civic Centre, Long Eaton, please ring the Licensing Department 0845 907 2244 x3124. N.B. CRB disclosures will not be accepted from any other organisation or Authority, and must now be arranged through the Licensing Department at Erewash Borough Council. The CRB no longer facilitates 'portability', that is, obtaining a CRB disclosure for one position and later using that disclosure for another position in another organisation.
• Telephone the Licensing Department 0845 907 2244 x3120 to make an appointment to see a Licensing Officer where the form will be countersigned for you. You must also bring your identification documents. A list of acceptable documents is provided with the application form from the CRB or you can download the information from the Related Documents section below.

The CRB will send both yourself and the Council a copy of any information; this can take up to 12 weeks to be processed by CRB and the police.  Once the information has been received, the application will be determined subject to the guidelines adopted by the Council.  Contact the CRB (Criminal Record Bureau) by telephoning 0870 9090 811 and quote the following customer reference number 20042500005 for enquiries regarding the progress of your application.  Alternatively, the progress of your CRB application can be tracked online by visiting www.crb.gov.uk/tracking (opens in a new window).

6. Right to work in the UK

The prevention of illegal migrant working in the United Kingdom is governed by sections 15 to 25 of the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006. As a result of this legislation and Department of Transport Best Practice Guidance the Council now has a responsibility to ensure that it only issues licences to persons who have a legal entitlement to work in the United Kingdom.

Proof of the right to work in the UK must therefore always be be provided when any new applications are received. This requirement is for all applicants for private hire operator, private hire and hackney carriage driver licences.

The Home Office, via the UK Border Agency, has compiled a list of documents which prove that an individual has the right to work in the UK. Documents will fall into either List 'A' or List 'B', and these lists can be accessed via the Home Office website (opens in a new window), or by contacting the licensing section. Alternatively the information can be found in Related Documents below.

An applicant will need to provide either:

• One document from List 'A'. These documents show an ongoing right to work in the United Kingdom.

• If you cannot produce a document from List 'A' then relevant documents from List 'B' must be submitted. These documents show a right to work in the United Kingdom for up to 12 months.

These documents must be original copies or photocopies - scanned documents and faxes for example are not acceptable.

 7. Previous Convictions

Even though you have agreed to a Criminal Record Check with the CRB you MUST disclose all your previous convictions and any formal caution made against you. Formal caution means a caution which is recorded in writing where the applicant has admitted guilt for the offence and accepted the caution.

If you have previous convictions your application may be referred to the Council's Licensing and Public Protection Committee for determination. You will be invited to attend the meeting to speak in support of your application. The Committee will then decide whether they consider you a 'fit and proper person' to hold a licence.

The Council's statement of policy about relevant convictions and guidelines relating to the relevance of convictions can be found in 'GuidanceBooklet - Drivers' in the Related Documents section below.

8. Medicals

D4 Medicals are now required and should be carried out either by your own doctor or by a Health at Work Practitioner.  D4 medical forms can be obtained from the reception area Civic Centre, Long Eaton. 

The medical examination will be carried out in accordance with Group II requirements recommended by the Medical Commission for Accident Prevention.  The publication Medical Aspects of Fitness to Drive recommends that 'taxi drivers' (meaning both hackney carriage and private hire drivers) together with emergency ambulance and emergency police drivers should be required to meet Group II standards.  Full details of the Group II standard are available on the DVLA website www.dvla.gov.uk (opens in a new window). Alternatively the publication can be downloaded from the 'Related Documents' section below

Health at Work, Church House, Bestwood Park Church, Beckhampton Road, Bestwood Park, Nottingham, NG5 5NG    

Tel No. 0870 6091540

9. Knowledge Tests

You will need to make arrangements with the Licensing Officer to take a knowledge test. Tests are normally held every three weeks at Long Eaton Town Hall. 

The test comprises of a two part written paper and will last for 40 minutes. Part 1 contains questions on the law and Hackney Carriage/Private Hire Driver's licence conditions; part 2 covers the Highway Code. You must answer at least 70% of the questions from each section correctly in order to pass the test. The Drivers Licence Conditions can be found in 'Guidance Booklet - Drivers' in the 'Related Documents' section below.

A fee is payable to undertake the knowledge test. If you fail the examination a retest fee will be incurred and the test must be retaken up to a period of three months following the first test.  Any candidate failing the examination three times will have to reapply as a new applicant.

10. The Application Process:

In summary, to complete the application process you will require the following:

• A full, current driving licence with the correct address listed.
• A Driving Standards Agency Hackney Carriage/Private Hire Assessment pass certificate.
• A completed 'Enhanced Disclosure' Criminal Records Bureau form. You will also need to bring in the required proof of identity as stated on the guidance e.g. passport, birth certificate, marriage certificate etc. You may also need a further means of identification. The following are acceptable – bank credit card, cheque card or a utility bill showing name and address. (See current fees list attached).
• A completed D4 medical form signed by either your doctor or the Occupational Health Practitioner.
• Evidence of the right to work in the United Kingdom for at least 12 months. 
• You will need to take and pass a knowledge test – arrangements to be made with the licensing officer dealing with your application.

You will also require:

• A completed application form – this will include a form of authorisation which will be sent to DVLA Swansea in order to check your details.
• A passport type photograph for use on the driver’s badge to be issued in the event of the application being approved.
• The correct licence fee. See Taxi Licensing Fees. Cheques should be made payable to Erewash Borough Council.

Applications can only be accepted if made in person, postal applications will NOT be accepted and will be returned. A list of the Taxi Licensing Fees can be found in Related Documents below or you can refer to Taxi Licensing Fees (opens in a new window).

We are under a duty to protect the public funds it administers, and to this end may use the information you provide on the above application forms for the prevention and detection of fraud. It may also share this information with other bodies responsible for auditing or administering public funds for these purposes.

For further information please visit the Audit Commission website: www.audit-commission.gov.uk (opens in a new window).

11. Further Information

Information for new applicants can be found in 'Guidance Booklet - Drivers' in the Related Documents section below. If you require any further information or advice about your application you should contact the Licensing Officer in writing, by telephone or email at the following address:-

Erewash Borough Council
Licensing Office
Civic Centre
Derby Road
Long Eaton
Derbyshire 
NG10  1HU 
Email: licensing@erewash.gov.uk
Phone: 0115 9071113
Fax: 0115 9072267