Timescales →
The Licensing team aim to acknowledge receipt of your application within 5-10 working days (subject to demand).
Renewal applications can be made up to 8 weeks prior to the date, applicants are advised to submit an application at least 4 weeks prior to the expiry date. If a renewal application is received after this period, we cannot guarantee that a new licence will be issued prior to the expiry of the existing licence which could lead to a break in your licence.
English Language Competency→
With effect from 5th October 2026 all new applicants must be able to evidence their ability to use English to Entry Level 3 or above, when applying for a new private hire and/or hackney carriage drivers’ licence. See below for further information.
Eligibility
To apply for a hackney carriage/private hire drivers’ licence you must:
- Be over 21 years old
- Have held a full DVLA driving licence or other European Union licence for at least 12 months
- Be able to satisfy us you are a fit and proper person to hold the licence
- Be entitled to work in the UK
Apply for a licence
Applications must be accompanied by all relevant supporting documents, including the relevant fee, please see information/links below.
Additional documents checklist
The following documents must be provided when submitting your application. Failure to provide these documents at the time of application may lead to your application being rejected:
- Application fee
- Completed medical form
- A recent photograph
- Proof of entitlement to work in the UK - this applies to all applicants
- Evidence of English Language Competency - this applies to new applicants only
- Certificate of good conduct (if you have lived outside of the UK for more than 3 months in the past 5 years)
- Three forms of ID for verification of DBS (if not registered for the DBS Update Service)
- Copy of your driving licence (front and back)
Other documents/useful information
Please complete the application form in full, and ensure that all sections are completed.
You should email your completed application to the Licensing Team with the relevant supporting documents, including the receipt details for your payment.
Failure to provide the following documents could lead to a delay in your application, or your application being rejected.
Application timescales
We aim to acknowledge receipt of your application within 5-10 working days (subject to receipt of a complete application). The timescales only begin on receipt of a completed application, including all the required documents and the relevant payment.
Failure to submit a completed application, including supporting documents and the appropriate fee, within 5 working days from the initial contact, will result in an application being rejected.
We aim to determine your application within 5 working days (once all relevant checks have been completed).
Renewal applications can be made up to 8 weeks prior to the date, applicants are advised to submit an application at least 4 weeks prior to the expiry date. If a renewal application is received after this period, we cannot guarantee that a new licence will be issued prior to the expiry of the existing licence which could lead to a break in your licence.
Criminal record checks
On receipt of your completed application and relevant documents, a link to an online DBS application will be emailed to you and you must complete the application and pay the relevant fee within 7 days of the receipt of the email. This will not apply if you are subscribed to the DBS Update Service.
A list of acceptable documents can be found at ID Verification Documents (external link).
DBS Update Service
The Update Service is an online subscription that allows you to keep your standard DBS certificate up to date and allows us to check the status of your existing DBS certificate without the need for a new DBS application being submitted. The cost is £15.00 and you can register for the Update Service online (external link) using the e-reference number of your application or completed certificate reference number. You must register your certificate number within 30 days of the ‘date of issue’ displayed on the certificate. This subscription is renewable annually, and failure to keep a subscription up to date could lead to the suspension of your licence.
The Department for Transport have published Statutory Standards for councils on taxi licensing. The Standards recommend that all licensed drivers should be required to evidence continuous registration with the DBS update service to enable the licensing authority to routinely check for new information every six months. Drivers that do not subscribe to the Update Service should still be subject to a check every six months.
Failure to subscribe to the Update Service would mean you will be required to complete a new DBS every six months.
Licence conditions/byelaws
Private Hire drivers are advised to read through and familiarise themselves with the conditions which will be attached to their licence should it be issued.
Hackney carriage drivers are advised to familiarise themselves with the byelaws:
Change of address
You must inform the Council if you move home, giving details of your new address within seven days of moving. This can be done by completing the Notify Licensing of a change of address (external link) form.
NR3S – Register of Taxi and Private Hire Driver Licence Suspensions, Refusals and Revocations
Under the Taxi and Private Hire (Safety and Road Safety) Vehicle Act 2022 and in line with the Department for Transport Statutory taxi and private hire vehicle standards, from 27th April 2023 it is now mandatory in all councils in England to use the national database, NR3S (previously known as the NR3) Register of Taxi and Private Hire Diver Licence Suspensions, Refusal and Revocations.
The register is hosted by the National Anti-Fraud Network (NAFN) and the system records all instances where hackney carriage and private hire driver licences have been suspended, refused or revoked.
This will include licences suspended for failure to submit a satisfactory DBS application and failure to attend the mandatory hackney carriage/private hire driver training.
Should your driver licence be suspended, revoked, or your application be refused then details of this will be recorded on NR3S.
Complaints
If you wish to make a complaint in relation to a hackney carriage/private hire driver, you can: