Driver's licence

You will need a hackney carriage (taxi) or private hire (minicab) driver's licence before you can operate as a driver in Rushmoor.

Information about the licence

You will need to provide the following during the application process:

• A statement of good conduct from any country other than the UK that you have lived in for more than six months since the age of ten
• An up-to-date, original and valid driving licence
• A  Taxi driver medical application form [90kb] completed by your GP
• A qualification certificate showing that your literacy and numeracy skills meet the equivalent of Entry Level One literacy and Entry Level Two numeracy initial assessments. If you do not have a qualification certificate, you will have the chance to take a test. You will have to pay a fee for each attempt at the tests. We will normally allow you you to attempt the numeracy test three times, but the literacy test only once
• Proof that you have passed a driving standards and proficiency assessment for driving a hackney carriage/private hire vehicle and the additional wheelchair element (where relevant). This must be dated within six months of your appointment with us. The Blue Lamp Trust is an approved supplier of both the driving assessment and wheelchair element. Please note that if the driving assessment is taken in an automatic vehicle any licence granted will be subject to a condition that only automatic vehicles may be driven when utilising the licence.
• Proof that you have attended and passed a classroom-based taxi safeguarding course, which must be dated within six months of your appointment with us. This can be booked online with The Blue Lamp Trust at Taxi Safeguarding Classroom Course
• Evidence of your immigration and asylum status, and proof of your right to work in the UK (if not an EU national)
• If you are applying for a private hire driver's licence, confirmation of the operator that you will be working for
• An enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check certificate. You will need to go to Personnel Checks - DBS Check website to make your application
• Access to an online DVLA check of your driving licence record
• A public liability insurance certificate (showing cover to at least £5 million) once all other requirements are met

Details of our fees are available on our Taxi licence fees page.  If we grant your licence you will need to pay the application fee.

You will normally also need to:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Have held a full driving licence for at least 12 months
• Meet the DVLA Group Two medical standards
• Take a knowledge test based on the Highway Code and local familiarity with locations in and around Rushmoor. You can take a sample knowledge test online. You will have to pay a fee for each attempt at the tests. We will normally allow you to attempt these tests three times
• Take a literacy and numeracy test, if you have not provided an equivalent qualification certificate to show that you meet the required standard. You will have to pay a fee for each attempt at the tests. We will normally allow you you to attempt the numeracy test three times, but the literacy test only once

This is not a comprehensive list of requirements and in some cases, you may have to provide additional information.

You should allow at least 28 days for us to process your application from the initial appointment. However, as we rely on third parties and you passing the knowledge tests, it may take significantly longer.

How to renew your licence

Your licence normally lasts for three years. We will try to contact you before your renewal date, but it is your responsibility to make sure you apply to renew your licence before your current licence expires.

Due to Covid-19, we have changed the way we renew licences. Our new steps are:

1. We will speak with you by phone and fill in the renewal application form
2. We will then send you the renewal form for you to electronically sign and send back to us
3. We will book an appointment to carry out a video call with you to check your right to work documentation and we will also ask you to email copies of all relevant documents to us

If you are due to have a DBS check as part of your renewal, you will need to go to Personnel Checks - DBS Check website to make your application.