Driver's licence

How to apply

If you would like to make an application for a hackney carriage or private hire drivers licence, you will need to complete an application form and send it to us either by email to taxi.operators@rushmoor.gov.uk, by post or drop it into our council offices.

If you would like to discuss your application with an officer or bring in original documents, you will need to either call us to book an appointment on 01252 398855 or attend one of our regular drop-in sessions every Thursday 10am to 12pm.

While your application is being processed, you will need to submit the following:

• An up-to-date, original and valid driving licence
  
  
• Evidence of your current address (for example your current council tax bill, or a utility bill or bank statement dated within 3 months)
  
  
• A taxi driver medical application form completed by your GP. Dependent on your medical history you may need to submit additional medical evidence that you meet the Group 2 medical standard. For example, insulin dependent diabetics will need to submit 2 months worth of glucose readings showing that they have been meeting the additional glucose monitoring requirements in the DVLA group 2 medical standards, before any licence can be considered. The medical must be dated within 1 month of your application / submission to us
  
  
• A qualification certificate showing that your literacy and numeracy skills meet the level specified in our Taxi Licensing Policy. If you do not have a qualification certificate covering numeracy, you will have the chance to take a test. You will have to pay a fee for each attempt at the test
  
  
• 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 3 months of your application. The Blue Lamp Trust and Green Penny are approved suppliers of both the driving assessment and wheelchair element. The wheelchair assessment applies for all applications for a hackney carriage licence, and if you intend to drive a wheelchair accessible vehicle. Taxi Driver Tests are also an approved supplier of the driving assessment
  
  
• Proof that you have attended and passed a classroom-based taxi safeguarding course, which must be dated within 3 months of your application. This can be either:
  • With The Blue Lamp Trust, using Zoom, which can be booked at Taxi Safeguarding Classroom Course
  • Or can be carried out in person at the council offices and booked directly with our Licensing Team on 01252 398855. Our course costs £25, and we run a course at midday on the last Wednesday of every month
    
    
• Proof that you have attended and passed a classroom-based taxi disability awareness course, which must be dated within 3 months of your application. This can be either:
  • With The Blue Lamp Trust, using Zoom
  • Or in person at the council offices and booked directly with our Licensing Team on 01252 398855. Our course costs £40, and we run it at midday on the first Wednesday of every month, starting on 3 January 2024
    
    
• Evidence of your immigration and asylum status, and proof of your right to work in the UK (if not an EU national). Where applicable, we will ask you to provide a share code to prove your right to work status which you can get from prove your right to work to an employer - GOV.UK
  
  
• A statement of good conduct from any country other than the UK that you have lived in for more than 3 months, since the age of 18. Details of how to obtain this are available at Criminal records checks for overseas applicants - GOV.UK
  
  
• If you are applying for a private hire driver's licence, confirmation of the operator that you will be working for
  
  
• If you hold or have held a private hire or hackney carriage drivers licence with any authority in the last 12 months, you will need to provide an HMRC tax check code - details of how to obtain this is available at Tax Check
  
  
• An enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check certificate. You can go to any registered body for this, but will need to ensure that it is the right level of check for the correct workforce and role in accordance with the DBS guidance. Whilst it is not a requirement to use them, you can to go to Personnel Checks - DBS Check website to make your application. If you are a member of the DBS Update Service, and have a suitable DBS, you will not need to do this, but will need to show us your original DBS certificate, and sign consent for us to access the update service. You will need to join the DBS update service if you are not a member, and provide consent for us to access it. You can only join at the time of making an application or within a limited number of days of certificate issue, therefore we would recommend that you join this service when you apply for the DBS
  
  
• Provide a share code to allow us access to an online DVLA check of your driving licence record, you can obtain this at View or share your driving licence information - GOV.UK
  
  
• A public liability insurance certificate (showing cover to at least £5 million) once all other requirements are met

Please see our policy on handling DBS Disclosure information.

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, local familiarity with locations in and around Rushmoor and Taxi Licensing Conditions and Law. You will have to pay a fee for each attempt at the tests. You can take a free sample knowledge test online. Knowledge Test sessions are held every Wednesday morning at 10.00am, to book please call 01252 398855. Please note that you can book one session to take all required tests including the numeracy if necessary.

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

From the time of your application, you have a 3 month period to make all submissions and meet all requirements. Failure to do so will result in your application being refused.

We list all applicants who have been refused an application on the NR3 national register. Likewise, if a licence is granted, and there is a suspension or refusal of the licence, we will also add it to the NR3 register. This is in keeping with legislation.

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.

The steps to renew your licence:

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, along with details of the other documents required.
3. We will book an appointment with you to check your right to work documentation and we will also ask you to email copies of all relevant documents to us.

Taxi licensing policy

Please see our taxi licensing policy and guidance document for more information about how we carry out our taxi licensing functions and responsibilities.