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  10. Become a Taxi Driver

Become a Taxi Driver

All drivers must be licensed by us to ensure that passengers are confident they are using reliable drivers and vehicles. There following are requirements which must be satisfied before an application can be considered:

  • you must have held a full UK/EU drivers licence for a minimum of 12 months
    • the licence must be in good condition and show your current address (please refer to the DVLA website (opens new window) if you need to amend your address or order new licence documents)
    • a separate check will be carried out with the DVLA to check any points or convictions on your driving licence. You'll be required to provide a code from the DVLA to allow us to carry out this check (this is done by accessing the free DVLA licence checking service and provide us with a code to view or share your driving licence information (opens new window)). If you don't have internet access, this can be done at the time of your DBS appointment to allow us to carry out this check. 
  • you must have the right to work in the UK and must provide documentation to prove this
  • you must pass a medical to confirm you are fit to work as a taxi driver, which must be signed by your GP. Drivers are required to undertake a medical examination every three years from the grant of the licence and then every year once they reach 65 years of age
  • a separate fee is payable to your GP for them to complete a  Medical Certificate (PDF) [129KB] (opens new window)
  • before you are granted a licence to act as a taxi or private hire driver in the South Holland District, you must have passed the Blue Lamp Trust taxi driving assessment .The cost of the assessment for each person is £87 (inclusive of VAT). Booking for the assessment can be made at Blue Lamp Trust - Taxi Driver assessment booking form (opens new window).
  • you must complete an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check (DBS) (opens new window)
    • all convictions, reprimands and driving points must be disclosed, including any spent convictions, as these will be taken into account in accordance with our conviction policy
    • please note it can take up to three months for a complete DBS check

    • To carry out your enhanced DBS check we use a company called APCS. On application or renewal, we will provide you with their portal website address and a unique user ID number. You can then log on at your convenience to complete the application which should only take a few minutes. As before, you will need to have the following information on hand:

    • Full name history
    • Five-year address history with postcodes, including any foreign addresses
    • National Insurance number
    • Passport details
    • UK driving licence details

    • If you have any questions about your application, there is online help, and the helpline telephone number is on every screen.

      On completion of the online form, you will receive an email confirmation.

      When you have completed the form, the licensing team will be notified by email automatically and we will be in touch to arrange to verify your identity by checking your ID documents. This is to enable us to verify your name, date of birth and current address, in line with DBS requirements.

      Your application is then electronically sent to the DBS who will process your application.

      The Licensing Team will be given an indication of the result of your application which will be either "Certificate contains no information", or "Please wait to view applicant certificate". You will be sent a copy of your DBS certificate by post. If the result we receive is "certificate contains no information" we will be able to continue processing your driver application straight away. However if the result we are notified is "Please wait to view applicant certificate", we will be in touch to ask to see the paper copy. This will enable us to make a decision in line with our Taxi Licensing Policy.

      The cost for the DBS application is £48.80 which is payable online to ACPS at the time of making your application. This is made up of the enhanced DBS fee (£38) and the APCS admin fee (£9+vat). You will be prompted to make a credit or debit card payment online at the time of your DBS application.

      We would encourage you to use the DBS update service which can be applied for on the government website:  https://www.gov.uk/dbs-update-service . This costs £13 a year and can be applied for in conjunction with an enhanced DBS check. You can do this either while you are waiting for the check to come back or within 30 days of the issue date on the certificate.

  • read and sign to agree to our  Code of Conduct (PDF) [357KB] (opens new window) for Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Drivers.

It is illegal for a driver to refuse to carry a guide or assistance dog, unless the driver has a medical exemption certificate issued by us. Drivers that refuse to carry a guide or assistance dog and do not have an exemption certificate could face a fine of up to £1000, following a conviction at the Magistrates Court.

All Hackney Carriages, Private Hire Vehicles and Operator's Booking Offices are required to be smoke-free, please read our guidance on smoke free environments (PDF) [31KB] (opens new window) .

Taxi and Private Hire Drivers licence cost

Hackney Carriage/Private Hire Drivers Licence is £118. If you are signed up to the DBS online update service and have the valid certificate at the point of application, the fee will be £118.  Please be advised for any applications completed paying by cheque is discouraged as this will delay the process.

Apply for a Taxi Licence

If you would like to apply for a Hackney Carriage/Private Hire Vehicle Combined Driver's licence, you should follow the steps detailed below, as well as review the driver conditions guidance (PDF) [23KB] (opens new window) . You will need to contact us on 01775 761161 to make an appointment and bring in the following documents to our council office:

If you are concerned that you may have any 'unspent' criminal convictions, you may wish to have your DBS application form (opens new window) completed and processed first. However, this application must be submitted with an application for a hackney carriage/private hire driver's licence and the full fee.

You may submit the Medical Examination Certificate at any stage of the application process, particularly if you find that you may have to wait for a doctors appointment. A completed certificate must be submitted, indicating that your own doctor has declared you 'medically fit' before a licence will be issued. The fee paid to your GP is non-refundable.

Taxi and Private Hire Drivers driving assessment

More information on the Blue Lamp Trust driving assessment, including an FAQ section, can be found on the Blue Lamp Trust website (opens new window). 

Note regarding Taxi and Private Hire Driver Medicals

This Authority's taxi and private hire vehicle driver medical must be undertaken by a Doctor who has access to the licence applicant's medical records and has full knowledge of the applicant's past medical history. The medical must be completed on this Authority's medical form (PDF) [129KB] (opens new window) . 

If, due to the current COVID-19 situation, your medical is to be carried out by a private medical practitioner then he/she will need to ensure that he/she had full access to your medical records and history. If they do not have access to your medical records, then the following websites explain how you can access your medical records:

You would then need to give the records to the private medical practitioner and the private medical practitioner will need to make a note on our medical form indicating how he/she was able to have access to your medical history.

We cannot accept a medical where the completing Doctor did not have access to the licence applicant's medical records and did not have full knowledge of the applicant's past medical history.

Whilst we cannot recommend a private practitioner, you may wish to look at the Barnetby Medical Centre website (opens new window). If you choose to use this medical practitioner, or any other private practitioner, please make them aware of the above contents of this note.

National Fraud Initiative

This authority is under a duty to protect the public funds it administers, and to this end may use the information you provide 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, view our National Fraud Initiative page.

If you require further information or are unsure if you need a licence, please contact us on 01775 761161 or email licensing@sholland.gov.uk.

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