Apply for a taxi driver licence

Step 1:

Complete the taxi driver licence application form and provide the documents asked for in the checklist, these documents are: 

• proof of right to work (you can generate a right to work share code if needed) 
• passport (if not used as proof of right to work) 
• DVLA driving licence 
• DVLA check code/result (you can generate this code) 
• 2 documents needed as proof of address, from this list:  
• credit card, bank, or benefit statement (less than 3 months old) 
• utility bill (not mobile phone bill) (less than 3 months old) 
• council tax or mortgage statement (less than 12 months old) 
• P60 or P45 statement (less than 12 months old) 
• enhanced DBS certificate (no less than 1 month old at time of submission) with an update service subscription  
• overseas criminal record check (certificate of good conduct) only if you’ve resided outside of the UK for 3 months or longer in the last 5 years (since the age of 18 years). The criminal record check must be authenticated by the embassy of each country of residence involved and translated into English. This must be no more than 3 months old at the time of submitting your application. For more information see the guidance on criminal records checks for overseas applicants. 

If you do not have an enhanced DBS certificate already subscribed to the update service, we will send you a link to complete a new application. 

The fee of £260 must be submitted with your application (a non-refundable administration fee of £160 applies if your application is not granted or is withdrawn).  

After you submit your application, we’ll contact you within 5 working days to inform you of the next steps required. Only contact us if you have not heard back after this period.  

Step 2: 

Once your application has been reviewed, you’ll be invited to a 1-to-1 meeting with an officer, this will be done via microsoft teams. This meeting is to verify your documents and confirm your identity. After this meeting we’ll confirm if you’re able to continue with your application. 

Step 3: 

If you’re able to continue with your application, you’ll then need to complete the following:  

• competency test – a link to complete this will be emailed to you 
• medical form and certificate [PDF, 0.1MB] (the medical assessment must be no older than 3 months when you submit your application)
• safeguarding course - the following organisations provide approved training (if your chosen provider is not listed, contact us for advice). 
  • Barnardos 
  • Blue Lamp Trust 
  • High Speed Training 
• advanced driving course, this can be completed with the following organisations: (If you’ve done a course elsewhere, contact us to confirm if the course meets our requirements) 
  • AA DriveTech  Telephone: 01256495731  
  • Diamond Advanced Motorists   Telephone: 02082530120 
  • RoSPA   Telephone: 01212482099 
  • Institute of Advanced Motorists   Telephone: 03003031134 

The courses and tests need to be completed within 1 month of submitting your application. If we do not receive these within this time frame your application may be returned. 

Once you have completed the courses and tests, email the following documents to taxis@scambs.gov.uk 

• safeguarding course pass certificate 
• advanced driving course pass certificate 
• medical form and certificate 
• a passport style photo to go on your badge (you can take this yourself, please ensure that a plain background is used) 

You should include your name and form reference number in your email. 

Step 4: 

We will check to see you have completed all the required steps and have given all the required documents. We will then contact you to let you know which documents you need to bring into our office, so that we can make verified copies. This will happen within 5 working days of the certificates and other documents being given to us. 

Step 5: 

We will carry out the final checks and grant the licence. We will email your licence to you and will let you know when your badge will be ready to collect from our offices. This can take up to 5 working days. 

You should apply to renew your licence at least 1 month before the expiry date on your licence. You’ll need to pay the licence application fee of £140 which can be done when you complete the application form. 

Step 1: 

Complete the taxi driver licence application form and provide the documents asked for in the checklist, these documents are: 

• a photo of you holding your DVLA driving licence, this is to verify your identity and needs to include your face and the front side of the licence 
• proof of right to work (you can generate a right to work share code if needed) 
• passport (if not used as proof of right to work) 
• DVLA driving licence 
• DVLA check code/result (you can generate this code) 
• 2 documents needed as proof of address, from this list:  
• credit card, bank, or benefit statement (less than 3 months old) 
• utility bill (not mobile phone bill) (less than 3 months old) 
• council tax or mortgage statement (less than 12 months old) 
• P60 or P45 statement (less than 12 months old) 
• a passport style photo to go on your badge (you can take this yourself, please ensure that a plain background is used) 
• enhanced DBS certificate (no less than 1 month old at time of submission) with an update service subscription*  
• overseas criminal record check (certificate of good conduct) only if you’ve resided outside of the UK for 3 months or longer in the last 5 years (since the age of 18 years). The criminal record check must be authenticated by the embassy of each country of residence involved and translated into English. This must be no more than 3 months old at the time of submitting your application. For more information see the guidance on criminal records checks for overseas applicants. 
• medical form and certificate [PDF, 0.1MB] (the medical assessment must be no older than 3 months when you submit your application) 

If you do not have an enhanced DBS certificate already subscribed to the update service, we will send you a link to complete a new application. 

When we get your application, we will contact you within 5 working days to tell you the next steps required. Only contact us if you have not heard back after this period. 

Step 2: 

Once your application has been reviewed, you’ll be asked to come to the council offices and bring in your original documents so that we can verify them and make a copy.  

After this, we will contact you via email about the next steps. This will be within 5 working days.  

Step 3:   

We will carry out the final checks and grant the licence. We will email your licence to you and will let you know when your badge will be ready to collect from our offices. This can take up to 5 working days. 

These fees apply to either a hackney carriage licence or private hire driver licence:

• new licence - £260 (a non-refundable administration fee of £160 applies if your application is not granted or is withdrawn)
• renew a licence - £140 
• replacement badge - £20 
• enhanced DBS check - £38 

We will record or add details of any suspensions, refusals to grant or renew a taxi licence to the National Register of Taxi and Private Hire Licence Revocations and Refusals (NR3S). These details will be about the following concerns: 

• safeguarding  
• road safety  

The information is held on the NR3S register for a period of 25 years. Historic decisions may also be added to the register. 

The reason for this is to assess whether a person applying for a licence is a ‘fit and proper person’ to hold a hackney carriage or private hire taxi licence. 

All data processing and sharing will comply with General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR).