Taxi and private hire dual driver licence

Please note:

We are experiencing very high volumes of new driver applications and new vehicle applications. This has created a significant lead-in time (currently 4 months) to obtain an available compliance test slot required for Hackney Carriage and / or Private Hire Vehicle applications (a solution to this is expected to be in place by December 2023), and there is also currently a 4 month lead-in time for a New Driver Virtual appointment. Please understand that we have set a maximum limit of 40 New Driver Applications per week (which must be pre-booked by way of a virtual appointment). This is because the Licensing Team deals with many types of licences, and the enforcement of those licenses, in addition to all aspects relating to Taxi licensing.

Solutions to reduce the lead-in time for a vehicle compliance test are in the process of being actioned.

Please also note:

You cannot submit an application without first getting a virtual appointment first. This is to ensure that the Licensing team are able to carry out their full remit of work (applications, enforcement and all the other licensing activities the team has to carry out, as shown on this website).

Becoming a licensed driver

To drive a Hackney carriage (taxi), or a private hire vehicle (minicab) you must be licensed as a driver. This is called a dual driver licence as you are able to drive both Hackney carriages or private hire vehicles licensed by us.

The licence allows you to work anywhere in the country, but the vehicles you drive must be licensed here too. If you work for a private hire company they must also hold a private hire operator's licence, granted by the same council the driver and the vehicle are licensed by.

There are a number of mandatory checks needed before you will be licensed and you cannot work as a driver until your licence is granted. We will also carry out a check on the National Register of Taxi Licence Refusals & Revocations (NR3).

If a licence is granted, it lasts for 1, 2, or 3 years (depending on how long you choose when you apply), unless we decide a shorter time is more appropriate following the results of the background checks we carry out.

If you are thinking about applying to be a taxi driver, then you must:

• hold a current UK DVLA driving licence;
• have the right to work in the UK;
• have obtained an enhanced DBS Certificate;
• have registered that enhanced DBS Certificate to the DBS Update Service; and
• have been signed off by a Doctor as being medically fit to be a taxi driver.

Apply for a new taxi driver badge and licence

Just follow this 6 steps guide:

1. Get an enhanced DBS certificate from “TAXIPLUS”:

1. Go online to: TaxiPlus.
2. Follow the instructions on their website.
3. Enter “Ashfield District Council” where it asks for the name of which Council.
4. Pay the DBS fee of £53.00 to TaxiPlus.

2. Get registered with the DBS update service:

1. As soon as you receive the enhanced DBS certificate from TaxiPlus (you have a maximum of 30 days from the date it was issued to do so).
2. Then go online to the DBS update service.
3. Make a note of your DBS update service registration number.

3. Get our Driver application pack

1. Download our Taxi driver application pack
2. Complete the relevant application forms found at the end of the application pack.
3. Book an appointment with your Doctor to get the Group II medical assessment carried out.

4. Contact the Licensing team:

1. Now that you have your enhanced DBS certificate from TaxiPlus, have registered it to the DBS update service, and got your medical assessment booked with your Doctor, you need you need to secure a virtual appointment with the Licensing Team for a time and date that you can submit your full application and supporting documents. Note: no applications will be accepted without a virtual appointment having first been allocated.
2. Call 01623 457589 to book your virtual appointment. There is a 14 week lead-in time between you calling the Licensing Team and an available slot for a Virtual Appointment. This will allow you enough time to get your Doctor to complete your Medical assessment in time for the date of your Virtual Appointment.

5. Pay the new taxi driver application fee:

Choose the right option from the list, and pay the application fee before the date of your virtual appointment.

1. New Driver 1 Year Badge (£180.00)
2. New Driver 2 Year Badge (£220.00)
3. New Driver 3 Year Badge (£260.00)

6. Submit your new taxi driver application and supporting documents to us by email:

1. On the day of your virtual appointment (but not before then, as we are already dealing with many customers who have pre-booked virtual appointments ahead of yours) send an email to licensing@ashfield.gov.uk and state “New driver / your name / the time and date of your virtual appointment” in the subject line of the email (so we can easily identify you).
2. Attach to the email all of the items listed at page 8 of your driver application pack within “Procedure: New Hackney Carriage & Private Hire Dual Driver Licence” (please ensure that you are using the driver application pack found in the related documents section of this web page– not a pack given to you by someone else as that pack may now be out of date). Incomplete applications will be rejected so please take the time to read the driver application pack to avoid delays in processing your application.
3. We will contact you by email to confirm everything is ok. If too many of the required supporting documents are missing, your application will be rejected, and you will need to re-book a new virtual appointment. It is your responsibility to prove to us that you have followed the instructions that are provided, as this has a bearing on your suitability to be granted a taxi driver badge.

If your application is deemed by the Licensing Officer to be complete, then we will carry out any necessary background checks to ensure that we would be able to grant you a new taxi driver badge.

Applicants who fail to disclose relevant matters that would be found through our extensive background checks, will be rejected. You must declare all historic and current motoring convictions, criminal cautions/convictions, and state if you currently hold or have ever held a taxi driver badge with any other Council, and whether you have ever had any other taxi driver badge revoked or any taxi driver application refused. It is an offence to fail to declare any relevant information.

If all of the background checks are deemed to be satisfactory, then you will be sent information to complete our online knowledge test and online safeguarding test. Use your driver application pack to help you answer the questions in both tests.

If you pass both of the online tests and we are satisfied that there is no other information relating to your application that we are awaiting (for example references from other Councils or agencies), we'll grant your new taxi driver badge and licence, and post them to your home address.

What is the Knowledge test?

The Knowledge test is completed online and consists of questions relating to the rules and regulations of driving a Hackney carriage or private hire vehicle, an assessment of your English Language skills, and an assessment of your mathematics skills.

What is the Safeguarding test?

The Safeguarding test is completed online and consists of questions relating to your responsibilities as a Taxi drivers to ensure the safety of vulnerable passengers.

As a Taxi driver you will need to be aware as to the indicators of risk that would enable you to identify a person who is at risk of abuse, neglect, trafficking, and to whom to raise your concerns.

What medical checks are carried out?

You must be fit enough to carry out the demands of the job including carrying luggage or helping passengers in wheelchairs. Some medical conditions mean you are not allowed to drive professionally.

The medical form you submit makes sure we know of any health conditions, or reasons why you might not be able to do the work. The form should be signed by a doctor and existing licence holders must renew their medical form at the ages of 45, 50, 55, 60 and 65. We can ask for a medical form to be submitted more often if we think it is needed.

How much does a licence cost?

There are few elements which need paying for in order to get your dual Hackney carriage and private hire driver licence. You can pay by debit or credit card through our online system when you've submitted your application or at other times.

Pay for your application

Who can I work for?

With a taxi and private hire dual driver licence you can drive a Hackney carriage or a drive a private hire vehicle – the vehicles must be also be licensed by us.

If you drive a Hackney carriage you can be hailed in the streets or wait at ranks in the Ashfield area, and do pre-booked work anywhere in the country. If you drive a private hire vehicle, all your work must be given to you by a private hire operator licensed by us.

Please note:

We do not currently licence companies such as Uber or Bolt, so the only way you can work for them with our Taxi Driver Badge will be if you licensed a fully wheelchair accessible vehicle as a Hackney Carriage with us.

You can licence a vehicle as a taxi or for private hire through this web page.

Other ways to contact us about taxi and private hire driver licences

If you have a question about licensing or want to make a complaint about a taxi or private hire operator, vehicle or driver, you can contact us by:

• email: licensing@ashfield.gov.uk
• telephone: 01623 457589