Apply for a taxi driver licence

Licensing requirements changed on 1 July 2024 

Find information and guidance in our notice on the new requirements (PDF 196KB).

How to apply

Our online process makes applying and renewing taxi and private hire licences quicker and easier. As part of the ongoing modernisation of our taxi and private hire licensing service, you can create an online account. This means that if you're a taxi and private hire driver, or applicant, you can apply for or renew an existing licence and track its progress during the application process.

We process all applications within specific parameters. For existing drivers, applications are processed in order of their licence expiry date, to ensure continual licensing wherever possible. New applications are processed in order of the date we receive the application.

Applicants for a taxi driver's licence will only ever be asked to pay the cost of an application, please see table below for fees. We do not offer a fast-track service and will never charge more than the advertised costs.

If you have been approached by a third-party offering a fast-track service at an additional cost, this is fraudulent and you should report it to us at tphreport@tfl.gov.uk.

To apply, you can start your application by registering online. Details of the criteria to be met can be found below.

You will be asked to provide some personal details so we can create an account for you and allow you to complete your online application or request an application pack.

Please note, TfL requires that all given names on any official identity documents are displayed on your taxi driver's licence. 

We strongly recommend that all your identity documents match. Our expectation is that all official documents have a consistent spelling and are in the correct order. This will  prevent any queries in regards to your identity during the course of your licence or application.

Becoming a taxi driver 

Before you can start learning the Knowledge, you need to apply to be a licensed taxi driver and have your application approved. 

The time it takes to become a licensed driver depends on whether you choose to learn the All-London Knowledge or a Suburban sector. 

To apply for a licence, you will need to meet the following criteria: 

• You must be at least 18 years old at the time of applying (although you cannot be licensed until you are 21 years old). There is no upper age limit, as long as you meet the other licensing requirements 
• You must hold a full DVLA, Northern Ireland, or other European Economic Area state driving licence 
• You must have the right to live and work in the UK 

You must meet our character and medical requirements. 

As part of your application, you will need to provide a photograph of yourself. See our guidance on the type of photograph we will accept.

Alternatively, please email us at tphlicensing@tfl.gov.uk to request an application pack.

Character requirements 

You must be of good character. To establish this you will be required to undertake an 'enhanced' criminal records check from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) through our authorised service provider.  

Taxi and private hire driver policy 

Policies, advice and guidance on licensing taxi and private hire drivers in London. 

DfT Statutory Standards - Changes to licensing requirements from 1 July 2024  

The Department for Transport (DfT) introduced new Statutory Standards in July 2020 to enhance passenger safety for taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) services. In our Improving Safety for Taxi and PHV Passengers consultation  we set out our proposed changes to taxi and private hire licensing requirements to further improve taxi and private hire passenger safety. 

TPH Notice 05/24 sets out the changes to licensing requirements from 1 July 2024.   

The changes that apply to taxi drivers are listed below. 

DBS Update Service 

All applicants for a taxi or private hire driver's licence must register with and subscribe to the DBS Update Service. We will not be able to grant a licence unless you have registered. Once licensed, you must maintain continuous subscription with the Update Service. Find out how to register and other details on the DBS Update Service page. 

Please also see the video and guidance documents below: 

Licensee self-reporting  

All taxi drivers must inform us of any arrest and release, charge, caution or conviction within 48 hours. This includes all driving offences resulting in penalty points on your DVLA driving licence. 

Report any arrest and release, charge, caution or conviction, including driving offences, within 48 hours.

You can also report by email to tphlicensingsupport@tfl.gov.uk

Complaints signage  

Taxi vehicles must display new complaints signage, which will include other information for passengers, including how to make a complaint about taxi and private hire services to us.  

From 1 July 2025, taxi drivers must ensure that the taxi they are driving has the signage displayed.

Overseas criminal checks  

The requirements for when a Certificate of Good Conduct (CoGC) must be provided have changed.    

All new and renewing applicants for taxi driver licences will need to provide a Certificate of Good Conduct (CoGC) when they have lived in a country other than the UK for one or more continuous periods of three months or more in the last 10 years.  

Periods of extended holiday are included. A CoGC from every relevant country declared in the application form will be required to cover any such period. Please download the TPH/205 'Living abroad' form and submit this with your application.

Taxi driver safety, equality and regulatory understanding assessment  

From 1 October 2025, new or renewing taxi drivers will need to pass an assessment on their safety, equality and regulatory understanding (SERU) before being licensed/relicensed. 

More information and guidance will be published nearer to the time to help with preparation.

Contact the licensing team at tphlicensing@tfl.gov.uk if you have any questions or require clarification before you apply.

Medical requirements

You must be medically fit which means meeting the DVLA Group 2 medical standards. In most cases, this will mean that you will have to undergo a medical examination with someone who has access to your full medical history.

HMRC Tax Check

On 4 April 2022, HMRC introduced new tax checks for all taxi and private hire drivers, as well as PHV operators. As a licensed driver, you should be registered to pay any tax that may be due on income you earn from your licensed trade.  
 
You will need to complete a tax check with HMRC (using your GOV.UK Government Gateway ID and password). You must then obtain a unique 9-character tax check code which confirms your registration to pay tax. The tax check code will then need to be provided to TfL as part of your application to renew your licence. 

Guidance is available on GOV.UK to help you complete the tax check. 

Please note:

• You will need to ensure that you provide the correct tax check code for the type of licence that is being applied for, i.e. a taxi or private hire driver's licence
• A tax check code is only valid for 120 days from when it is obtained from HMRC. Please bear this in mind when submitting your application. If the code has expired, we will be unable to complete the check and your application will be incomplete
• Please ensure that you record the tax check code clearly and correctly on your application form

Should a tax check code be required, but it is not provided, then your application will be deemed to be incomplete. Your application cannot then be fully processed until the required tax check code has been provided and a check undertaken by TfL.

Guidance for EU/EEA nationals

Please see the document provided for information on the requirements for EU/EEA nationals to demonstrate their right to work in the United Kingdom.

Safeguarding Awareness

All applicants are expected to take the online Safeguarding Awareness training course. This course contains important information on protecting children and vulnerable adults at risk from harm and abuse.

More information on the introduction of the Safeguarding Awareness course is available in TPH Notice 13/21 (PDF 151KB) and on our Safeguarding awareness page.

Equal opportunities 

Becoming a licensed taxi or private hire driver is open to all. If you're a disabled person and interested in becoming a driver, there are some things to consider.

We try to ensure that everyone has an equal opportunity to get through the application and assessment process. However, there are some medical conditions that, for public safety reasons, will mean you can't be licensed, so it is important that you discuss your situation with your GP before you apply. For full information on medical guidelines please refer to the DVLA Group 2 guidelines.

Some licensed taxis and private hire vehicles have modifications made to them to enable people to drive them.

Vehicle adaptations include:

• Steering wheel ball
• Hand-operated braking controls
• Hand-operated accelerator controls
• Reconfigured foot pedal controls
• Infra-red control panel for operating vehicle lights, indicators and horn

Drivers who use vehicle adaptations will need to be assessed by a medical professional and driver assessor. They will recommend what adaptations are needed and exactly what equipment must be fitted to ensure the driver has full control of the vehicle at all times.

The recommended adaptations and equipment must be fitted by an authorised Motability installer. Documentary evidence that the installer is authorised is required. Before you have any equipment fitted or adaptations made to your vehicle, you should first contact our licensing team.

Convictions and exemptions

Disclosure and Barring service check

If you have completed an enhanced disclosure including both barred lists under the workforce code of 'Other' in a relevant occupation, in the last four months, you are exempt for requiring a further check.

Medical

Applicants are exempt from completing a medical form as part of their application if they:

• Hold a DVLA Group 2 licence (full or a provisional licence issued since January 1998)
• Have an active application with us, have completed our medical and are under the age of 45

Active applicants or existing licensees must have a medical exam if over the age of 45 and the last medical was done more than three years ago, or you're subject to providing an age-related medical.

To apply for any of the above exemptions email us at tphlicensing@tfl.gov.uk stating the exemption you want to apply for. We will email you the correct form.

Convictions

If you have any of the following convictions, it's unlikely that your application will be successful. Before submitting an application, please consider:

• Any conviction for a major violent offence (murder, manslaughter etc)
• Whether you have more than one conviction for any offence of a violent nature
• If you are still serving a custodial sentence, even if you have been released early on licence or the sentence was suspended
• If you have been convicted, cautioned or subjected to any other penalty for a serious sexual offence (rape, indecent assault, trafficking, possession of indecent images etc)
• Whether you have been convicted, cautioned or subjected to any other penalty for more than one sexual offence of any type, irrespective of age
• Whether you are listed on either the Children's or Adults' barred list
• If you have been convicted, cautioned or subjected to any other penalty for touting in the last 12 months or have more than one penalty for touting in the last five years

This is not an exhaustive list, licensing decisions are made on a case by case basis. Please read our Taxi and Private Hire Driver Policy above for further information.