Licensing – Taxi Drivers

Any person who carries passengers for hire and reward needs to apply for a taxi driver licence to drive licensed vehicles.

From 4 April 2022, applicants will be required to either complete a tax check with HMRC or confirm their understanding of their tax obligations.

If you are:

• renewing a licence
• applying for the same type of licence you previously held, that ceased to be valid less than a year ago
• applying for the same type of licence you already hold with another licensing authority

then you must complete a tax check with HMRC and provide the tax check code with your application. Otherwise, if you are applying for the first time, or you have only held a licence that have not been valid for over a year, you will be required to confirm your awareness of your tax responsibilities.

As from 25 May 2018 the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) and Data Protection Act 2018 came into force, replacing the former Data Protection Act 1998. This has affected how your personal data can be used.  In order to process your application for a disclosure check, you must read and understand the Standard / Enhanced Check Privacy Policy.

When completing your application form you will need to sign to say you have read the policy and understand how the Disclosure Barring Service will process your personal data.  Please note that without this consent your application can not be processed.

You can find the fee for this licence by going to our fee register. Licences are usually issued for a three year period, unless your Right to Work or DVLA licence expires during this time.

We will require original documents of the following to accompany your application:

• A minimum of three DBS documents (such as Passport, DVLA Driving Licence and a Council Tax or Utility Bill). Details of all of the documents we can accept are available on the Gov.uk website.
• Proof of Right to Work (if not provided with DBS documents). If you do not have a British Passport, a list of other documents we can accept is available on the Gov.uk website.
• A copy of both sides of your DVLA Photocard Driving licence (if not provided with DBS documents).

To provide your original documents please attend a DBS Drop-in Session. Drop-in sessions are held at Church Square House, 30-40 High Street, Scunthorpe, DN15 6NL.

Drop-in sessions are held on Tuesdays from 10 to 11.30am.

All applicants must attend and pass Safeguarding training before a licence will be granted, and again on renewal. There may be occasions when you are required to sit and pass an additional course if we have received information or a complaint about your behaviour.

Our Safeguarding training is now conducted by North Lincolnshire Council’s Adult Education and Community Learning Team(NLACL).

The training costs £25 per attempt. Please note, from January 2022, the price will increase to £30 per attempt. Payment will be made directly to NLACL.

Further information and course dates can be found in the Taxi Driver course leaflet-2021-2022 [PDF, 1Mb].

Places can be booked by contacting 01724 297146 or emailing nlacl.enquiries@northlincs.gov.uk

Knowledge Tests can be booked by calling 01724 297000. When you call to book, we will ask you which parts of the test you need to sit.

Hackney Carriage Drivers will be required to pass parts A, B and C of the Knowledge Test.

Private Hire Drivers will be required to pass parts C and D of the Knowledge Test.

One attempt of the test is included with your application fee. The re-sit fee is £47 for three additional attempts. Photo ID is required when you attend the Knowledge Test.

The Study Guide  is available here for you to read.

Under the Equality Act 2010, drivers of Hackney carriage and private hire vehicles have a legal obligation to carry passengers and assistance dogs and disabled persons. When carrying these passengers, drivers cannot charge any more than the metered fare; must allow the assistance dog to remain with the passenger and afford all reasonable assistance. The term “assistance dogs” refer to more than just guide dogs for blind people. It includes:

• Guide dogs for the blind – white harness with yellow fluorescent strips
• Hearing dogs for the deaf – burgundy jacket
• Dogs for the disabled (seven years to adult) – yellow jacket
• Dogs for the disabled (to work with children) – blue harness
• Canine partners (people with physical impairments) – purple jacket
• Support dogs (physical and other impairments) – blue jacket.

Under the Act, it is an offence for any operator or driver to refuse to carry assistance dogs. On conviction for such an offence, drivers can be fined up to £1,000.

Where a driver has an allergy to dogs, the driver must apply for an exemption from carrying assistance dogs.

To apply for an exemption, a driver must fill in an Exemption application form [PDF, 41Kb].

If no exemption has been applied for and subsequently granted, then drivers are still required to carry assistance dogs. Where an application is made to us for an exemption, it must be supported by medical evidence. The driver with the allergy should be under the care of a specialist consultant and will be required to produce reports from their consultant.

Mobility Assistance

The Equality Act 2010 places duties on drivers when carrying disabled passengers. Drivers must carry the passenger, carry the wheelchair or mobility aids they have, take reasonable steps to ensure they are safe and comfortable, provide mobility assistance and take reasonable steps to help the passenger identify and find the vehicle.

Drivers must also not make, or propose to make, any additional charge for the above.

Mobility assistance includes to enable the passenger to get into or out of the vehicle, and to load the passenger’s luggage, wheelchair, or mobility aids into or out of the vehicle.

Where driver has medical grounds or a physical condition that makes it impossible or unreasonably difficult to perform this mobility assistance, they must apply for an exemption from these duties.

To apply for an exemption, drivers must complete and submit a Mobility Assistance Exemption Application Form [PDF, 120Kb]. An exemption only applies to the mobility assistance duties, and not to any other duties.

If no exemption has been applied for and subsequently granted, then drivers are still required to provide mobility assistance. Where an application is made to us for an exemption, it must be supported by medical evidence. The driver would be expected to be under the care of a specialist consultant and will be required to produce reports from their consultant in the first instance.

In July 2020, the Department for Transport (DfT) published a document of National Standards, which sets out guidelines and recommendations to Local Authorities. The document contains a set of expected minimum standards in administering the licensing function and determining applicant fitness and proprietary that Licensing Authorities are expected to follow unless there is a compelling local reason not to.

The standards have been put in place to safeguard and protect children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation; however all passengers will benefit from the recommendations made. A key focus of the changes is also to build confidence in the taxi and private hire industry.

The recommendations are the result of detailed discussions with the trade, regulators and safety campaign groups. The DfT have outlined that they expect these recommendations to be not only implemented by Local Authorities, but also considered rigorously and with an open mind.

North Lincolnshire Council already maintains many of these standards through the Taxi Licensing Policy, adopted guidance and more broadly through internal safeguarding and whistleblowing policies. The document contains several additional standards that would further improve public safety. Where standards differ between the Licensing Policy and the DfT guidance, Licensing will apply the most stringent requirements.

Some of the key changes that Drivers may notice are:

Information Sharing

• Applicants will be required to disclose if they hold, or have previously held, a licence with another Local Authority. The applicant will also be required to disclose if they have had an application for a licence refused, or if a licence was revoked or suspended by another Local Authority. Licensing will continue to communicate with other Local Authorities to request or share information which may be relevant.

DBS Checks

• Drivers will soon be required to have a DBS check every six months. This check will be carried out by the DBS Update Service. As a result, all licensed drivers will be required to evidence continuous registration with the DBS Update Service to enable Licensing to routinely check for new information every six months. Drivers that do not subscribe to the Update Service will still be subject to a check every six months. There is a cost for the update service which is currently £13 per year. Alternatively the cost of a new DBS is currently £40.
• Previous convictions disclosed on applicants’ DBS certificates may be assessed differently following the new guidance. Any offences involving dishonesty, indecency or violence may require a longer rehabilitation period before a licence or renewal will be granted. Grandfather rights do not apply. Further information on how Licensing will assess previous convictions in line with the National Standards can be found in the Assessment of Previous Convictions.[PDF, 590Kb]
• Licensing will inform Humberside Police and the DBS if they receive any relevant information about a Driver, or if they decide to refuse or revoke a licence. This is particularly relevant if the Driver is thought to present a risk of harm to a child or vulnerable adult.

Taxi Driver Warning Points Appeal Form [PDF, 55 KB]

Hackney Carriage Byelaws [PDF, 35 KB]