Driver licences - additional guidance
DBS forms
All applicants who do not hold a suitable DBS Update Service certificate will be required to complete an online application form that will be sent via email. Applicants will still be required to visit the council offices to have their ID documents checked. The list of acceptable documents will be included in the supplied email.
If you have a child and adult workforce or other workforce enhanced DBS certificate with Barred List checks, and are registered on the DBS Update Service, you may submit this to the council with your access code to enable the council to complete a subject search.
All licensed drivers are required to maintain a subscription to the DBS update service whilst licensed. Subscription must be applied for within 28 days of receiving your certificate. More information can be found on the DBS Update Service.
Medical requirement
It is a requirement for all new applicants to provide a group two medical form, a signed medical certificate, and their medical summary notes(See note 1) on initial application, every three years whilst licensed until the age of 70, and annually thereafter (See note 2). You may use any doctor registered with the General Medical Council, but you will need to provide them with your existing medical history summary notes, D4 medical report form pre-completed with your details (where indicated), and a copy of this Council’s medical certificate for them to complete. Medical summaries can be obtained from your registered GP, in some cases if you have online access to your GP surgery, you may be able to print them yourself.
If your chosen doctor is unable to conduct the vision test, you will need to take the D4 form to an optician prior to your Group II medical appointment. The optician will complete page three of the report and return the form to you. Your chosen doctor will conduct the remaining parts of the medical and then declare you fit or unfit.
Please ensure that your chosen doctor is willing to sign this certificate prior to attending your medical. It remains an applicant's or licence holder's responsibility to ensure that the D4 form and the medical certificate are fully completed.
The decision regarding fitness to drive remains that of the Council, who reserve the right to overturn an examining doctor’s declaration where it is considered necessary. The Council will apply the current published DLVA Group II medical standards when considering all decisions.
Note 1: If you have an underlying medical condition, additional supporting evidence may need to be taken to your appointment to obtain your medical decision. Additional medical evidence guidance
Note 2: Medical frequencies may change from those listed, if you have an existing medical condition.
Practical driving assessment
All applicants are required to provide an approved practical driving assessment pass certificate at the time of submitting an application. The approved courses at this point in time are listed on this webpage:
Blue Lamp Trust - Taxi driving assessment
Green Penny - Taxi driving assessment
Immigration Act 2016
The Immigration Act 2016 places a duty on the Council to ensure that no person obtains a Hackney Carriage or Private Hire driver and operator licence if they do not have a legal right to work in the UK. Upon first application (and upon first renewal after 1st December 2016 for existing licence holders) applicants will be required to prove their right to work in the UK by supplying one of the official documents listed in the document below. The applicant must be present when the document is supplied; it is not possible for the document to be presented by another person. A copy of the document will be retained in order at the instruction of the Home Office.
Please note, if you provide a document from list B you will be required to produce proof of right to work upon all future renewal dates.
Tax conditionality
If you are applying to renew a driver licence, or applying for a new licence which is the same type of licence you already hold with another authority, or it is for the same type of licence previously held with this authority, that ceased to be valid less than a year before the date of application, you must carry out a tax check via the online HMRC portal, and provide the authority with the nine digit tax check code it provides you. Without this code it will not be possible for the authority to grant a private hire or hackney carriage driver licence.
If you are applying for a new licence, and the points mentioned in the above paragraph do not apply, you will be required to sign a declaration confirming that you are aware of your need to register for tax purposes, and you will do so. This declaration will be contained on the application form. For more information visit the HMRC guidance website.
Safeguarding
All applicants are required to provide an approved safeguarding training pass certificate at the time of submitting an application. The approved courses available at this point in time are listed on this page:
Blue Lamp Trust - Taxi safeguarding