First Hackney Carriage or Private Hire driver's licence

To be eligible for a first Hackney Carriage or Private Hire driver's licence:

• You need to be 21 years old or over
• You must be eligible to work in the UK
• You must've held a GB driver’s licence for a full 12 months or more

Have you lived in the UK for less than 5 years? If you’ve lived in the UK for less than 5 continuous years when you apply for a new licence, you must also provide a Certificate of Good Conduct from the Embassy or High Commission of any country you lived in during that time. If the certificate is not in English, you must include a certified English translation. The certificate must be issued within the last 3 months.

Are you an asylum seeker? Asylum seekers who hold a Home Office issued application registration document together with a positive verification letter from the Home Office Employer Checking Service stating that the named individual is permitted to work in the UK, are exempt from the requirement to submit a Certificate of Good Conduct.

Tax registration guidance: you need to be aware of the content of His Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) guidance relating to tax registration obligations. Read HMRC's tax registration guidance

Have you got any convictions? If you have any convictions, you'll need to let us know about them in your application. Please read our document about the relevance of convictions before starting your application. If you have any questions, get in touch using the contact details on this page. View our relevance of convictions document

You must have all of the following before you apply:

1. A completed Statutory Declaration: signed or stamped by a Solicitor or Commissioner for Oaths. The document must be dated within 1 month of the date you submit your application. Find forms and documents to support your application
2. An up‑to‑date Enhanced DBS certificate: for the Taxi Driver (Other Workforce) category, with all sections completed. If you don't have a DBS certificate, we partner with TaxiPlus to carry out criminal record checks. Once your check is complete, the DBS will send your certificate directly to your home address. Apply and pay for a DBS check with TaxiPlus
3. Registration with the DBS Update Service: if you're not already registered you can register online. Register for the DBS Update Service

To apply, complete the online form below and make your payment online. How much your application will cost.

Apply for your first Hackney Carriage or Private Hire driver's licence

• Find supporting documents and additional information

• Contact the team