Apply for a combined or private hire driver licence

There are two driver licences that you can apply for:

private hire driver licence, which will licence you to drive a private hire vehicle only
combined driver licence, which will licence you to drive both a hackney carriage and/or a private hire vehicle. This licence requires you to pass an additional geographical test with Green Penny

New and renewal drivers

Please read our Licensing Policy relating to the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire trade (PDF) [773KB] which pertains to all applicants.

We'll use this policy to determine your suitability as an Uttlesford District Council driver and to ensure that you meet the 'fit and proper' standard required.

How to apply

We will only accept complete and valid applications.

Please provide the following documents.

1. Application form

Driver licence application form (PDF) [214KB]

2. A full UK DVLA driving licence

You must have held your driving licence for at least three years prior to date of application.

We need to establish the validity of your licence and check for any endorsements. We use an organisation called TaxiPlus to do this.

You will need to pay £14.40 to Taxi Plus for this check.

3. Enhanced DBS certificate

You can apply for an enhanced DBS certificate through TaxiPlus (PDF) [3MB] . The current cost is £60.

4. DBS update service

Every driver must within 28 days of being issued an enhanced DBS certificate sign up to the DBS update service DBS update service. There is a fee of £13 per year that drivers must pay direct to DBS. If you fail to continuously pay you may have to obtain a brand-new DBS certificate at your own expense.

TaxiPlus will perform our update service checks. So we will share certain data with them.

After confirming that you have signed up the update service council staff may add your DBS number manually to Taxi Plus or longer term drivers will be able to input the data into Taxi Plus themselves.

5. Certificate of Good Conduct

If you have not lived in the UK for at least 5 years, or have lived overseas for longer than three months within the past 5 years, you need to provide a Certificate of Good Conduct. The certificate can be obtained from the embassy of the country where you lived abroad.

6. Medical

To ensure we follow good practice, from 2 May 2022 you will need to provide the following documentation to the medical practitioner when you attend your DVLA Group 2 medical assessment.

From this date we will only accept submission of the new UDC medical form.

For the medical you'll need:

a. A full and current UK DVLA photocard driving licence
If a photocard licence is not available, please provide your passport.

b. A Summary Care Record (SRC)
This can be obtained from your GP surgery or via the NHS website.
There is information about Summary Care Records on the NHS website.

c. D4 Group 2 medical form
Please provide your medical practitioner with a copy of the D4 Group 2 Medical Form from GOV.UK.
Please complete the 'Applicants' section in grey on page 1 and sign and date the Applicant's declaration on page 8. The rest of the form will be completed by the medical practitioner and then returned to you. Please note: You will need to retain your completed medical form for three years, as our Enforcement Team may wish to see it.

d. Uttlesford District Council medical certificate
You will need to complete our UDC Medical Certificate (PDF) [306KB] .
Please complete the Applicants Details section at the top only. The rest will be completed by the medical practitioner.

7. Uttlesford drivers training course supplied by Green Penny

All new and renewal drivers (until June 2024) will need to complete a one day course with greenpenny.co.uk upon application.

8. Passport photograph

Please provide a photograph taken within the last six months of your head and shoulders with a light, clear background. The photograph must be no more than 5MB.

9. Driver Proficiency test certificate

New drivers only need to undergo a practical driving assessment carried out by a qualified driving test examiner who is DVSA fleet approved. You'll need to provide use with the proficiency test certificate.

10. HMRC tax check

Drivers and anyone renewing their combined or private hire licence will need to meet new government rules to provide a 9-character tax check code. This also applies to private hire operators. Please see the guidance on completing a tax check for a taxi, private hire or scrap metal licence on GOV.UK.

If you're an individual, company or any type of partnership you must complete a tax check if you're:

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

Please note: This is not required for new drivers unless the above applies.

You must carry out the tax check yourself and an agent cannot do this for you. After you have completed the tax check you will be given a 9-character tax check code, which you will need to provide to the UDC Licensing department with your application to renew your licence, so that we can confirm that you have carried out a tax check.

You will not be granted a licence if you do not give a tax check code to UDC.

11. Right to work check

From 1 October 2022 we will carry out face to face interviews and examine original documents. Until then, we will continue to provide this service via Zoom or other video link.

Please provide original right to work documents from the right to work checklist on GOV.UK.

Find out more about hackney carriage and private hire licences

Get your vehicle inspected

You can get your vehicle inspected at any of the approved garages for vehicle testing in the district.

MOT

You must have a valid MOT for a hackney carriage vehicle from when it is 1 year old and for a private hire vehicle from when it is 3 years old.

You can check the MOT status of a vehicle on GOV.UK

Accidents

If you have an accident you will need to fill in an accident report form (PDF) [231KB] .

⚠ You must do this within 72 hours of the accident.

Send your completed form to our Licensing team by email at licensing@uttlesford.gov.uk

Change your vehicle temporarily due to an accident or a mechanical fault

You might ned to temporary change your vehicle if:

your insurance company needs to apply for a temporary replacement licence
you intend to use a courtesy car
you are purchasing or have use of another vehicle which you wish to be licensed

You will need to fill; in a temporary vehicle application form (PDF) [57KB] .