Hackney carriage or private hire quick guide

Applicants must:

• be a fit and proper person to hold a licence,
• have the right to work in the UK
• be over the age of 21
• hold a DVLA Driver's Licence which has been valid for the past twelve (12) months
• undertake a medical to Group 2 Standard showing that the applicant is physically fit to drive a taxi or private hire vehicle
• pass a local knowledge test of the Borough

Convictions

The public are entitled to have the utmost confidence in drivers of taxis and private hire vehicles: therefore, the Council must ensure that only fit and proper persons obtain a drivers' licence.

Great Yarmouth Borough Council has adopted a policy on convictions in relation to taxi and private hire vehicle drivers and this can be found on our website. It is recommended that persons with convictions read the policy before applying for a licence. They may also wish to speak to the Licensing Team on 01493 846201 for advice.

Applicants should note that spent relevant convictions can be taken into consideration and if the application is refused, no money can be refunded.

To apply applicants must:

1. Have a Right to Licence Immigration check. You can email the documents to [email protected] and bring the original document with you to the knowledge test. A list of accepted documents are on page 11-12 of this booklet. We will verify that you have the right to work as a professional driver in the UK This may involve checks with the Home Office in some circumstances.
2. Take a local Knowledge Test: You will need to make arrangements with a Licensing Officer to take a knowledge test. Tests are normally held twice weekly at the Town Hall.

The test comprises of a four part verbal paper and will last for approx. 30 mins. Part 1 contains questions on the Council's Hackney Carriage/Private Hire Driver and vehicle licence conditions. Part 2 covers Basic Numeracy. Part 3 covers Popular Destinations and Part 4 covers Routes. Guidance can be found on our website.

Cost of knowledge test: £30

An 80% pass rate is required and, should an applicant fail the test, each subsequent re-test will cost a further £30.

3. Provide an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check: This can be completed with the Licensing Team after a successful knowledge test, documents which need to be provided in order to complete this are listed on this page.

Cost of DBS check: £57.66

For applicants whose previous residence is outside the UK, it will be necessary to obtain a Certificate of Good conduct from their embassy or home country. The Certificate of Good Conduct must be in English and provided at the applicant's own expense. This is in addition to the Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check.

DBS Update Service - all drivers will be requested to sign up for the DBS Update Service. Six monthly checks with the DBS will be carried out on each driver. If a driver is not registered with the update service, they will be required to produce and pay for a full DBS enhanced disclosure every 6 months.

4. Provide a safeguarding training certificate: Acceptable training courses for taxi drivers can be found online. Please check that the course is suitable with the Licensing Team before completing.

Approximate Cost of Safeguarding Training: £30

5. Provide a medical certificate to Group 2 standard: this must be carried out by a registered Medical Practitioner. A form will be given upon receipt of a satisfactory enhanced DBS check. The completed medical certificate shall be issued within fourteen (14) days prior to the application being made.

Cost of medical: determined by Doctor

Subsequent medicals will be required at age 45, then every five years after the age of 45 and then annually from the age of 65 years. A driver under the age of 65 with a controlled medical condition may also be required to undergo a full medical annually.

6. Provide a valid DVLA Driver's Licence which has been valid for the past twelve (12) months, together with code details provided by the DVLA. This code can be obtained by registering online on GOV.UK.

Please note the code is only valid for 21 days, therefore should not be obtained until the applicant has completed and received all relevant documents.

If you do not have access to the internet, help will be available at reception in the Town Hall.

Please note: If you have 9 or more current penalty points and/or any previous convictions appear on your DVLA driving licence we may refer your application to the Licensing Committee to ascertain whether you are a 'fit and proper' person to hold a licence.

7. Provide one passport size photograph.
8. Complete an application form

Cost of licence: £240.00

Providing the conviction check is clear and the DVLA check is satisfactory, a licence will be issued within 2-3 days and shall be valid for a maximum term of three years (unless a shorter period is deemed appropriate by the Borough Council).

If any convictions have been disclosed, a meeting will be arranged with the applicant, Taxi Licensing Officer and the Licensing Enforcement Officer. The officers will decide whether the licence can be issued or whether to refer the application to the Licensing Committee with a recommendation to refuse the licence. If the application is refused, no money can be refunded.

National Register of Taxi Licence Refusals and Revocations (NR3)

Great Yarmouth Borough Council (GYBC) provides information to the National Register of Taxi Licence Refusals and Revocations (NR3), a mechanism for licensing authorities to share details of individuals who have had a hackney carriage or Private Hire Vehicle (PHV) licence revoked or an application for one refused.

Therefore:

• where a hackney carriage/PHV licence is revoked, or an application for one refused, GYBC will automatically record this decision on NR3
• all applications for a new licence or licence renewal will automatically be checked on NR3; if a search of NR3 indicates a match with an applicant, GYBC will seek further information about the entry on the register from the authority which recorded it