Before you are lawfully allowed to drive a licensed taxi vehicle you must be licensed by the council (Section 46 LGMPA 1976).
It is strongly recommended that you read the current Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy before making any application.
The council cannot grant a driver’s licence unless it is satisfied that the applicant:
A driver’s licence will be issued for three years from the date of grant, subject to the power to grant a licence for a shorter period, should this be appropriate to the circumstances.
All drivers must display an identity badge, issued by the council, which is clearly visible to passengers at all times whilst working. The licence issued must be deposited with the proprietor (owner) of the vehicle being driven (Section 48 TPCA 1847).
This section will take you through the requirements to obtain a taxi drivers licence.
On a first application you must produce:
All applications for drivers licences are subject to the 'fit and proper person' test. The fit and proper test is the standard against which an application is determined and the general test as outlined in the standards is as follows; "Would you (as a member of the licensing committee or other person charged with the ability to grant a drivers licence) allow your son or daughter, spouse or partner, mother or father, grandson or granddaughter, or any other person for whom you care, to get into a vehicle with this person alone?".
As part of the application process the council will conduct a check of the National Register of Refusals and Revocations (NR3). This is done firstly during the determination of an application for a licence, and then at any time during the currency of a licence. For example, when evidence is obtained that suggests that a licensed individual is not a fit and proper person, the council is entitled to suspend, revoke or refuse to renew a licence.
All applications for a new licence or licence renewal will automatically be checked on NR3. If a search of NR3 indicates a match with the applicant, the authority will seek further information about the entry on the register from the authority which recorded it. Any information received will only be used in respect of the specific licence application and will not be retained beyond the determination of that application.
Further information in relation to NR3 can be found within the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy.
In addition to the above requirements you will be required to undergo the following training prior to your badge being issued.
The above training is considered an essential part of determining whether an applicant is a 'fit and proper person'. Please see our 'driver training' section.
Previous convictions and Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks
An enhanced criminal record check giving information on both barred lists for children and vulnerable adults is essential in assessing a driver’s suitability to hold a licence.
The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 does not apply to applicants for a driver’s licence. All convictions, including those that would normally be regarded as spent must be disclosed.
Applications for a Disclosure and Barring Service Certificate can be made via the Ripley CVS, 35 Market Place, Ripley, DE5 3HA. Please note that CVS charge for this service. Please telephone 01773 512076 to make an appointment. A licence will not be issued or renewed until the certificate is produced to the council.
You may obtain a DBS certificate from an alternative DBS 'umbrella body' which may be found at www.gov.uk/find-dbs-umbrella-body.
Certificates must be less than one month old when produced to the council.
A DBS Certificate must be submitted to the council every third year upon application for the renewal of your badge. The council reserves the right to request additional disclosures at any time if it is considered necessary to ensure the protection of the public.
The council will accept enhanced DBS certificates from other organisational bodies such as Derbyshire County Council, provided they are enhanced and that the child and adult 'barred lists' have been applied for.
All drivers must subscribe to the DBS Update Service following the issue of their DBS certificate. This allows further disclosures to be obtained instantly, therefore avoiding the scenario of a driver being unable to work due to their certificate not being returned before the expiry of their current badge. The council will obtain regular DBS updates using the Multiple Status Check Facility provided by the DBS.
A fee of £13 per year (as at the publication of this policy) is charged for this service and a driver must sign up to the update service within 30 days of the date the DBS certificate is issued. Further detailed information can be found at www.gov.uk/dbs-update-service.
The Immigration Act 2016 amended existing licensing regimes in the UK to seek to prevent illegal working in the PHV and taxi sector. The provisions of the 2016 act prohibit all licensing authorities across the UK from issuing a licence to anyone who is disqualified by reason of their immigration status and they discharge this duty by conducting immigration checks. The 2016 act also embeds other immigration safeguards into the existing licensing regimes across the UK.
The provisions mean that driver and operator licences must not be issued to people who are illegally present in the UK, who are not permitted to work, or who are permitted to work but are subject to a condition that prohibits them from holding such a licence.
A list of acceptable documents you can use to prove your 'right to work in the UK' can be found within the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy.
A DVLA Group 2 medical must be undertaken when applying for your first licence unless you hold a current PCV or HGV licence. In line with DVLA guidance a further medical will be required when reaching the age of 45 years then every 5 years until reaching the age of 65 years, when a medical is required to be undertaken annually. The medical can be carried out by a doctor of the applicant’s choice but must be carried out to the DVLA Group 2 medical standards. Medical forms are available on request from the licensing section.
Medical certificates must be dated within the past three months at the time of application.
You must apply for renewal while the existing licence is still in force. The council will endeavour to remind holders of driver’s licences to renew their licences by sending out a communication two to three months prior to their expiry. However, not having received a reminder will not be accepted as a reason for non-renewal of licences. It is the holder’s responsibility to ensure that their licence is renewed within the time limits.
To ensure that renewal applications may be processed in a timely manner it is important that all applications for renewal are made at least six weeks prior to the expiry of the current licence.
Failure to renew your licence on time will result in you being unable to drive.
To renew your drivers’ licence, you must produce the following documentation:
Drivers who do not renew their licence and then make a subsequent application for a licence within 6 months of their previous licence expiring, will be required to produce a DBS enhanced certificate and a medical certificate. However, applicants will be excused from re-sitting the knowledge test, disability awareness and safeguarding training. Any applicant whose badge has lapsed for more than 6 months must make a complete fresh application.
Applications for a drivers licence must be submitted by post or email to:
Licensing Section
Amber Valley Borough Council
Town Hall
Ripley
Derbyshire
DE5 3BT
Telephone: 01773 570222
Email: licensing@ambervalley.gov.uk
Contact the team directly on 01773 570222 or email licensing@ambervalley.gov.uk
