Apply for a Hackney Carriage taxi driver licence

Before Proceeding, Please Read:

1. Taxi and private hire: Licensing policy and guidance
2. our Criminal Convictions Policy

The minimum Qualification Criteria

• The Applicant must hold a valid full UK driving licence for a minimum of 12 months.
• If an applicant has lived or stayed outside the UK for a continuous period of 6 months or more, a certificate of good conduct from the relevant embassy will be required. This must either be in English or translated by an approved translator at the applicant’s expense.
• Applicants must have a reasonably adequate standard of spoken English This will be assessed throughout the application process and during the knowledge test.
• Have proof of the Right to Work in the UK

Please contact licensing@horsham.gov.uk to arrange an appointment to initiate an Enhanced DBS application, for which we will require the following:

1. A Payment of £49.50 by Debit or Credit Card.
2. An in-date Passport of any Nationality, or a Birth Certificate
3. DVLA issued Driving Licence
4. An Original Utility Bill or Bank Statement, issued within the last 3 months
5. A valid Right-to-Work Code

other acceptable Documents

At the appointment you will be asked to sign Mandates giving the council permission to view  advised of the actions needed and given guidance about registering for the Mandatory update Service, which must be completed 28 days of being issued your enhanced certificate.

All applicants must undergo a medical examination, to be completed by a GMC registered doctor and completed within the last 3 months to assess their fitness to work as a Hackney Carriage / Private Hire Driver; a Group 2 medical will be required, as per Department of Transport Guidance. Link here for information

• Pass the Taxi Safeguarding Course, supplied online by The Blue Lamp Trust or by West Sussex County Council.
• Pass HDC Taxi/Private hire driving assessment test.
• Pass a Disability Awareness Course, supplied online by The Blue Lamp Trust.
• Provide a Tax Check Code. ttps://www.gov.uk/guidance/complete-a-tax-check-for-a-taxi-private-hire-or-scrap-metal-licence
• Where applicable submit a Right to work Check Code. https://www.gov.uk/prove-right-to-work/get-a-share-code-online

Complete a Hackney Driver application form.

Please beware that any application form received that is incomplete, will be rejected.

Once we have corresponded with you that your application has been completed correctly and that the appropriate documentation supplied, we will send you a payment link for the fee to sit your Conditions/Bylaws and Knowledge Test.https://www.horsham.gov.uk/licensing/taxi-and-private-hire/private-hire-licences/private-hire-driver-licence/private-hire-driver-licence-conditions

Once paid, we would ask you to email licensing@horsham.gov.uk to arrange an appointment to sit the next available test. The written exam will be held at the Council Offices once a Month and will last approximately 1 hour. The test results will be communicated with you at our earliest opportunity.

Should the applicant fail the first test, further opportunities will be offered, each subsequent test also will incur a fee.

Once confirmation has been received, confirming to that the Tests have been passed, please email licensing@horsham.gov.uk to arrange an appointment to bring to the Council Offices the following original documents for Inspection:

1. Enhanced DBS certificate
2. Certificate of good conduct (where applicable)
3. DSA Assessment certificate.

Once Payment has been received, you will be sent a link to complete and return a Mandate for DVLA checks to be made on your driving Licence.

After successfully completing all the above, a payment link will be sent to you, for you pay the appropriate Licence fee.

After all our final checks have been made, which may take few days, please be patient and wait until we contact you to arrange either the Collection or the Posting of your Drivers badge and your paper Licence (counterpart) document.

A Private Hire Driver Licence is valid for a period of 3 years and must be renewed upon expiry.

Please download an application form from our website XXXXX or email licensing@horsham.gov.uk to request an application form to be sent to you.

Please beware that any application form received that is incomplete, will be rejected.

Ensure that you include:-

• Tax Check Code: ttps://www.gov.uk/guidance/complete-a-tax-check-for-a-taxi-private-hire-or-scrap-metal-licence
• 10 Digit DBS Update Service Reference

Your application will not be accepted without all appropriate documentation (Please do not submit originals)

• DVLA / Equivalent Driving Licence – Images of both Front & Back of Licence Must be in the name of the applicant
• Right to work document – passport, birth certificate or share code https://www.gov.uk/prove-right-to-work/get-a-share-code-online
• Photograph – Passport or digital passport style Must be recent photos
• Proof of address issued within the last 3 months – Bank statement or utility bill (we do not accept credit card statements or mobile phone bills)

After successfully completing all the above, a payment link will be sent to you, for you pay the appropriate Licence fee.

After all our final checks have been made, which may take few days, please be patient and wait until we contact you to arrange either the Collection or the Posting of your Drivers badge and your paper Licence (counterpart) document.

A Private Hire Driver Licence is valid for a period of 3 years and must be renewed upon expiry.

This is a multiple-choice test and you will be required to show a good level of local knowledge. This includes identifying the location of key buildings or premises such as pubs, bars, restaurants, schools, train stations, golf clubs, village halls and supermarkets in the district.

The test has 100 questions split across 5 categories and to pass you must achieve an overall score of 80%.

The categories are:

• Highway Code
• Numeracy
• Horsham District Policy & Private Hire Conditions
• Dementia Awareness, County Lines, Human Trafficking & Child Sexual Exploitation
• Horsham District Places of Interest

You are expected to carry out your own research and you should be familiar with our https://www.horsham.gov.uk/licensing/taxi-and-private-hire/taxi-and-private-hire-licensing-policy-and-guidance

For Dementia Awareness Human Trafficking and Child sexual exploitation click this link for further information  Human trafficking and dementia awareness guidance notes

Information about County Lines can be found at https://www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/what-we-do/crime-threats/drug-trafficking/county-lines

You should also read our Criminal Convictions Policy https://www.horsham.gov.uk/licensing/taxi-and-private-hire/taxi-and-private-hire-licensing-criminal-convictions-policy

We also suggest you obtain a good working knowledge of the district before attempting the test and we recommend the following:

• Spending time in the District and studying maps
• Using the internet and/or the telephone directory to research the names of the roads on which local landmarks or bars, restaurants, schools etc. are situated
• Re-familiarising yourself with the Highway Code
• Make sure you know where all the major villages are in the district

When you are ready, email licensing@horsham.gov.uk to book your test and make the payment.

You will sit the test at Horsham District Council, Albery House, Springfield Road, Horsham, West Sussex RH12 2GB.

You should bring some form of photographic I.D. with you, such as a driving licence or passport.

You cannot leave the room during the test so please take any comfort breaks beforehand.

During the test, you are not allowed to use any of the following:

• Mobile or smart phones
• Study notes
• Text books
• Handheld computers
• Satellite navigation devices
• Any other device or notes as deemed unacceptable

Anyone found to have used any of the above items will have their test cancelled.