Taxi Licensing
Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Driver
Initially, applicants need to apply on the appropriate application form. The licence is issued under an Act of Parliament called the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 and is valid for three years. To get a driver's licence the Council have to determine whether or not you are a "fit and proper person" under the terms of the Act. This involves a series of tests and checks being carried out with various organisations so that the Council can determine your application fairly and consistently. Should there be issues arising from these checks, the application is referred to the Licensing Committee to consider. The checks and tests that we carry out are as follows:
Knowledge Test
As part of the application process Pembrokeshire County Council has introduced a Local Knowledge Test.
All applicants will be expected to pass the Local Knowledge Test as part of the application procedure prior to being issued with a Hackney Carriage/Private Hire Vehicle Drivers Badge.
A fee of £49.00 is payable prior to the day of the test. Only applicants who have paid the fee in full, may sit the exam.
If you wish to book a place please contact the Licensing Team via licensing@pembrokeshire.gov.uk
Knowledge test includes Safeguarding awareness
Applicants must watch the Safeguarding video (opens in a new tab) before sitting the knowledge test
Applicants should be familiar with all the current taxi licence conditions: COMBINED HACKNEY CARRIAGE AND PRIVATE HIRE VEHICLE DRIVERS LICENCE – STANDARD CONDITIONS OF LICENCE
Immigration Act 2016
With effect from 1 December 2016, the Immigration Act 2016 prevents people without lawful immigration status and the right to work in the UK (referred to as Right to Licence) from holding a hackney carriage or private hire driver licence or a private hire operator licence.
The Licensing Team are required, by law, to carry out face to face checks with ALL licence applicants to ensure that licences are not issued to any person who does not have the correct ‘right to work' documentation.
The new legislation relates to private hire/ hackney carriage vehicle drivers and private hire operators.
All applicants, new or renewal will need to make an appointment with a Licensing Officer to bring along original documents as required by the Home Office.
All documents provided will be photocopied and a copy retained by the Licensing Department.
Where there are no restrictions on the right to work in the UK, ‘Right to Licence' checks on subsequent renewal applications will not need to be repeated.
A full list of acceptable documents for a ‘Right to Licence' check is available on-line at Right to work checklist (opens in a new tab)
If there are restrictions on the length of time you may work in the UK, your licence will not be issued for any longer than this period. In such circumstances, the check will be repeated each time you apply to renew or extend your licence. If, during this period, you are disqualified from holding a licence because you have not complied with the UK's immigration laws, your licence will lapse and you must return it to the Council, failure to do so is a criminal offence.
If you do not provide us with suitable documentation you will not, by law, be able to renew or apply for your licence.
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
All hackney carriage/private hire driver applicants MUST apply for an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.
The check involves a search of your individual criminal record to establish whether or not you are safe person to drive members of the public, some of which may be vulnerable, elderly, or infirm. The DBS is a central organisation that deals with all checks of criminal records for the Council.
Please refer to our convictons policy - Guidance on suitability of applicant - Convictions Policy
DBS check must include check on both adult and children barred lists.
The fee for an Enhanced DBS check is £43.50
On receipt of their DBS certificate applicants are encouraged to subscribe to the DBS update service DBS CRSC (crbonline.gov.uk)(opens in a new tab). Driver renewals are processed more quickly and cost less where they have a current subscription to the update service as no need to apply for a fresh Enhanced DBS certificate.
Medical Examination
All applicants will be required to undergo a medical examination, known as a Group 2 medical, which must be carried out by your own doctor or a registered medical practitioner who has access to the applicants full medical records. Certain medical conditions may mean that you are not capable of driving professionally and it is important that the Council know about such problems to ensure the safety of the public. Drivers under 65 year of age must undergo a medical every 3 years; drivers 65 years old and over will require an annual medical.
You will need to provide the following items:
- Application form (with all sections completed)
- Two passport photographs
- A medical certificate from your own GP
- Enhanced DBS certificate – issued within the last 3 months by Pembrokeshire County Council
- A copy of both sides of your driving licence photocard (the licence must have been held for at least one year)
- DVLA licence check code
- Proof of ‘Right to Work’
- Application fee - £240 /3 year licence
NR3 National Register of Refusals and Revocations
When we receive an application for a licence, we will check the applicant's details on the register to confirm that there is no record of them having being revoked, suspended or refused elsewhere.
The licensing authority will add basic details about drivers when we refuse an application, suspend or revoke their licence. The details contained on the register are limited to information that will help to identify an individual to a certain degree of accuracy. The register does not include any information about why an application was refused or a why a licence was revoked.
You will need to provide the following items:
- Application form (with all sections completed)
- Two passport photographs
- A medical certificate from your own GP
- Enhanced DBS certificate – issued within the last 3 months by Pembrokeshire County Council
- A copy of both sides of your driving licence photocard (the licence must have been for at least on year)
- DVLA licence check done
- Proof of ‘Right to Work’
- Application fee - £240 – 3 year licence