Birmingham City Council knowledge test

Birmingham City Council has two very different tests. Private hire applicants sit a short suitability test run by TTC Group. Hackney carriage applicants sit a long topographical test of routes and locations. Both check that you can communicate in English to a reasonable standard and know the rules for licensed drivers. This note covers the format, the local rules you should learn and how to study. Always check the council's website before you book, because details can change.

Test format

Item	Private hire (Suitability Test)	Hackney carriage
Run by	TTC Group (book directly with TTC)	The council's knowledge tester
Parts	3 parts: legal, licence conditions, plying for hire	Legal questions, 100 geographical questions, 20 routes, 80 two-point locations
Questions	6 multiple-choice questions per part (18 in total)	6 legal questions; routes from a bank of 342; locations from a bank of 1,680
Pass mark	All 6 plying-for-hire questions correct; at most 4 errors across legal and conditions, and no more than 2 in either part	All 6 legal questions correct; at least 90 of the 100 geographical questions
Time	Not published	2 hours verbal or 3 hours written (written candidates also take a verbal communication test)
Fee	Private hire verbal test £75 (council fee table)	Folder £50; knowledge test £150; written/verbal test £75

Key fact: In the private hire test you cannot drop a single plying-for-hire question. One mistake there is a fail.

The council does not publish a time limit for the private hire test, the number of attempts allowed, or any retake fee beyond the fee table. All knowledge and verbal test fees are non-refundable. The A to Z (map) part of the private hire test was removed in June 2018, and the 2023 policy now calls it the Private Hire Suitability Test.

For hackney routes you must give the shortest distance route, not the quickest. A "two-point location" means describing where a premises is using at least two points of reference.

Before you are licensed

• Hold a full driving licence for over two years.
• Pass the Birmingham City Council driving test (a DSA "taxi" test pass from elsewhere is not accepted).
• Pass the disability and safeguarding course (booked through the Disability Resource Centre; it includes child sexual exploitation).
• Meet the DVLA Group 2 medical standard, have an enhanced DBS check with both barred lists, and join the DBS update service.
• Driver licences are normally issued for 3 years. If your licence expires, you must make a new application.

Reporting deadlines

Event	Deadline
Conviction, caution, summons or arrest	7 days in writing (PH conditions) - see the note below
Lost or stolen vehicle plate	3 days in writing
Lost or stolen badge	Report to police, give the report number within 3 days
Illness you must tell the DVLA about	3 days in writing
Found property	To a West Midlands Police station within 72 hours; send the receipt copy within 3 days
Accident affecting safety or appearance	72 hours
Insurance lapses	72 hours, and return the plates
Vehicle sold	14 days
Badge or plates after expiry, suspension or revocation	Return within 7 days

Key fact: The 2023 policy says existing licence holders should report convictions and cautions within 72 hours, but the private hire licence conditions say 7 days in writing. The conditions on your licence are what you are bound by; reporting within 72 hours satisfies both.

Private hire rules to know

• Never pick up a street hail or wait on a taxi rank. A first plying-for-hire conviction normally means at least 6 months' suspension; with no insurance it normally means revocation.
• Do not take return bookings from passengers; tell them to book through the operator.
• Private hire vehicles may not use any bus lane in Birmingham.
• Do not gather with more than 2 other private hire vehicles in a residential area.
• Wear your badge at all times when working. Do not use the horn at a pick-up.
• Take the shortest route unless the passenger agrees otherwise.
• Plates: rear plate fixed so it needs tools to remove; operator signs on the two front doors with "BE BOOKED, BE INSURED"; only one operator's sign at a time; council signs on both rear doors.
• Vehicles: under 8 years when first licensed, not renewed after 12 years; from 1 January 2026 new or replacement vehicles must be ULEVs. Only manufacturer-fitted window tints.
• CCTV: get council approval before fitting; internal-facing dashcams cannot replace CCTV.

Hackney fares (1 April 2025 table)

• Tariff One starts at £3.20. Tariff Two applies Friday and Saturday 22:00 to 07:00 and on Boxing Day. Tariff Three applies on Christmas Day.
• Extras include 20p per extra passenger, 20p per item of luggage outside the passenger compartment, and £40 soiling on Tariffs One and Two.

Worked example

Three passengers and two suitcases in the boot, meter £14.60: £14.60 + 2 × 20p (passengers) + 2 × 20p (luggage) = £15.40.

Local area study tips

• Learn landmarks with their streets: Library of Birmingham (Broad Street), St Philip's Cathedral (Colmore Row), Birmingham Hippodrome (Hurst Street), Queen Elizabeth Hospital (Mindelsohn Way), Heartlands Hospital (Yardley Green Road), Children's Hospital (Steelhouse Lane).
• Know the areas: Villa Park and Aston Hall in Aston, Cadbury World in Bournville, Good Hope Hospital in Sutton Coldfield.
• Learn the A4540 Middleway ring road and main radials: A45 Coventry Road, A41 Soho Road, A441 Pershore Road, A435 Alcester Road.

Safeguarding and equality

• All hackney carriages must be wheelchair accessible. Drivers of listed vehicles (Equality Act s.167) must assist wheelchair users and cannot charge extra.
• An assistance dog must be carried; a medical exemption needs occupational health confirmation and never removes the duty to carry a disabled passenger.
• The committee asks whether it would trust a vulnerable relative alone with the applicant.

Quick check

• How many questions in the private hire test? (18)
• How many hackney geographical answers must be right? (At least 90 of 100)
• Can a private hire car use a Birmingham bus lane? (No)