Sheffield City Council knowledge test
888 words · checked 2026-10-03 · Free
Sheffield City Council requires new applicants for its dual (hackney carriage and private hire) driver licence to pass a computer-based knowledge test. Before you can book it you must already hold the Level 2 Certificate for taxi and private hire drivers and have completed safeguarding and disability awareness training. This note covers the format and the local rules you should learn. Always check the council's website before you book, because details can change.
Test format
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Who | New applicants, and anyone whose licence expired more than 12 months ago |
| Before booking | Level 2 Certificate (awarded in the last 3 years, or refreshed), safeguarding and disability awareness training; be over 21 |
| Format | 40 multiple-choice questions chosen at random on a computer |
| Time | 60 minutes |
| Pass mark | At least 80% in each of the five sections |
| Fee | £87 - not refunded if you fail; you pay again for a retest |
| Cancellation | Less than 72 hours' notice means no refund |
| Validity | A pass lasts one year; apply within 12 months or retake it |
| Section | Questions | Pass (80%) |
|---|---|---|
| Safeguarding | 5 | 4 |
| Laws and Conditions | 10 | 8 |
| The Highway Code | 5 | 4 |
| Routes | 10 | 8 |
| Points of Interest | 10 | 8 |
Key fact: A strong total cannot rescue a weak section. Two wrong in Safeguarding or the Highway Code is a fail.
The council does not publish a limit on the number of attempts or a waiting period between them.
Section tips
- Routes: give the shortest route. You may assume bus lanes, bus gates and tram gates can be used, but follow the Highway Code and current restrictions such as no entry and banned turns.
- Points of Interest: every question shows a picture and asks which road the place is on.
Getting licensed
- The policy expects you to be at least 21 and to have held a DVLA licence for 12 months; the test guidance says your driving test pass should be at least 2 years old.
- A driving standards test with any three of: emergency stop, left or right reverse, turn in the road, reverse park.
- DBS Update Service (checked every 6 months); medicals at first application, at 45, every 5 years to 65, then yearly.
- Licences run for 1, 2 or 3 years. The applicant must prove they are fit and proper, judged on the balance of probabilities.
Reporting deadlines
| Event | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Arrest, charge or conviction for sexual, dishonesty, violence or motoring offences | 48 hours |
| Change of operator | 48 hours |
| Change of address | 7 days in writing, with proof the DVLA was told |
| Badge and licence after suspension or revocation | Return within 1 working day |
| Unclaimed found property (byelaws) | South Yorkshire Police lost property office within 24 hours |
| Meter seals broken for repair | Written notice within 24 hours |
Conduct and local rules
- Never smoke or vape in a licensed vehicle; no eating or drinking while carrying passengers for hire and reward.
- No child under 10 in the front unless an impairment makes it safer.
- Display how to complain to the council in the vehicle; keep signs legible.
- Follow anti-idling law and byelaws. Cooperate with authorised officers and police.
- Plying for hire by a private hire driver can invalidate insurance. Officers act as covert passengers; a conviction normally means no licence for at least 12 months and all tests again.
- Three formal warnings in three years mean referral to the Licensing Committee.
- Hackney byelaws: clean and respectable dress whenever standing or plying for hire; carry up to 50 kg of luggage (prams and pushchairs count); the first cab on a stand must stay with it; TAXI sign lit whenever plying and not hired.
Hackney fares
| Tariff | When | Start |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Day, 7am-7pm | £3.50 for the first 100 yards, then 20p per 176 yards |
| 2 | Other nights | £3.70 |
| 3 | 7pm-7am Fri, Sat, Sun | £4.70 |
Waiting is 20p per 45 seconds (£16 an hour). Extras include £2 for five to eight passengers, £1.20 on bank holidays, £2.50 per journey over Christmas and New Year, and up to £80 for fouling. Private hire fares are set by the operator.
Worked example
Tariff 1, 3,620 yards: 3,620 − 100 = 3,520; 3,520 ÷ 176 = 20 units × 20p = £4.00; fare £3.50 + £4.00 = £7.50.
Local area study tips
- Hospitals: Royal Hallamshire (Glossop Road), Northern General (Herries Road), Children's Hospital (Western Bank), Weston Park (Whitham Road).
- Centre: City Hall (Barker's Pool), Lyceum (Tudor Square), Central Library (Surrey Street), Moor Market (The Moor), Ponds Forge (Sheaf Street).
- Sport: Bramall Lane, Hillsborough and Owlerton (Penistone Road), Utilita Arena (Broughton Lane).
- Main roads: Sheffield Parkway to M1 junction 33, Penistone Road (A61), Ecclesall Road. Outlying areas inside the city include Stocksbridge, Chapeltown, Mosborough and Dore.
Safeguarding and equality
- A vulnerable person is anyone at risk of harm, including adults who are drunk or ill.
- County lines signs: children travelling alone, at odd hours, far from home, paying cash.
- Never use booking details to contact a passenger privately. If someone is in immediate danger, call 999, then tell the Licensing Authority.
- Assistance dogs travel free and stay with the passenger. A section 169 exemption needs GP evidence and is displayed facing out.
Quick check
- How many questions and how long? (40 in 60 minutes)
- What is the fee? (£87)
- How long is a pass valid? (One year)