Section 1: Driver licensing
1,963 words · checked 2026-10-03 · Free
To work as a private hire vehicle (PHV) driver in London, you must be licensed by Transport for London (TfL). Only then can you carry out bookings for a London private hire operator that is also licensed by TfL. This note covers Section 1 of the PHV Driver's Handbook: who can apply, the checks TfL makes, your badge and licence, and every change you must report.
Who can apply
TfL checks five main things before it grants a London PHV driver's licence.
| Requirement | What it means |
|---|---|
| Age | You must be 21 or older when you apply. There is no upper age limit. |
| Driving licence | A full DVLA, Northern Ireland, EU or EEA driving licence that is at least three years old. |
| Right to work | You must have the right to live and work in the UK. |
| Character | You must be a 'fit and proper' person, checked with an enhanced DBS check. |
| Health | You must meet the DVLA Group 2 medical standards, checked by a doctor who has access to your full medical records. |
If there are restrictions on your right to work, TfL will add a condition to your licence. For example, if you are in the UK on a student visa, you may work only a limited number of hours each week and you may not be self-employed.
Key fact: A London PHV driver's licence normally lasts three years. A PHV vehicle licence lasts only one year.
The assessments you must pass
As a new applicant you must pass three separate assessments:
- Topographical Skills Assessment. This tests your ability to select and plan a route, read a map and identify locations. It is held in a centre approved by TfL and conducted under exam conditions by a TfL examiner.
- English language, speaking and listening. You must prove at least B1 level on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). This test is held in a TfL building and conducted under exam conditions.
- Safety, Equality and Regulatory Understanding (SERU). This is the assessment these study notes prepare you for. Passing the SERU also proves that your English reading and writing skills are at B1 level.
The DBS check
The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) is a public body that checks people's backgrounds. Your enhanced criminal records check will show:
- Convictions, cautions, reprimands and final warnings
- Any relevant information held by the local police
- Whether you are on a list of people prevented from working with vulnerable groups
TfL uses a separate company to arrange DBS checks for applicants, and you must use that company to get your certificate. TfL also expects drivers to keep their DBS check up to date through the DBS Update Service. If you have lived outside the UK for three months or more in the past ten years, you must complete a 'Living Abroad Details' form and may need to provide a Certificate of Good Conduct.
Your licence and your badge
When your application is approved, TfL sends you a PHV driver's licence and a PHV driver's badge (your photographic ID). Rules you must follow:
- Your licence may have conditions attached, for example extra medical checks. The conditions are explained in the letter sent with your licence. Keep the letter and follow the conditions, or your licence may be revoked.
- Keep your licence safe at home. Give a copy to every licensed operator you work with. Operators must keep copies of both your PHV driver's licence and your DVLA, Northern Ireland, EU or EEA driving licence.
- If a police officer or a TfL Authorised Officer asks to see your licence, you must show it there and then, or within a maximum of seven days.
- Wear your badge at all times when working as a PHV driver. This includes when you are waiting for a booking and when travelling to pick up a passenger. It must be clearly visible to other people.
- The badge shows your name, photograph, licence number and the date your licence period ends. It also has text in Braille, so a vision-impaired person can confirm you are licensed.
- If a passenger asks for your licence number, let them see the badge so that they can write the number down.
- The badge is for you alone. You must not let any other person use it to carry out bookings.
- TfL can grant an exemption from wearing the badge. If you have one, carry the exemption notice with you at all times when working.
If your badge or licence is lost or stolen
Report a lost or stolen badge or licence to TfL immediately. If your badge is stolen, also report it to the police and get a crime reference number. You cannot continue working as a PHV driver without your badge. TfL will replace the lost or stolen item, but if you later find the original you must return it to TfL. The badge and licence remain the property of TfL at all times, even after they expire, and must be returned when they pass their expiry date or when you stop being licensed.
Medical rules after licensing
The DVLA Group 2 standards apply for the whole time you are licensed. TfL will remind you when a medical is due and send you the form. You are responsible for making sure a doctor completes it fully and for returning it to TfL.
| Your age | Medical checks needed |
|---|---|
| Under 45 | Medical when you first apply. Extra checks may be needed if you have an existing condition. |
| 45 to 64 | A medical examination each time you renew your licence. |
| 65 and over | A medical assessment every year. |
You may be exempt from supplying a medical form if you hold a full or provisional DVLA Group 2 licence (provisional issued after January 1997), a current London taxi driver's licence, or a valid current pilot's licence issued by the Joint Aviation Authorities.
Tell TfL immediately if you develop a new medical condition that may affect your driving. Examples include diabetes, epilepsy, poor eyesight or other eye conditions, heart conditions, high blood pressure, neurological conditions (including strokes), prescription medication that may affect your driving, and psychiatric illness. If you are not sure whether to tell TfL, contact TfL for advice.
Changes you must report
Straight away
Tell TfL immediately if:
- You are disqualified from driving. You must also return your licence and badge.
- You become the subject of a mental health order or a sexual offences order.
- You are placed on the Adults or Children's Barred Lists.
- Another licensing authority suspends or revokes your private hire or taxi driver's licence, or refuses a new application you have made.
- You are arrested, charged, convicted or cautioned for any crime. This includes fixed penalty notices and road traffic offences that put penalty points on your driving licence.
You are responsible for telling TfL yourself. Do not rely on the police informing TfL. If you fail to report, your licence could be revoked.
Key fact: TfL's current driver licence page sets a deadline for self-reporting: within 48 hours for licences granted on or after 1 July 2024, and within 21 days for licences granted earlier. For the SERU, remember the handbook rule: report immediately and never wait for the police to tell TfL.
Within 21 days
If you change your home address, tell TfL within 21 days. Also tell TfL about any change to your email address or telephone number. You must also tell the DVLA about a change of address, and the address on your PHV driver's licence should match the address on your DVLA driving licence.
No need to report
You do not need to tell TfL about penalty charge notices (PCNs) or parking tickets that do not result in penalty points. However, if TfL notices you are getting them frequently, it may take licensing action against you, because licensed drivers are expected to behave responsibly.
Complaints, suspension and revocation
If TfL receives a complaint about you, it may write to you with the details and ask for your comments. Always respond: TfL can only make licensing decisions based on the information it receives.
If your licence is revoked, you must return it to TfL within seven days. If you do not, or if your licence was suspended or revoked with immediate effect, TfL may send an Authorised Officer to take it from you. Under the Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998 you may appeal to the magistrates' court, normally within 21 days, against a refusal, a condition, a suspension or a revocation. A suspension or revocation usually takes effect 21 days after notice is served, unless TfL makes it immediate in the interest of public safety.
If your driver's licence is suspended or revoked and you own a licensed PHV, TfL may also revoke the vehicle licence where there is a risk to public safety. Examples include evidence that the vehicle could be used as a PHV by somebody without a PHV driver's licence, or a driver charged with or convicted of a serious violent or sexual offence.
Scenario: You move to a new flat
You must tell TfL within 21 days of changing your home address. You must also tell the DVLA, which will issue you a new driving licence showing the new address. The address on your PHV driver's licence should match your DVLA licence. Do not forget to update your email address and phone number with TfL as well.
Scenario: You accept a police caution
A caution counts as a matter you must report, even for a minor offence. Tell TfL immediately and do not assume the police will pass on the information. Licences granted on or after 1 July 2024 must be self-reported within 48 hours. Failing to report could lead to your licence being revoked.
Scenario: Your badge is stolen from your car
Report the theft to TfL immediately, and report it to the police to get a crime reference number. You cannot work as a PHV driver until TfL issues a replacement badge. If you later find the stolen badge, you must return it to TfL, because it remains TfL property.
Quick check
- How old must you be to apply for a London PHV driver's licence? (21 or older; there is no upper age limit.)
- How long must you have held your full driving licence before applying? (At least three years.)
- For how long is a PHV driver's licence normally issued? (Three years.)
- Within how many days must you show your licence to a police officer or TfL Authorised Officer if you cannot show it straight away? (Seven days.)
- From what age must a PHV driver have a medical assessment every year? (65.)
Exam tips
- Learn the five application requirements as a list: age, driving licence, right to work, 'fit and proper' (DBS), and medical fitness (Group 2).
- Remember the pattern of numbers: 3 years (licence duration and minimum driving experience), 7 days (producing your licence or returning a revoked licence), 21 days (change of address), 45 and 65 (medical check ages).
- The badge must be worn whenever you are working, including waiting for jobs. It is personal to you and must never be used by anyone else.
- Reporting rules are a favourite exam topic. Arrests, charges, convictions and cautions are reported immediately; address changes within 21 days; ordinary parking tickets and PCNs without points do not need to be reported.
- Do not confuse the driver's badge (worn, with photograph) with the licence document (kept at home, copy given to your operator).
- If your licence is revoked, return it within seven days, and remember TfL may also revoke a vehicle licence you own if there is a risk to public safety.