The taxi SERU is the assessment that every London black cab driver now has to pass. If you are a licensed taxi driver coming up for renewal, or a Knowledge of London student heading towards your licence, you will sit it at TfL's centre in North Greenwich. This page explains who needs the taxi SERU, how it works, what is in the Taxi Driver Handbook, how to use the open-book format to your advantage, and how to practise with a free taxi SERU mock test.
UK Driver Licence Prep is an independent study aid, not part of TfL. Facts come from TfL's taxi SERU page and TPH Notice 06/25, checked on 19 October 2026. Every practice question here is our own, written from the handbook.
What is the taxi SERU?
SERU stands for Safety, Equality and Regulatory Understanding. TfL first introduced a SERU assessment for private hire drivers in 2021. After a consultation in 2023, it introduced a separate version for taxi drivers from 1 October 2025. The aim is to show that London's taxi trade meets the Department for Transport's statutory standards on safeguarding and passenger safety.
The taxi SERU tests six areas, all from the Taxi Driver Handbook:
- taxi fares and payments
- equality and disability awareness
- safeguarding children and adults at risk
- driver safety and safe driving
- stopping and waiting
- licensing requirements
Passing it also shows that your English reading and writing are good enough for the job.
Key fact: The taxi SERU and the private hire SERU are different assessments. Passing the private hire version does not count, because the taxi version tests taxi-only rules such as plying for hire, compellable distances and Heathrow extras.
Who must take the taxi SERU, and when
| Driver | When you sit the taxi SERU |
|---|---|
| New applicant (Knowledge of London student) | Any time during your studies; must be passed before you are licensed. TfL recommends by the end of Knowledge Stage 5 |
| Existing driver, licence expiring on or after 1 October 2025 | At renewal. TfL contacts you to book. You have 12 months from your licence expiry date to pass |
| Driver who wants to sit early | Email assessments@tph.tfl.gov.uk |
If you send a complete renewal application before your current licence expires, you can normally keep working while TfL decides it, including the time needed to sit the SERU. Once you have passed the taxi SERU, you do not have to take it again at future renewals.
A word on the Knowledge of London
The Knowledge of London is the separate, much longer qualification that gives a black cab driver their route knowledge; TfL explains it on its Knowledge of London page. The taxi SERU is not part of the route testing. It is a short assessment of rules and responsibilities that you fit in towards the end of your Knowledge, usually on a visit to the assessment centre for an appearance.
Taxi SERU format
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Questions | 36 |
| Time | About one hour |
| Pass mark | 60% (about 22 correct) |
| Open book | Yes: a copy of the Taxi Driver Handbook is provided |
| Question styles | Single-answer multiple choice; select-all multiple choice; a handbook passage with questions; missing words from a word list |
| Where | TfL Driver Assessment Centre, 14 Pier Walk, London SE10 0ES |
| Fee | £40 first attempt, £30 re-sit (from 9 March 2026) |
| Results | Within a maximum of 15 days |
| Attempts | No published limit; you cannot be licensed until you pass |
Some news reports have quoted 37 questions and 45 minutes for the taxi SERU. Those figures conflict with TfL's own notice, which says 36 questions and about an hour. We follow TPH 06/25. For a side-by-side look at both SERU formats, see our SERU test format guide.
Fees
| Fee | At launch (1 October 2025) | From 9 March 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| First attempt | £36 | £40 |
| Re-sit | £16 | £30 |
You pay by card on the day; American Express is not accepted. The new fees come from TPH Notice 05/26, which also sets the taxi driver licence fees from 1 June 2026: £138 to apply and £205 to grant.
The Taxi Driver Handbook
Every taxi SERU question comes from the Taxi Driver Handbook, a free PDF from TfL. It is different from the PHV Driver's Handbook used for the private hire SERU, and it is organised in a way that makes revision easier.
"You may be tested on this"
Every block of the handbook carries one of two labels: "You may be tested on this" or "You will not be tested on this". Only the first kind can appear in the assessment. Before you start revising, go through the handbook once and mark every testable block. That one hour of sorting can save you many hours of reading background you will never be asked about.
What the testable sections cover
| Area | What to learn | Our notes and practice |
|---|---|---|
| Fares and payments | Plying for hire, the taximeter, extras, refusals and the 12-mile and 20-mile limits, card payments, receipts, unpaid fares | Fares and payments note; taxi-specific practice |
| Equality and disability | Wheelchair users, assistance dogs, help with getting in and out, no extra charges | Equality practice |
| Safeguarding | Children and adults at risk, exploitation, when to call 999 and 101 | Safeguarding practice |
| Driver safety and safe driving | Aggressive passengers, phones, fatigue, vulnerable road users | Safer driving practice |
| Stopping and waiting | Red routes, yellow lines, bus lanes, bus stops, ranks, PCNs | Ranks, stopping and licensing note |
| Licensing | Badges, reporting duties, renting or owning a taxi | Licensing practice |
TfL also provides audio files and 14 video guides covering the assessment, the introduction and sections 1 to 12 of the handbook, all linked from its taxi SERU page.
Exam tip: Taxi-only rules are where experienced drivers lose marks, because they think they know them. Check the exact figures: the compellable distance is 12 miles, or 20 miles from Heathrow, and a journey likely to last more than an hour can be refused.
How to use an open-book test well
Open book sounds easy. In practice, one hour for 36 questions leaves under two minutes per question, and you cannot look up every answer. The handbook is a safety net, not a substitute for knowing it.
Know the handbook's structure before the day
- Learn the order of the sections. You should be able to say roughly where fares, refusals, equality, safeguarding, stopping and licensing sit without flicking through.
- Know which questions are worth looking up. Exact numbers (distances, times, deadlines) are worth checking. General principles, such as never charging extra for an assistance dog, you should know without looking.
- Practise finding things quickly. Give yourself 30 seconds to find a given rule in the PDF. If it takes longer, learn that section better.
Budget your look-ups
A good plan is to answer every question you are sure about first, flagging the ones you want to check. Then use the remaining time to look up the flagged questions. If you look up as you go, you risk running short of time before the end.
Watch the select-all questions
In a "select all the correct answers" question, each option is a true-or-false decision. Missing one correct option loses the mark. Read each option against the handbook rule on its own, not against the other options.
Taxi SERU traps worth learning by heart
These are rules from the testable parts of the handbook that drivers often half-remember. Learn them well enough that you never need to look them up:
- Hiring happens when the taxi is stationary. Once you stop for someone who hailed you, you must take the fare unless you have a legal reason to refuse.
- No touting. Never approach people to ask if they want a taxi.
- No plying for hire on motorways, and suburban (yellow badge) drivers must not ply for hire outside their sectors.
- The meter starts no earlier than the hiring and stops no later than its end. Charging more than the metered fare is illegal.
- No extra charges for luggage, extra passengers, wheelchair users, assistance dogs or paying by card.
- Red and yellow lines: you may pick up and set down, but you may not wait there, even if the passenger is late.
- The red route cashpoint exception allows a wait of up to five minutes, only between 22:00 and 06:00.
- Bus stops with wide red lines: never stop at all.
Each of these appears in our taxi-specific practice with an explanation and the handbook section, so you can check your understanding before the mock.
Free taxi SERU mock test
Our taxi SERU route is built for the taxi version only.
| Taxi SERU practice | |
|---|---|
| Free diagnostic | 20 questions |
| Free full mock | Mock 1: 36 questions, 60 minutes, 22 to pass |
| Question bank | 844 questions |
| Taxi-only topic | Taxi-specific rules: plying for hire, the meter, extras, refusals, ranks |
| Printable worksheet | Taxi SERU questions with answers |
| Pro | Mocks 2 to 10, every topic, every note |
Each mock has about eight taxi-specific questions out of 36, with the rest spread across safety, behaviour, driving and stopping, safer driving, equality, safeguarding and licensing. Mocks include sentence-completion and reading questions. Our bank uses single-answer questions, so practise select-all thinking with the handbook as well.
The "PDF" many people search for is usually a copy of the handbook or a sheet of practice questions. The handbook is free from TfL at the link above. Our taxi SERU worksheet is a printable page of free questions with an answer key; use your browser's print or "Save as PDF".
Pro costs £6.99 per week, £11.99 per month or £22.99 for three months and covers every test on the site. See pricing. There is no pass guarantee.
Taxi SERU pass rate
Figures reported by TaxiPoint in April 2026, from a TfL Freedom of Information response, put the taxi SERU pass rate at about 94% for 1 October 2025 to 2 April 2026, compared with about 54% for the private hire SERU over the same period. These are reported figures, not a TfL publication, but they suggest most taxi drivers who prepare pass. Our SERU pass rate guide looks at the numbers in detail.
Key fact: A high pass rate is not a reason to skip preparation. A fail costs a £30 re-sit and, for renewing drivers, time against your 12-month deadline.
Equality and safeguarding: the heavy sections
Equality and disability carry more questions in our mocks than any section except taxi-specific rules. London taxis are wheelchair accessible, so the handbook expects you to know how to help wheelchair users safely, how to secure a wheelchair and that you cannot charge extra for it. You must carry assistance dogs unless you hold a medical exemption. Our guide to the Equality Act for taxi drivers explains the legal duties behind these rules.
For safeguarding, complete TfL's free online Safeguarding Awareness course before the assessment; TfL expects it. It also prepares you for questions on spotting exploitation and knowing who to tell.
On the day
- Bring original photo ID (not a photocopy) and a payment card.
- Arrive early. Late arrivals and candidates without acceptable ID cannot sit.
- Check in at the ground-floor reception at 14 Pier Walk. Staff take payment, give you an ID number and take your photo.
- Phones off. The session starts with a short instruction video.
- Need reasonable adjustments? Tell TfL when you book and email assessments@tph.tfl.gov.uk with professional evidence.
If you also drive private hire, or are moving between trades, our private hire vs hackney carriage guide explains how the two licences differ. The SERU test hub compares both SERU assessments.
Your study plan
- Today: take the free taxi SERU diagnostic and download the Taxi Driver Handbook.
- This week: mark every "You may be tested on this" block. Read the free taxi SERU exam guide and complete the Safeguarding Awareness course.
- Next week: study fares, refusals and stopping rules first, then equality and safeguarding. Practise finding rules in the handbook against the clock.
- Before booking: sit the free taxi SERU mock 1 with the timer on.
- Then: aim for 85% on three mocks in a row, and book through TfL. Private hire drivers should use the SERU mock test instead.
12 free Taxi SERU practice questions with answers
Try each one, then open the answer. For a timed experience use the free mock exam.
1. Does TfL keep a record of complaints made about you?
- A. Yes
- B. No, they are deleted
- C. Only if they are upheld
- D. Only for one month
Show answer
A. Yes
TfL takes complaints into account when deciding whether a driver should keep a licence and keeps a record of complaints.
2. Using a marshalled rank, what should you do?
- A. Ignore the marshal if you know the rank
- B. Follow the marshal and the normal rank rules
- C. Follow the marshal but ignore rank rules
- D. Follow only the passengers' wishes
Show answer
B. Follow the marshal and the normal rank rules
When using a marshalled rank, follow the marshal's instructions and remember that the normal taxi rank rules apply.
3. County lines is a type of criminal ___ in which gangs use children and young adults to sell drugs.
- A. education
- B. exploitation
- C. transport
- D. competition
Show answer
B. exploitation
Exploitation means using someone in an unfair way. County lines gangs exploit children and young adults.
4. Who do Medical Detection Dogs help?
- A. People with complex health conditions
- B. Only adults who are blind
- C. Only people who have hearing loss
- D. Only people with physical disabilities
Show answer
A. People with complex health conditions
Medical detection dogs help adults and children with complex health conditions.
5. Safeguarding means protecting children and adults at ___ from harm and abuse.
- A. work
- B. home
- C. night
- D. risk
Show answer
D. risk
Adults at risk are sometimes called vulnerable adults. Safeguarding protects them and children from harm and abuse.
6. When using a marshalled taxi rank, follow the instructions of the ___.
- A. marshal
- B. passenger
- C. proprietor
- D. shelter-keeper
Show answer
A. marshal
Marshals organise queues at busy ranks. Normal rank rules still apply.
7. When can you use a hand-held phone in your taxi?
- A. When you are queuing in slow traffic
- B. When safely parked with the engine off
- C. When you are driving slowly in a lane
- D. When checking a map while on the move
Show answer
B. When safely parked with the engine off
You can only use a hand-held phone if you are safely parked with the engine switched off, or you need to call 999 or 112 in an emergency and it is unsafe or not practical to stop.
8. When should you ask passengers if they have all their possessions?
- A. Only at the end, when they pay the fare
- B. Before setting off and when you arrive
- C. Only if they are aged over 65
- D. Only on journeys late at night
Show answer
B. Before setting off and when you arrive
You can help by asking passengers if they have all their possessions before you set off and when you arrive at their destination.
9. After refusing a hiring because the passenger would not stop smoking, what should you record?
- A. Only the amount of the fare you lost
- B. The brand of cigarette they smoked
- C. Where and when, their name if known, and the outcome
- D. Nothing, as no record is needed at all
Show answer
C. Where and when, their name if known, and the outcome
Keep a record of where and when the incident took place, the name of the person if known, and the outcome following your refusal.
10. When do you need a Certificate of Good Conduct (CoGC)?
- A. If you spent 3+ months in a row abroad in the last 10 years
- B. If you visited Europe on holiday for a week
- C. Only if you were born outside the UK
- D. Only if you lived abroad before you were 18
Show answer
A. If you spent 3+ months in a row abroad in the last 10 years
If you have lived or been outside the UK for three or more continuous months in the last 10 years, you will need a CoGC when you renew.
11. Which device does the handbook suggest carrying for your safety?
- A. A handheld card reader
- B. A spare taximeter
- C. A police radio
- D. A lone worker device
Show answer
D. A lone worker device
Carrying a lone worker device can help you get help if you need it.
12. Do you have to pay to appeal to London Tribunals?
- A. No, it is free
- B. Yes, £50
- C. Yes, the PCN amount
- D. Yes, if you attend in person
Show answer
A. No, it is free
You will not have to pay to appeal, and you can go to hear your case at the tribunal if you want to.
Frequently asked questions
+Do black cab drivers need to take the SERU?
Yes. Since 1 October 2025 every new London taxi driver must pass the taxi SERU before being licensed, and existing drivers whose licence expires on or after that date must pass it to renew. TfL says there are no exemptions.
+When did the taxi SERU start?
It started on 1 October 2025, following a TfL consultation in 2023. It applies to new taxi driver applicants and to drivers renewing a licence that expires on or after 1 October 2025.
+How many questions are in the taxi SERU?
TfL's notice TPH 06/25 says the taxi SERU has 36 questions. Some news reports have quoted 37 questions and 45 minutes, but the TfL notice is the official figure.
+Is the taxi SERU open book?
Yes. TfL provides a copy of the Taxi Driver Handbook during the assessment and you can refer to it. TfL still expects you to have read and understood the handbook before the day.
+What is the pass mark for the taxi SERU?
The pass mark is 60%, according to TfL's notice TPH 06/25. With 36 questions, that means about 22 correct answers.
+Does the PHV SERU count for taxi drivers?
No. TfL says passing the private hire SERU does not exempt you from the taxi SERU, because the taxi version includes rules that apply only to taxi drivers.
+What is in the Taxi Driver Handbook?
It covers how to ply for hire, the taximeter and extras, refusals, payments, equality and disability, safeguarding, driver safety and safe driving, stopping and waiting, ranks and licensing. Each block is labelled either 'You may be tested on this' or 'You will not be tested on this'.
+When should Knowledge of London students take the taxi SERU?
You can book it at any point while studying, including on a visit to the assessment centre for an appearance, but you must pass before you can be licensed. TfL recommends completing it by the end of Knowledge Stage 5.
+How much does the taxi SERU cost?
From 9 March 2026 it costs £40 for a first attempt and £30 for each re-sit, paid by card on the day. At launch in October 2025 the fees were £36 and £16.
Study offline on your phone too
The UK Driver Licence Prep app has the same questions, works offline, and explains every answer in Urdu, Bengali, Punjabi, Arabic, Pashto, Farsi, Somali, Romanian or Polish, plus a map trainer for the Topographical.
Keep reading
- SERU Test: The TfL SERU Assessment ExplainedWhat the TfL SERU test covers, how it works for private hire and taxi drivers, fees from March 2026, and free SERU practice tests.
- Free SERU Mock Test (TfL Private Hire)Take a free SERU mock test: 36 TfL-style questions in 50 minutes with explanations. How to use mocks, review mistakes and know when to book.
- How Many Questions Are in the SERU Test?How many questions are in the SERU test, the pass mark, the time limit and open book status, with every figure traced to its TfL source.
- SERU Pass Rate: How Many Drivers Pass?The SERU pass rate from TfL's Freedom of Information data, newer reported figures, why drivers fail, and a plan to pass the SERU first time.
- Equality Act Duties for Taxi DriversEquality Act duties for taxi drivers: assistance dogs, wheelchair users, no extra charges, exemption certificates and the 2022 changes, with scenarios.
- Private Hire vs Hackney Carriage: What's the Difference?The difference between private hire and hackney carriage: laws, hailing and ranks, meters and fares, licences, tests and dual licences, side by side.