The Wolverhampton private hire test is the step that stops most applicants in their tracks, not because it is long but because of how it is built. You spend a day in training, then sit 28 questions, eight of which are key questions on the three topics the council cares about most. This guide explains the course day, the key questions, the local rules behind the test, what a "Wolverhampton taxi test PDF" really is, and how to practise.
The City of Wolverhampton Council licenses private hire drivers under the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 and must be satisfied that each one is "fit and proper". UK Driver Licence Prep is an independent study aid, not part of the council or Worcestershire County Council. Facts below come from the council's knowledge and practical test page, its licensing policy and CCTV policy, and Worcestershire County Council's training page, checked on 19 October 2026. Council web text is used under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
The Wolverhampton private hire test at a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Run by | Worcestershire County Council's driver training team, for the City of Wolverhampton Council |
| Format | One-day course of about 6 hours, then a written multiple-choice test |
| Questions | 28, including 8 key questions |
| Key questions | 3 safeguarding, 3 plying for hire, 2 disability awareness |
| Pass mark | 75% (21 of 28) |
| Time allowed for the test | Not published |
| Language | English only; no translation or interpreter |
| English check | Face-to-face English assessment on the day; a recorded interview follows if there are concerns |
| Fee | £50 for the course and test; £20 test-only resit as your second attempt only |
| Attempts | 3 sittings; after 3 fails, wait 12 months before starting again |
| Cancellation | At least 48 hours' notice for a full refund |
| Late arrival | Refused entry; you pay again for another date |
Our Wolverhampton mock tests use the same 28 questions and a pass line of 21. The council does not publish a time limit, so our mocks allow 45 minutes; that is our assumption, not a council rule.
Key fact: Three attempts, then a 12-month wait. The cheaper £20 resit can only be your second attempt, not your first or third.
The course day
The test comes at the end of a full training day, about six hours in a classroom. You cannot skip the training and go straight to the test on your first attempt. Arrive on time with your booking confirmation and photo ID: late arrivals are turned away and have to pay for another course.
The English assessment
Early in the day there is a face-to-face English assessment. Wolverhampton runs the course and test in English only, with no translation. If the trainers have concerns, a recorded interview follows. If you do not meet the standard, you cannot sit the written test until you do. Worcestershire's page also warns that no refund is given once you have attended, so be honest with yourself about your English before you book. If you need to, take an English course first.
What the course covers
The council lists these subjects: assistance dogs, child sexual exploitation, counter terrorism, county lines, customer care and safety, dealing with difficult situations, disability awareness, the DBS, driver responsibilities, enforcement, GDPR (data protection), licence conditions, lost badges, modern slavery, plying for hire, safeguarding, suicide awareness, the Health Act 2006 (smoking in vehicles) and vehicle conditions.
That list is your syllabus. Every subject on it can appear in the test, and the three key-question topics appear in more than one subject.
Exam tip: Listen hardest in the sessions on safeguarding, plying for hire and disability. Those are where the eight key questions come from, and the trainers know it.
The eight key questions
Wolverhampton's test has eight key questions: three on safeguarding, three on plying for hire and two on disability awareness. The council does not publish whether you must get all eight right to pass. Because the council marks them out as key, prepare as if every key question must be correct, and aim to know these three topics completely.
Plying for hire (3 key questions)
Plying for hire means offering your vehicle for immediate hire to someone who has not booked through a licensed operator. Only hackney carriages may do it. For a private hire driver it is an offence, and the insurance will not cover the journey. Every plying-for-hire question comes back to one test: was the passenger booked through a licensed operator before the journey? If an option lets you take someone who walked up, waved or asked at a rank, it is wrong. Our guide to plying for hire explains the law and the situations that confuse new drivers, and you can drill it in law practice.
Safeguarding (3 key questions)
You need to recognise signs that a passenger is at risk and know what to do. The course covers child sexual exploitation, county lines, cuckooing (taking over a vulnerable person's home for crime), modern slavery, coercive control and suicide awareness. Wolverhampton expects a safeguarding concern to be reported as soon as possible and within 24 hours at most, and 999 to be called if someone is at immediate risk. The council's fit and proper question is simple: would you let someone you care for travel alone with this driver? See safeguarding questions for taxi drivers and Wolverhampton safeguarding practice.
Disability awareness (2 key questions)
These come from the Equality Act 2010. Drivers of wheelchair-accessible vehicles on the council's list must carry wheelchair users, give reasonable mobility help and not charge extra (section 165). Every driver must carry an assistance dog at no extra charge. A driver with a medical exemption under section 171 must display the exemption certificate facing outwards on the windscreen. Wolverhampton is clear that emotional support dogs are not assistance dogs, while trainee assistance dogs must be treated as assistance dogs. Our Equality Act guide and Wolverhampton equality practice cover these.
Wolverhampton rules you should know
The rest of the test draws on the council's licence conditions and policy. These tables summarise the rules most worth learning. Practise them in Wolverhampton local policy.
Reporting deadlines
| Event | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Change of name, address, phone or email | 48 hours |
| Arrest, charge, caution, notice of intended prosecution or penalty points | 48 hours |
| Lost badge or lost plate | 48 hours |
| Card payment system fault (hackney) | Report and repair within 48 hours |
| Lost property (private hire) | Tell the operator at once; take it to the operator within 48 hours |
| Safeguarding concern | As soon as possible, within 24 hours at most; 999 if at immediate risk |
| Vehicle sold | Request transfer within 14 days |
Most Wolverhampton deadlines are 48 hours. The exception is safeguarding, which is faster. That difference is exactly the kind of detail a test question checks.
Dress, badge and conduct
- Clean clothes with no offensive or political words. Upper arms and shoulders covered. Shoes that cover the foot up to the ankle.
- Wear your badge around your neck on the council lanyard. Your face must be clearly visible and match the badge photo.
- Do a daily walkaround check of the vehicle before driving and keep the records for at least 15 months.
- Do not ask for or keep passengers' contact details.
- No eating during a journey (water is allowed). Radio on only if the passenger asks.
- Take the cheapest route unless the passenger asks otherwise, and confirm the destination before setting off.
- Children under three count towards the vehicle's licensed number of passengers.
Vehicles and plates
| Rule | Detail |
|---|---|
| Private hire vehicle age | No older than 11 years 6 months when licensed; never plated past 12 years. Ultra low emission vehicles (under 75 g CO2/km) have no age limit |
| Rear plate | Fixed securely on the rear of the vehicle |
| Signs | No roof signs; no "taxi", "cab" or similar words |
| Stickers | Pre-booking and no-smoking stickers at the bottom of the rear side windows |
| Number plates | No 3D, 4D, ghost or sticker number plates |
| Tyres | Made within the last 10 years |
| Mirror | Nothing hung from the rear-view mirror |
| Hackney carriages | All wheelchair accessible; new hackney applications only for brand new vehicles |
CCTV and dashcams
Wolverhampton's CCTV policy is a favourite source of questions because it uses data protection language:
- The vehicle licence holder is the Data Controller and must register with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).
- Footage is normally deleted after 31 days.
- Dashcams must face outwards and record no audio.
- Audio recording is allowed only through a panic switch with a visible light.
- Posting footage on social media is banned.
Key fact: Under Wolverhampton's CCTV policy, the person who holds the vehicle licence is the Data Controller, not the operator or the council. That phrase is worth remembering exactly.
Fares and timings: a worked example
Wolverhampton's private hire fares are set by operators, not the council, but the test still checks basic numeracy and timing. A typical question gives a pick-up time and a journey time and asks when you must leave.
Worked example. A passenger is booked for 14:40, and the pick-up point is 25 minutes' drive away. When should you leave? 14:40 − 25 minutes = 14:15. If the question adds five minutes to find parking, leave at 14:10.
For hackney carriages, start the meter only once the passenger is seated. Outside the licensed area, agree a fare first or use the meter. Every hackney carriage must accept contactless cards. Practise sums like these in fares and numeracy.
Learning Wolverhampton's geography
Even a private hire test expects you to know the city's shape. Start with the ring road and the main roads out:
| Road | Direction |
|---|---|
| A4150 Ring Road | Circles the city centre |
| Stafford Road (A449) | North, towards M54 junction 2 |
| Penn Road (A449) | South-west |
| Tettenhall Road (A41) | West |
| Willenhall Road (A454) | East, towards M6 junction 10 |
Then learn the centre: the railway station on Railway Drive, Molineux on Waterloo Road, the Grand Theatre and Art Gallery on Lichfield Street, the Civic Centre on St Peter's Square and the market on Cleveland Street. Districts include Tettenhall (WV6), Penn (WV4), Wednesfield (WV11), Bilston (WV14) and Bushbury (WV10). Moseley Old Hall and Halfpenny Green Airport are outside the city, in South Staffordshire. Practise in Wolverhampton local area.
Booking, the day itself and what happens if you fail
What to bring
The council and Worcestershire County Council ask for slightly different things, so bring everything on both lists:
- your original photocard DVLA driving licence (or another government-issued photo ID such as a passport, if Worcestershire's booking allows it)
- proof of your National Insurance number
- your booking confirmation email, printed or on your phone
When you book, Worcestershire asks for an image of the front of your driving licence and of your National Insurance card. If you do not have the card, a payslip, P60 or a tax letter showing your name and number can be used, with other personal details covered.
If you fail
Look at which topics went wrong while the day is fresh, and write them down. For your second attempt you can choose the £20 test-only resit, so you do not repeat the training. If you fail a second time, your third attempt is the full £50 course and test again. A third fail means waiting 12 months, so do not rush the third attempt: use our section practice until your weak topics are consistently at 100%.
Exam tip: Use the cheaper second attempt wisely. Book it only when your mock scores are back above 85%, not the following week out of frustration.
Getting a Wolverhampton private hire licence
The test is one step. The council also requires:
- A category B driving licence held for at least 12 months.
- An enhanced DBS check on the Update Service. Without the Update Service, licences are issued for only 6 months.
- A Group 2 medical.
- A Certificate of Good Character if you have spent 3 months or more abroad since the age of 18.
- A pass in the training course and test. If you applied before completing the training, email the council once you pass.
Hackney carriage applicants take a different route: Part 1 is the Hackney Carriage Driver Knowledge Test (£50 per attempt) and Part 2 is a Practical Driving Assessment (£80) in an approved vehicle. Existing licence holders who passed the theory assessment before 19 September 2019 must retake it.
Why Wolverhampton licenses so many drivers
Wolverhampton licenses a very large number of private hire drivers, and many of them work for operators in other parts of England. That is why "Wolverhampton private hire test" is searched far more than any other council test. The law allows it: a private hire booking can be carried out anywhere in England, as long as the operator, driver and vehicle are all licensed by the same council. The Department for Transport discusses cross-border hiring in its best practice guidance.
This page does not recommend one council over another. Before you choose where to apply, think about where you will actually work. The council enforces its conditions wherever you drive, and you will need to attend Wolverhampton for training, tests and checks. If you will work mainly in Birmingham, compare the Birmingham taxi knowledge test.
About "Wolverhampton private hire test questions and answers PDF"
Search for a Wolverhampton test PDF and the first page is full of files that claim to hold the questions. In our checks, these files contain generic or copied text, not the council's test. The council does not publish its question bank, and nobody outside the council and its training provider has it.
What we offer instead is honest: our free Wolverhampton worksheet is a printable page of practice questions with an answer key, written by us for Wolverhampton's topics. Print it or save it as a PDF from your browser. It is practice, not the test.
How our Wolverhampton practice works
Our Wolverhampton route has 2,256 questions: about 2,000 shared council questions on the Highway Code, signs, law, safeguarding and equality, plus questions written for Wolverhampton's conditions, CCTV policy, fares and area. Each of the ten mocks has 28 questions weighted towards safeguarding, plying for hire, equality and local policy, with 21 correct to pass. The free Wolverhampton note summarises the local rules for revision.
Our mocks cannot tell you which eight questions on the day will be key, so the safest approach is to score 100% in the safeguarding, law and equality topics before you book. Pro unlocks mocks 2 to 10 and section practice for £6.99 a week, £11.99 a month or £22.99 for three months; see pricing. There is no pass guarantee. For how Wolverhampton compares with other councils, see our council taxi knowledge test guide.
Your study plan
- Today: take the free Wolverhampton diagnostic, 20 questions across every topic.
- This week: read the free Wolverhampton note and learn the reporting deadlines, dress rules and CCTV rules.
- Next week: drill safeguarding, plying for hire and equality until you score 100% every time.
- Before booking the course: sit the free Wolverhampton mock 1 and aim for 85% or more, three mocks in a row.
- Then: book with Worcestershire County Council, arrive early with your ID and booking confirmation, and listen hard in the key-topic sessions.
20 free Wolverhampton practice questions with answers
Try each one, then open the answer. For a timed experience use the free mock exam.
1. A passenger asks for a place inside the City of Wolverhampton Council area. Which of these is inside it?
- A. Tettenhall
- B. Perton
- C. Pattingham
- D. Codsall
Show answer
A. Tettenhall
Tettenhall is inside the City of Wolverhampton Council area. The other three places are in neighbouring council areas.
2. In Wolverhampton, on which road is the Novotel Wolverhampton?
- A. Finchfield Road
- B. Union Street
- C. Stafford Road
- D. Penn Road
Show answer
B. Union Street
The Novotel Wolverhampton is on Union Street. Knowing the street for each major place helps you take passengers straight to the door.
3. How does Wolverhampton treat a caution or a paid fixed penalty when judging fitness?
- A. As proof of good character
- B. The same way as a conviction
- C. It is ignored
- D. As a minor note only
Show answer
B. The same way as a conviction
A caution is treated exactly like a conviction, because it requires an admission of guilt. Fixed penalties and community resolutions are treated the same way.
4. When a Wolverhampton private hire driver arrives to collect a passenger, what must they do?
- A. Sound the horn repeatedly
- B. Make themselves known and help
- C. Leave after one minute
- D. Wait silently in the car
Show answer
B. Make themselves known and help
Condition 31 says the driver must make themselves known on arrival and help any disabled passenger identify the vehicle, at no extra charge.
5. What normally happens to a Wolverhampton licence holder judged to be a persistent offender?
- A. A free licence renewal next year
- B. Revoked; no new licence normally
- C. A warning letter and nothing else
- D. A larger badge to wear at work
Show answer
B. Revoked; no new licence normally
Where someone is a persistent offender, a new licence will not normally be granted and existing licences will normally be revoked or not renewed.
6. When must a Wolverhampton hackney carriage driver start the meter?
- A. When the passenger phones
- B. At the end of the trip
- C. When the driver leaves the rank
- D. Once the passenger is seated
Show answer
D. Once the passenger is seated
The council's passenger notice says the driver must not start the meter until the passenger is seated.
7. Wolverhampton says a dashcam must face ___ and must not record audio.
- A. outwards
- B. inwards
- C. upwards
- D. sideways
Show answer
A. outwards
Dashcams must be external facing; passengers must not be visible and audio recording is prohibited.
8. Which of these places is within the City of Wolverhampton Council licensing area?
- A. Cannock
- B. Wednesfield
- C. Willenhall
- D. Darlaston
Show answer
B. Wednesfield
Wednesfield is inside the City of Wolverhampton Council area. The other three places are in neighbouring council areas.
9. If an internal screen (partition) is fitted in a Wolverhampton licensed vehicle, what must also be installed?
- A. A hearing loop
- B. A roof sign
- C. A second meter
- D. A fridge
Show answer
A. A hearing loop
Where an internal screen is fitted, hearing loops must be installed so deaf or hard of hearing passengers can talk to the driver.
10. Where should a Wolverhampton private hire driver drop off passengers?
- A. Anywhere the driver likes to stop
- B. In the middle of a busy junction
- C. In a bus lane during rush hour
- D. A safe, lawful spot near the destination
Show answer
D. A safe, lawful spot near the destination
Condition 44 says passengers must be dropped in a safe and lawful place that does not obstruct traffic, as close as practicable to the destination.
11. Why does Wolverhampton treat plying for hire by private hire drivers so seriously?
- A. It uses too much fuel
- B. Passengers are usually uninsured
- C. It produces too many receipts
- D. It makes fares far too cheap
Show answer
B. Passengers are usually uninsured
The guidelines say plying for hire offences generally mean passengers are uninsured, and show the driver cannot work within the law.
12. In a Wolverhampton CCTV system with panic-switch audio, what must happen when audio is recording?
- A. Nothing; it records in total silence
- B. The radio switches itself on loudly
- C. A light shows it and passengers are told
- D. The meter stops running straight away
Show answer
C. A light shows it and passengers are told
The switch must give an illuminated indicator clearly visible from all passenger seats, and the driver must tell passengers audio is recording.
13. Wolverhampton private hire drivers must tell the council about any arrest within 48 ___.
- A. months
- B. days
- C. weeks
- D. hours
Show answer
D. hours
Condition 2 sets 48 hours for reporting arrests, charges, cautions and similar matters.
14. Which of these is a subject on the Wolverhampton private hire course?
- A. Foreign languages
- B. Car engine repair
- C. Accounting
- D. County lines
Show answer
D. County lines
Course subjects include county lines, child sexual exploitation, counter terrorism, modern slavery, disability awareness, plying for hire, suicide awareness and licence conditions.
15. In Wolverhampton, on which road is the Civic Centre (council offices)?
- A. Cleveland Street
- B. St Peter's Square
- C. Waterloo Road
- D. Penn Road
Show answer
B. St Peter's Square
The Civic Centre (council offices) is on St Peter's Square. Knowing the street for each major place helps you take passengers straight to the door.
16. What does Wolverhampton's condition say about a driver asking a passenger for their phone number?
- A. It is fine for regular customers
- B. Do not ask for or keep their contact details
- C. It is fine if the passenger offers it
- D. It is fine once the journey is over
Show answer
B. Do not ask for or keep their contact details
Condition 16 says the driver must not request or keep any personal contact information or try to form a personal relationship with passengers.
17. For how long must a Wolverhampton driver licence applicant have held a DVLA licence for category B?
- A. At least 12 months
- B. At least 3 years
- C. At least 6 months
- D. No minimum
Show answer
A. At least 12 months
All Wolverhampton driver applicants need a DVLA licence showing entitlement to drive category B vehicles for at least 12 months.
18. Which postcode district covers Molineux Stadium in Wolverhampton?
- A. WV6
- B. WV14
- C. WV1
- D. WV4
Show answer
C. WV1
Molineux Stadium is in the WV1 postcode district.
19. How can a passenger complain about a Wolverhampton licensed journey?
- A. Only by telling the driver
- B. There is no way to complain
- C. Online or by calling 01902 55 TAXI
- D. Only by letter to the police
Show answer
C. Online or by calling 01902 55 TAXI
The council says complaints can be made at wolverhampton.gov.uk/taxi-complaints or by phoning 01902 55 TAXI.
20. Wolverhampton private hire operator branding is allowed in an exclusive arrangement. What form must it take?
- A. Approved rear sticker, up to A4
- B. Magnetic signs on the doors
- C. A light box on the roof
- D. Any size sign on the bonnet
Show answer
A. Approved rear sticker, up to A4
Operator signage may be shown where an exclusive relationship exists, as approved sticker branding no larger than A4 on the rear. Magnetic signs are not approved.
Frequently asked questions
+How many questions are in the Wolverhampton private hire test?
The written test has 28 multiple-choice questions. Eight of them are key questions: three on safeguarding, three on plying for hire and two on disability awareness.
+What is the pass mark for the Wolverhampton taxi test?
You need 75% correct to pass, which is 21 out of 28. The council does not publish whether every key question must be answered correctly, so treat each one as a question you cannot afford to miss.
+What are the key questions in the Wolverhampton private hire test?
They are eight questions on the topics the council treats as most important: three on safeguarding, three on plying for hire and two on disability awareness. The council does not publish the questions themselves.
+How much is the Wolverhampton private hire test?
The one-day course with the test costs £50 per attempt. A £20 test-only resit is available, but only as your second attempt. The hackney carriage knowledge test is a separate £50, with an £80 practical driving assessment.
+How many attempts do you get at the Wolverhampton test?
You can sit the test three times. If you fail all three, you must wait 12 months before starting the process again.
+Who runs the Wolverhampton taxi training course?
Worcestershire County Council's driver training team runs the course and test for the City of Wolverhampton Council. You book through Worcestershire's booking system.
+Can I take the Wolverhampton test in another language?
No. The course and test are in English only, with no translation or interpreter. A face-to-face English assessment is part of the day, and if you do not meet the standard you cannot sit the written test.
+Why do so many drivers get a Wolverhampton private hire licence?
Wolverhampton licenses a very large number of private hire drivers, many of whom work for operators elsewhere in England. The law allows a private hire driver, vehicle and operator licensed by the same council to carry out bookings outside that council's area.
+What do I need for a Wolverhampton private hire licence?
You need a category B driving licence held for at least 12 months, an enhanced DBS check on the Update Service, a Group 2 medical, a Certificate of Good Character if you lived abroad for 3 months or more since age 18, and a pass in the training course and test.
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
- Council Taxi Knowledge Tests: Formats, Pass Marks and PracticeCouncil taxi knowledge tests compared: questions, time, pass rules and fees for 15 councils, what the tests cover and free practice for each.
- Birmingham Taxi Knowledge Test: Private Hire and HackneyBirmingham's private hire suitability test and hackney carriage knowledge test explained: format, pass rules, fees, local rules and free practice.
- Plying for Hire: What It Means for DriversPlying for hire meaning in plain English: who may do it, the offences under the 1847 and 1976 Acts, touting, insurance and council penalties.
- Safeguarding Questions for Taxi DriversSafeguarding questions for taxi drivers: signs of exploitation, county lines, who to report to, worked scenarios and how TfL and councils test it.
- 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.
- Taxi Knowledge Test Questions and AnswersTaxi knowledge test questions and answers explained by topic, which councils publish official samples, worked fare examples and a free printable sheet.