A private hire driver licence is the permission you need from a local council to drive a booked vehicle — minicabs, chauffeur cars and similar — where journeys are arranged in advance rather than hailed in the street. It is issued by the licensing authority for the area you intend to work in, and it sits alongside two other licences: one for the vehicle and one for the operator who takes the bookings. Without all three in place, the work cannot be carried out legally.
Getting the driver licence means meeting a set of checks designed to confirm you are a fit and proper person to carry passengers. These typically include a criminal record check, a medical assessment, a check of your driving record and, in many areas, a knowledge or local test. This guide explains what each stage involves and how the parts fit together.
What the driver licence covers
The private hire driver licence permits you to drive licensed private hire vehicles for an operator. It does not, on its own, let you pick up passengers who flag you down — that is the separate world of hackney carriages (traditional taxis). Private hire work must be pre-booked through a licensed operator, and the licence ties you to that framework.
To apply, you generally need to have held a full GB or EU driving licence for a minimum period, often 12 months, though some councils ask for longer. You must be old enough to meet the authority's threshold, usually 21, and have the legal right to work in the UK. Applications are made directly to the council, not through a third party, and a fee is payable.
Once granted, the licence is usually valid for one or three years, depending on the authority. You are issued with a driver badge — a photographic identity card showing your name, photo, licence number and the issuing council. The badge is the visible proof that you are licensed. Most authorities require it to be worn or displayed while you are working so passengers and enforcement officers can identify you. Losing it, letting it expire, or working in another council's area without the correct licence can all cause problems, so it pays to understand the conditions attached.
Conditions vary between councils. Some set rules on the type of clothing worn, the condition of the vehicle, the keeping of records, and how complaints are handled. You should read the licence conditions for your chosen authority carefully, because breaching them can lead to suspension or revocation.
DBS and background checks
Without all three in place, the work cannot be carried out legally.
A central part of the application is a criminal record check carried out through the Disclosure and Barring Service, known as a DBS check. For private hire drivers this is an enhanced check, the most thorough level, because the work involves transporting members of the public, including children and vulnerable adults.
An enhanced DBS check reveals spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands and warnings, along with any relevant information held by police forces. Drivers are also usually required to be checked against the children's and adults' barred lists. The council uses this information to decide whether an applicant is a fit and proper person to hold a licence.
A criminal record does not automatically rule you out, but it is assessed against the council's policy. Each authority publishes guidance on how it treats different types of offence and how long must pass before an application can be considered. Serious or relevant convictions — for example involving violence, dishonesty or driving offences — are weighed more heavily.
Because the check is ongoing in nature, many drivers are asked to join the DBS Update Service, a subscription that lets the council recheck the certificate periodically without a fresh application each time. Some authorities require renewal of the check at set intervals regardless. You should expect to declare any new convictions or cautions to the licensing authority promptly, as failing to do so is itself usually a breach of conditions.
The check covers the applicant only; it is not transferable between people, and a certificate obtained for one purpose may not be accepted for another. When applying, confirm with the council exactly which level and type of check it requires and how recently it must have been issued.
Medical and driving standards
Carrying passengers for hire and reward sets a higher bar for fitness than ordinary private driving. Most councils require a medical assessment to the DVLA's Group 2 standard, the same level expected of lorry and bus drivers. This is stricter than the Group 1 standard that applies to a normal car licence.
The medical is carried out by a doctor, often your own GP or a doctor with access to your records, and covers areas such as eyesight, heart conditions, diabetes, neurological conditions and anything that could affect your ability to drive safely over long periods. The doctor completes a form set by the council. You will usually pay for the assessment, and the cost varies by practice.
Eyesight is checked specifically, and there are minimum standards for both distance vision and field of view. If you wear glasses or contact lenses to meet the standard, that is generally acceptable, provided you wear them while driving. Certain conditions may require a specialist report or periodic re-testing rather than an outright refusal.
Your driving record matters too. The council will review your licence for points, disqualifications and the history of any offences. A clean record is not always essential, but a pattern of serious or recent motoring convictions can lead to refusal. Drink-driving and dangerous driving offences are treated particularly seriously.
Many authorities also run a knowledge test before granting the licence. The format differs from place to place. It may cover the local area and key routes, the highway code, licensing law and conditions, safeguarding, disability awareness and how to handle situations involving vulnerable passengers. Some councils also test English language skills, since clear communication with passengers is part of the role. The test is usually taken at the council's offices, sometimes with a fee per attempt, and you may be allowed to resit if you do not pass first time.
Taken together, the DBS check, the medical, the driving record review, any knowledge test and the issued badge make up the full picture of a private hire driver licence. Each part is assessed independently, but all of them must be satisfied for the council to grant the badge — and the conditions continue to apply for as long as you hold it.