Licensing

New application for a Hackney Carriage/ Private Hire Drivers Licence

How to Apply

In order to apply for a Hackney Carriage and/or Private Hire Drivers Licence, you must be over 21 years of age and have held a full DVLA drivers licence for a minimum of 12 months.

All new applicants must now pass a driving assessment undertaken by the Driving Standards Agency (DSA). Below is information that you will need in order to arrange an assessment. We do not hold any further information regarding this.

DSA Assessment Guidance Notes 391.03 KB

Application Process

Step 1

Once you have received your certificate, you are able to apply for a Private Hire/Hackney Carriage Driver Licence

Please be aware that the application process can take some time, as part of the process a Criminal Records Bureau check will be undertaken and those checks can, in some cases, take months to complete.

Step 2

Either print the application forms (1 -7) onto ordinary white A4 paper and complete them in black ink using capital letters or contact the Licensing Office on the details below.

1. Application Form 37.48 KB
2. Statutory Declaration Form 41.85 KB
3. Medical Form 54.45 KB
4. Topographical Test Notes 49.46 KB
5. Notes of Application 40.55 KB
6. Equalities Questionnaire 30.89 KB
7. Covering Letter 16.3 KB

Please ensure that the statutory declaration is stamped by the Solicitor/Commissioner for Oaths. If they do not have an office stamp we will accept an accompanying letter with the statutory declaration providing it is on the Solicitor/Commissioner for Oaths letter headed paper.

You will be required to complete a Criminal Records Check Application form. Unfortunately you cannot download this form from the internet. You will be given the form to complete when we process your application forms. In order to complete the CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) you will need to bring the following information with you:

• National Insurance Number.
• Your passport or birth certificate (original UK birth certificate required for CRB form).
• Full UK Driving Licence (card and counterpart) with current address
• The CRB require a minimum of 5 years address history so please bring the addresses for where you have lived for the past 5 years.

Step 3

New driver grant applications are only accepted in person by appointment at the Licensing Office, Environment Centre, Ash Road, Droylsden, M43 6QU. Please contact the Licensing Office (see contact details below) to make an appointment to submit your application. The application process will take approximately 30 minutes to complete.

Please bring your completed application forms along with the information as stated above which is required for the CRB check along with the following items:

• Your DVLA Driving Licence (original - not a photocopy) showing your current address (if photo card licence, please bring counterpart as well as card).
• Your passport or birth certificate (UK birth certificate required for CRB form and it must not be a a photocopy).
• Proof of address
• 1 colour passport type photograph taken within the last month.
• Fee - payment can be made at the licensing office by cheque, credit card or debit card. If you wish to pay by cash, a payment card can be obtained from the licensing office for payment at any Post Office or authorised pay point.

Applications will not be accepted without production of the above.

The medical form needn't be completed at this stage. You may wait until the necessary checks have been returned to us and you have passed your Topographical Test. It is worth noting that, should you decide to withdraw your application for whatever reason, the fee paid by you to your GP is non-refundable. Therefore, it is entirely up to you to decide at which point during the application process that you have the medical. Please note that we can only accept the medical form if the examination is carried out by your own GP as they will require access to your medical records/history. If you have had a medical examination in the last 12 months for PSV or HGV then you do not need to submit the Tameside Medical Examination Form.

Once your application has been accepted and the fee has been paid, you will sit a Basic Skills Pre-Assessment where you will be tested on your Literacy, Numeracy and Communication Skills. The assessment is designed to make sure that you have the necessary skills required as a Taxi Driver working with the general public. If you fail the pre-assessment an appointment will be made for you to sit a Basic Skills Test which is done by the Lifelong Learning section of the Council. Once you have passed the assessment, you will then be given an appointment to sit the written Topographical Test.

We will contact you when we receive the CRB disclosure (you will also receive a copy of the disclosure directly from the CRB). If your CRB shows items recorded on it, the Licensing Supervisor will contact you to discuss the matter. If you have not passed your Topographical Test at this stage, you must do so before you can go any further.

We look forward to receiving your application and if you have any difficulty with any of the forms or have any questions, please contact the Licensing Office. Licensing Contact Details

Click here for a checklist which you should use before bringing your forms into the Licensing Office.