Taxi Driver Licensing

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: NEW GOVERNEMNT TAX CHECK ON LICENCE APPLICATIONS
 
FROM 4 APRIL 2022, THE GOVERNMENT INTRODUCED MANDATORY TAX CHECKS THROUGH THE FINANCE ACT 2021, TO CONFIRM THAT AN APPLICANT IS APPROPRIATLEY REGISTERED FOR TAX.
 
Existing licence holder or renewing licence: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has introduced a new tax check that must be completed when any hackney carriage driver, private hire driver and or private hire operator (whether it be an individual licence holder, partnership or a company) renew their licences to drive taxis and private hire vehicles and operate a private hire business in England and Wales.
 
If a tax check is not completed, the licensing authority will be unable to consider your application to renew your licence and your current licence will expire. This is a requirement from HMRC.
From 4 April 2022, if a currently licensed driver or private hire operator renews a licence or decides to apply for a licence with a different licensing authority, they will have to do a tax check. They will be able to do this online through the digital service. A tax check will be required upon each and every occasion a renewal licence application is submitted.
 
Existing licence holders are encouraged to submit their renewal licence applications at least 8 weeks in advance. This is so the licensing authority can process your application, along with our new legal mandatory responsibility of making tax checks, to ensure your renewal licence is issued before the expiry of your current licence.      
 
Get ready for your tax checks: HMRC has introduced an online or digital tax check service for drivers and operators to undertake a tax check. HMRC wants people to prepare as early as possible by making sure they register to pay the appropriate taxes on their licensed income and to continue to be licensed at the point of renewing your licence.
 
If you have not registered to pay tax on earnings from your licensed trade, you should go to GOV.UK to check if you need to register as soon as possible. Furthermore, you will be able to complete the required tax check on GOV.UK, through your Government Gateway account.
 
You will only need to answer a few questions to tell HMRC how you pay any tax that may be due on income you earn from your licensed trade.
 
When you have completed the tax check, which only takes a few minutes, you will be provided with a 9 digit code. You must give this code to the licensing authority. We cannot proceed with your licence application until the tax check is completed and we have received the code. Please note, the 9 digit code is only valid for 120 days. If the expiry date of the code has expired, you will have to provide another code.
 
The licensing authority will only receive confirmation from HMRC that you have completed the tax check; we will not have access to your tax account. The check will not include any calculations; it is simply to confirm that someone is appropriately registered for tax.
 
If you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact the Licensing Department via email or 0161 342 4262.