New driver

Broadland District Council Combined Private Hire and Hackney Carriage Driver Licence

To drive a hackney carriage or private hire vehicle in Broadland or South Norfolk you must hold a valid Combined Private Hire/Hackney Carriage driver licence issued by us.

Who can apply?

You can apply to become a Private Hire/Hackney Carriage driver if you:

• Are over 21 years old;
• Have held a full UK DVLA driving licence for at least 12 months;
• Are able to work legally in the UK; and
• You are a ‘fit and proper person’ to hold a licence. This means your background and character will be checked. For further information please see the Council’s Private Hire and Hackney Carriage Policy and Conditions booklet.

Applying for a licence

Before making an application you will need to answer a series of questions to ensure you are eligible to apply. If you are eligible you will be provided with a reference number to enable you to apply online for your licence.

Please note it can take up to 21 days for an officer to confirm you are eligible to apply for a licence and we will then provide you with a reference number (which is only valid for six months from the date of receipt).

As part of your application you will need to arrange:

• A copy of the medical assessment will be provided to you once you have completed the pre-application form (do not use an existing medical assessment which has previously been provided to you). Medicals can be completed by your own GP or alternatively through D4 Drivers, Healthwork and Sigma Health. To use one of the three medical providers you will be required to obtain a medical summary from the surgery where you are registered to take with you to the medical appointment.
• A DBS check (a link will be provided to you via email).

Before applying please ensure the documents as listed below are ready to upload. Any missing documents or incorrect information will delay the processing of your application.

1. British passport or Irish passport or passport card, UK or Irish birth certificate and your national insurance number (you must provide an official letter or document from a previous employer or a government agency that shows your name and National Insurance number), or proof of your right to work and reside in the United Kingdom (right to work share code).
2. The front and back of your current Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) photocard licence, registered to your current address. If you only have a paper licence, then that should be uploaded instead (pre March 2000). You must have held a full valid UK DVLA licence for a minimum period of twelve months before making an application.
3. A completed First Advantage mandate to enable a check to be carried out on your DVLA driving licence.
4. A current colour passport-style photograph of you as either a jpg or jpeg file.
5. A satisfactory current Group 2 DVLA Standard Medical. Medical questionnaires completed by any other GP without access to your records will be rejected.
6. Proof that you meet the English language requirements. If you cannot provide evidence, you will be booked to complete a Council approved English language assessment upon receipt of your application.
7. Certificate of good conduct. This applies only if you have lived outside of the UK for three months or more since the age of 18. You must provide the Council with an original certificate of good conduct from the country or countries you lived in during this time, this must be in English.
8. A certificate to confirm you have completed the taxi driving assessment with a Council approved provider.
9. A certificate to confirm you have completed the disability awareness training with a Council approved provider (theory (and practical where relevant)).
10. HMRC tax code. If applying for the same type of licence you hold with another local authority or previously held with Broadland/South Norfolk or a different local authority, which expired less than 12 months ago, you must input a tax check code when requested in the online application.

You may now submit an application online.

Once we have received the online valid application form, we will contact you to arrange an appointment to provide your identification documents or any further required documents, into the council offices to:

• Arrange an enhanced criminal record check with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). You will need to produce three ID documents to confirm your identity.  Please ensure you have completed the online DBS application prior to the appointment.
• Arrange a Right to Work check to confirm you are able to work in the UK.