This guidance applies if you are not already a licensed taxi driver. Read about renewing a taxi driver’s licence if your current licence is due to expire.
If you want to become a taxi driver, you must:
- hold a full UK, EC or EEA driving licence that is issued to your current address and has been valid for at least two years
- have the right to live and work in the UK
- have read and understood our taxi licensing policy and handbook
You are unlikely to be granted a licence if:
- you have had a licence suspended, revoked or refused within the last 10 years – we will refer your application to the Licensing Sub-Committee
- you fall under our enforcement management system, as detailed in the handbook
Application process
You must first attend a safeguarding and disability awareness training course. After you pass this course, you must register to take the knowledge test within 12 months. You must complete all other steps of the application in order within 12 months of registering to take the knowledge test.
We will issue your badge and licence when:
- you have completed all steps of the application process
- we have assessed and approved your application
- you have paid the licence fee
There are no exemptions to bypass any steps of the process. Read our taxi licensing fees page to check costs associated with your application.
Step 1: Safeguarding and disability awareness training
As a taxi driver, you might observe incidents that nobody else does. We believe it is crucial to equip you with the basic skills and knowledge necessary to identify and respond appropriately to safeguarding concerns.
You must attend a two-hour online training course provided by STC Safeguarding, and attend refresher training every three years. We do not provide or manage this course.
If you do not take the knowledge test within 12 months of completing this training, you must redo the course.
- Find out more about taxi driver’s safeguarding and disability awareness training.
Step 2: Knowledge test
You must pass the knowledge test before you can progress to the next stage of your application.
You can attempt the test three times. You must pay for each occasion you take the test and email us a copy of the receipt, at which point we will arrange the online test. If you have not passed within three tries or 12 months, we will remove your details from our system.
Tell us when you have passed the knowledge test to proceed to the next stage of your application.
Prepare for the knowledge test
The test consists of 100 multiple-choice questions, each with one correct answer and three wrong answers. You must select the answer that you think is correct.
The test is divided into eight sections. The sections are:
- General
- Points of interest
- Numeracy
- Conditions and policy
- The Highway Code
- Signage
- Safeguarding
- Equality and customer service
Questions will include (but not be limited to) topics such as:
- the difference between hackney carriage and private hire
- how to charge fares, by meter or quote
- what you should do with your licence and badge
- how and when you should let us know about any convictions, change of address or accident damage
- seat belt laws [PDF, 25Kb]
- how to assist passengers with luggage
- safeguarding, equality and disability awareness
- customer service
Also, you must state the streets on which various places of interest are located. These places of interest will include (but not be limited to):
- university locations such as colleges, porter’s lodges, sports grounds, libraries and conference centres
- public houses, nightclubs and members’ clubs
- restaurants and takeaways
- theatres and cinemas
- hospitals
- hotels and bed and breakfasts
- sports centres and swimming pools
You will need to be able to demonstrate your knowledge of the statutory obligations and council conditions for taxi drivers. You should study our taxi licensing policy and handbook.
You will also need to demonstrate your knowledge of Cambridge, including the locations that a resident or visitor might want to go to. It is your responsibility to buy maps and use other resources to learn about Cambridge.
Register and book the knowledge test
Phone us to pay the fee – ask for ‘taxi’ when prompted. You can call from 10am to 4pm, Monday to Friday. After you have paid, email us:
- a completed knowledge test registration form [PDF, 0.2MB]
- your STC safeguarding certificate
- receipt for your payment
We will reject your application if you do not send them together.
Phone us to pay the fee – ask for ‘taxi’ when prompted. You can call from 10am to 4pm, Monday to Friday.
We will confirm your registration by email within two weeks of receiving your form, certificate and payment.
You will then receive an email confirming your enrolment on the knowledge test from TestReach, who invigilate the test for us. Follow the instructions from TestReach to book a slot for your test.
Attend the knowledge test
The test takes place online. You must show the invigilator photo ID. If you do not, the test will be cancelled – you will not be refunded, and you will need to book another test.
You must also show the invigilator the room where you will be completing your test. They will ask to see your desk area to ensure you do not have notes or your phone with you.
We do not issue refunds if you miss your appointment or fail the test, or if you do not pass the test within a year.
TestReach suggests that the device you take the test on should meet the following requirements:
- a laptop or computer running Windows 7+ or Mac OS 10.10+
- Intel Core i3 (or equivalent)
- a working webcam, microphone and speakers
- internet speed of at least 2Mbps
- a screen size of at least 13″ and a resolution of 1024 x 768
Step 3: Licence application
When we have confirmed that you have passed the knowledge test, you can submit your application.
Send the form to us by email with the following:
- a completed additional driver information form [PDF, 0.1MB], if you complete any sections
- both sides of your driving licence
- proof of your ID, such as your passport or birth or marriage certificate
- proof of your National Insurance number
- a certificate of good conduct, if you have lived abroad for any time in the last five years
- your right to work share code
- two of the following proofs of address from within the last three months, unless stated otherwise:
- a mortgage statement issued in the last 12 months
- a bank or building society account or credit card statement
- a letter confirming the opening of your current bank or building society account
- a financial statement for a pension or similar issued in the last 12 months
- a P45 or P60 statement issued in the last 12 months
- a Council Tax bill issued in the last 12 months
- a utility bill
- a benefit statement
- a document from central or local government
- a passport-style photograph taken within the last three months – photos taken on your phone are acceptable if taken against a clear white background
- a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) certificate, if you have one that meets our criteria and is registered to the update service
Photos or scans are acceptable if you cannot attach digital copies of these documents.
We will contact you to arrange payment when we receive your application.
Step 4: Disclosure and Barring Service check
The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) will carry out a range of checks on your application information. These checks will determine whether you are 'fit and proper' to hold a taxi driver’s licence.
You must attend the meeting in person, regardless of whether you already have a DBS certificate.
You must bring:
- your driving licence
- proof of your ID, such as your passport or birth or marriage certificate
- proof of your National Insurance number
- a certificate of good conduct, if you have lived abroad for any time in the last five years
- two proofs of your address, as listed in step 3
- a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) certificate, if you have one that meets our criteria and is registered to the update service
When you receive your DBS certificate, you must register it with the update service and provide it as part of stage 7 of your application.
Subscribe to the Disclosure and Barring Service update service
You must also subscribe to the DBS update service. The service allows you to keep your certificate up to date, and employers to check your certificate.
If you’re applying for the first time, you’ll need your DBS application form number – you must do this within 28 days of completing your application.
If you have applied before, you can use your DBS certificate number – you must do this within 30 days of it being issued.
When your subscription is confirmed, make a note of your unique ID number and keep it secure. Keep the DBS certificate safe.
Step 5: Taxi driver test
You must pass a taxi driver test with one of the following providers:
- AA DriveTech – email tellmemore@drivetech.co.uk
- Blue Lamp Trust
- Diamond Advanced Drivers
- Green Penny
- Mann Fleet Solutions – email mannfleetsolutions@mail.com
You are responsible for arranging the test, and for providing your own vehicle to take the test in. Contact the test provider to check the cost.
When you have passed the test, you will need to provide the certificate as part of stage 7 of your application. We will only accept certificates dated within the last 12 months.
Step 6: Medical assessment
You must arrange to have a Group II Medical Assessment. You can do this with your own doctor or one of our approved doctors.
A fee will apply for the assessment. Contact the medical practice to check the cost.
- Find out more about the taxi driver’s medical certificate.
Step 7: Assessment of your application
When you have completed all the previous steps, email the following documents to us:
- your DBS disclosure certificate
- proof of registration to the DBS update service
- your taxi driver’s test certificate
- your Group II medical certificate and full D4 report, dated within the last eight weeks
Will we then assess your application.
Changes in your circumstances
Contact us at the details below to tell about any changes in your circumstances. This includes:
- a new address or contact details
- being investigated for any criminal offence, whether you are charged or not
- any changes to your medical condition
- any changes or convictions on your DVLA licence
Failure to tell us could have an impact on your taxi driver’s licence. Read more about this in our hackney carriage and private hire handbook.
Replacement licences and badges
You must display your driver’s badge at all times. Contact us if you need a replacement licence or badge.
Provision of personal data to the Cabinet Office
We are required by law to protect the public funds that we administer. To do this we sometimes need to share the personal data you have given us with the bodies responsible for auditing or administering those funds, in order to prevent and detect fraud.
The Cabinet Office requires us to participate in the National Fraud Initiative (NFI). This is a data-matching exercise to assist in the prevention and detection of fraud against public-sector organisations. We regularly provide particular sets of data to the Cabinet Office for this purpose, as set out in the code of practice.
Find out more about the fair processing of data.
