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Apply for a taxi driver badge in Canterbury
Before you apply for a taxi driver badge in Canterbury
To apply for a hackney carriage, private hire, or dual driver licence, you need to:
- have held an EU or UK drivers licence for a minimum of 24 months
- have no motoring convictions
- have a valid passport, driving licence and proof of address
- have a contract offer to work as a taxi or private hire driver in the Canterbury district
You might also need to complete a comprehension test if English isn’t your first language.
There are two types of licence / badge, Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle (PHV):
- Taxi – a taxi (hackney carriage) driver may be ‘hailed’ by a passenger, park on a taxi rank waiting for passengers or be booked by a passenger. Hackney Carriage licensed cars are required to display a taxi light on the roof.
- Private hire vehicles cannot pick up passengers without a prior booking. This booking must be made through a licensed private hire operator. PVH are not permitted to use taxi ranks and cannot be hailed by customers on the street.
| Licence type | 1 Year | 3 Years |
|---|---|---|
| Hackney carriage | £281.19 | £443.63
|
| Private hire | £281.19 | £440.17
|
| Dual driver | £281.19 | £443.63
|
DBS Check
You will receive an email from a company called Cantium Employment Check which will process your DBS application. Once you have submitted the necessary documents please contact your case worker at Canterbury City Council to arrange an appointment.
Medical Check
You will need a medical check. This can be done at your own GP or any other doctor surgery, however please note that GP appointments may take a long time so please make one as soon as possible. You will also take an eye test so make sure your prescription is up to date if you wear glasses.
Driving assessment
You will be provided with a list of approved providers where you need to book a taxi driver assessment. This costs around £100 so please pay attention during the exam. Most common reasons for failure are going over the speed limit or not checking for blind spots when parking.
Safeguarding Training
Again you will be provided a list of approved providers to choose from. This is an online course with questions after each chapter. Please pay attention as you go through it as you can fail if you answer too many questions incorrectly.
Knowledge test
Please allow yourself plenty of time to study the Taxi and PHV Policy, Landmarks and Highway Code Signs that will be provided by the Council. Once you are confident, get in touch with them to book your exam.
Receive your badge
Once you have passed all the tests and you have your DBS check, please make sure to send everything yo your case worker. You will then receive your taxi or PHV licence and you can come to our offices for your induction process.
A step by step guide to the process
