Documentation guidance for licensing

Contents

Documentation about you

Duplicate documents cannot be provided to evidence multiple required items within the application form.

Proof of address

We accept the following as proof of address. It must be dated within the last 3 months and include a date stamp.

  • bank or credit card statement 
  • utility bill
  • P45 or P60 
  • Government issued letter

We also accept council tax bills dated within the last 12 months. 

Proof of National Insurance

We accept the following as proof of National Insurance.

  • a HMRC headed letter 
  • pay slip 
  • P60 
  • your National Insurance card

Passport style photograph

You can take a digital photograph yourself or get one taken professionally. This needs to be on a plain white background. 

GOV.UK guidance on rules for digital photos

Driving licences 

We only only accept applications from people aged 21 and over, who have held a full driving licence for at least a full 12 months. This is not 12 months since the date that the driver passed the driving test.

We can check your UK licence using a check code issued by the DVLA. 

Get a DVLA check code

We accept licences issued from:

  • UK (photocard driving licences issued by the DVLA)
  • European Community (EC)
  • one of the other countries in the European Economic Area (EEA) 

See if you can drive with your driving licence on GOV.UK

Right to work

To get certain licences from us you will need to prove your right to work in the UK. 

We accept the following documentation for UK or Irish citizens:

  • UK or Irish passport
  • national identity card
  • UK birth certificate

You must provide clear colour images of the original document(s) including watermarks and/or holograms.

Other nationalities

If you are not a UK or Irish citizen, you will need to prove your immigration status and right to work.

We check the immigration status of individuals with the Home Office. We may also share information with the Home Office.

You can either provide accepted documentation or use the Home Office online checking service if your status is compatible with the service.  

Get a share code to prove your right to work in the UK

Where we do an online check the ‘profile’ page confirming your right to work will be copied and kept by us. 

For manual checks you must provide clear colour images of the original document(s) including watermarks and/or holograms.

UK work restrictions and immigration laws

If there are restrictions on the length of time you may work in the UK, your licence will not be issued for any longer than this period. In such circumstances the check will be repeated each time you apply to renew or extend your licence.

If, during this period, you are disqualified from holding a licence because you have not complied with UK immigration laws, your licence will lapse and you must return it to us. Failure to do so is a criminal offence.

English speaking and listening

You must provide evidence of an English (speaking and listening) qualification. This must be at least to Entry Level 3 standard (as defined in the Regulated Qualifications Framework); or a similar qualification at an equivalent level.

We can refuse to accept a certificate of qualification as proof  if it is not satisfied as to the authenticity of the certificate or the quality / reliability of any part of the process that led to the certificate being issued.

Qualifications obtained in UK

Example qualifications are:

  • GCSE Certificate
  • A Level certificate
  • Degree/ Higher education Diploma 
  • ESOL Entry Level 3 or ESOL Level 1 or ESOL Level 2

International qualifications

Applicants who have an international qualification must be able to satisfy us that the qualification meets the requirement of English (speaking and listening) to Entry Level 3. 

UK NARIC is the designated UK national agency for the recognition and comparison of international qualifications and skills. 

We will accept an English Language Assessment completed by NARIC showing the applicant has a qualification equivalent to Entry Level 3 English.

Enhanced DBS certificate

All Taxi Drivers must provide an Enhanced DBS certificate, and the certificate must be registered on the update service. You must provide all pages of the certificate, front and back. 

If you already hold an Enhanced DBS but it is not registered on the update service you will need to apply for a new enhanced DBS certificate.

You can submit your application without this, but your licence will not be granted until it is provided. TaxiPlus information on DBS checks.

Statutory Declaration

You must provide a Statutory Declaration that has been completed in full and stamped by a solicitor. No section of the form should be left blank.

Medical

You must submit a Group 2 Medical to hold a Private Hire or Hackney Carriage Drivers Licence. The medical certificate must be less than 4 months old.

Download the medical examination report form

The document must be completed by a doctor who has access to your full medical history when completing the medical examination.

Tax check code

You may need to provide a tax check code as part of your application. This applies to individuals, companies and any type of partnership. Guidance on your tax responsibilities on GOV.UK.

Complete a tax check for a licence on GOV.UK

You can see the guidance we use to confirm a tax check for applications on GOV.UK.

Further information