Apply or renew a Hackney Carriage Drivers Licence

To apply for a Hackney Carriage Drivers Licence, you need a valid UK driving licence for at least 12 months. As well as this, you also need the below:

  • full UK driving licence(link is external) for Category B vehicles, which you have held for at least 12 months. If you have a driving licence issued from outside of the UK, see Exchange a foreign driving licence(link is external).
  • A completed medical certificate within 4 months of your application date. The Council's template is in the 'Downloads' section. From 1 January 2025, all pages of the attached DVLA D4 form must be provided with your application.  If you experience difficulties whilst uploading the medical with the completed DVLA D4 form please submit your completed medical separately to driver.lic@wolverhampton.gov.uk(link sends email) with your WTP reference that will be provided once your application has been successfully submitted.
  • Proof of your right to work in the UK – Here you can find the Right to Work Document Assessment form. You must upload an acceptable image of your Right to Work documentation and produce all original documents for verification prior to your licence being granted.
  • You need to apply for an enhanced DBS certificate via TaxiPlus(link is external). Your DBS must include the position of ‘Other Workforce [Taxi/Private Hire] Driver’,
    • When you have a DBS certificate, you must register for the DBS Update Service(link is external) or you will only receive a licence for six months. You will then need to provide a new certificate after six months to receive an extension of your licence.
    • Please post all pages of the original certificate to:
      Taxi Licensing
      City of Wolverhampton Council
      Civic Centre
      St. Peter's Square
      Wolverhampton
      WV1 1SH
    • Your certificate will be posted back to you at the address we currently have recorded for you.
  • A completed DVLA Licence check. This will complete at the same time as your DBS, if you apply via TaxiPlus.
  • Completed our Hackney Carriage theoretical and driving assessment. Please contact Worcestershire County Council to book this on: taxidrivertraining@worcestershire.gov.uk(link sends email).
  • Please note that if you are an existing licence holder, and completed the theoretical assessment prior to 19 September 2019, you will need to re-take this.
  • To book this, please contact taxidrivertraining@worcestershire.gov.uk(link sends email)
  • Your own, individual email address.

If you are a renewal applicant or have held a similar licence within the last 12 months:

You need to evidence your tax status via a Tax Check Code. Please see Complete a tax check for a taxi, private hire or scrap metal licence(link is external).

Apply for the Update Service(link is external)

If you are not on the DBS Update Service, you will only receive a 6 month licence. You will need to provide a new DBS certificate every six months as per the Department for Transport(link is external).  

When you submit your application, Licensing Services will process this. This will not progress if all documents are not submitted in a correct/complete manner. We will contact you during the application process if we need further information.

Please note that your name must match and be spelt the same way on your documents. Your application will not continue until you resolve this.

You will receive confirmation of your application submission. This may divert to your clutter/junk folder.

We are unable to provide progress updates over the telephone. You can check the status of your application here(link is external).

If you need further information, please contact:-

Driver: Driver.Lic@wolverhampton.gov.uk(link sends email) 
Vehicle: Vehicle.Lic@wolverhampton.gov.uk(link sends email) 

If you have any convictions/information on your records:

If there is anything adverse found as part of the checks on your application, you may get an invite for a hearing. You can check our Guidelines (in the Downloads section) to assess this. This may cause delays with your application.

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